1920 Maine Centennial Half Dollar
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Commemorating: Centennial of admission of Maine into the Union
Obverse motif: Maine State Seal
Reverse motif: Wreath and inscriptions
Authorization date: May 10, 1920
Dates on coins: 1920 (also 1820)
Date when coins were actually minted: 1920
Mint used: Philadelphia
Maximum quantity authorized: 100,000
Total quantity minted (including assay coins): 50,028
Assay coins (included in above): 28
Quantity melted: None
Net number distributed (including assay coins): 50,028
Issued by: State treasurer and others
Standard original packaging: Plain paper coin envelope
Official sale price: $1
Designer of obverse and reverse: Unknown Maine artist; design modified by Anthony DeFrancisci Interesting facts: Originally envisioned to circulate at face value to promote Maine; one of two commemoratives connected with this state (1936 York County is the other).
To Celebrate a Centennial
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the admission of the state of Maine to the Union in 1820, the governor and Council of the state of Maine requested that the State Treasury Department issue a commemorative half dollar. On April 21, 1920, John A. Peters, a delegate to the House of Representatives from Maine, sought to promote his bill for a centennial half dollar by noting that the pieces were intended to "simply go into circulation with the special design upon them." It was felt that if the pieces passed from hand to hand in pocket change they would help publicize the centennial observation.
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