Another celebrated issue of the early commemorative series is the 1925 Lexington Concord Sesquicentennial Half Dollar (Buy on eBay). This coin was issued to mark the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, which began the American Revolutionary War.
The coins were designed by Chester Beach at the request of the local communities. The obverse was based on Daniel Chester French’s statue of a Minuteman soldier and the reverse depicts the Old Belfry from which Minutemen were alerted to action. Inscriptions on the obverse read “United States of America”, “In God We Trust”, “Concord Minuteman”, and “Patriot Half Dollar”. The reverse inscriptions read “Lexington Concord Sesquicentennial”, “Old Belfry, Lexington”, and “1775-1925”.
The Lexington and Concord Half Dollars carried an authorized mintage of 300,000 coins. The Philadelphia Mint produced 162,099 coins which were nearly entirely sold. The distribution took place through local banks, with a vast number sold to the local communities and even more sold throughout New England. Wider demand was a result of the true historical significance of the commemorative issue.
The coins were packaged in small wooden boxes, which featured images from the obverse and reverse of the Lexington and Concord Sesquicentennial Half Dollar, and originally sold for $1 each.
Lexington and Concord Half Dollar Coin Specifications
Designer: Chester Beach
Composition: 90% silver, 10% copper
Weight: 12.50 grams
Diameter: 30.6 mm
Authorization: Public Law 68-43
Maximum Authorized Mintage: 300,000
Lexington and Concord Half Dollar Mintages
1925: 162,013
