100 years after the Columbian Expostion marking 400 years since Columbus' arrival in the new land, the Government decided to mint a series of coins commemorating the 500-year mark, calling it the Columbus "Quincentenary" set. A committee was formed, but they were never quite able to recall the "New Age" fervor that had marked the exposition. One problem was that there was no single event in sight that could catch the public imagination as had the 1892 Chicago World's Fair. Too, political correctness had embedded itself in the public psyche to the degree that Columbus' every step onto the soft sand of the Carribean shore and beyond was being scrutinized for signs of colonialism, or imperialism. In spite of those stumbling blocks the U.S. mints managed to design and stamp out three beautiful commemorative coins in both mint and proof condition.

The Denver, Philadelphia, and San Francisco mints shared minting duties on a half dollar of copper and nickel composition, and a silver dollar. West Point fabricated the scarcest Quincentenary type, a five-dollar gold piece which amounted to a scant 24,000 examples. Both the half and silever dollar enjoyed a mintage of a little over a half million each. This section will offer the copper-nickel halfs and silver dollars that were packed in "presentation" sets, some singly, and some containing both coins. Another section of this site will offer single "graded" coins of each type.

Whatever the polically charged atmosphere the 500-year Columbus commemorative coins were forged in, they make the perfect finishing touch to any collection of what has come to be known as "Columbiana."

All of the "graded" quiencentenary halves and dollors, whether mint or proof originally came from these presentation sets.

Sets minted by the government were created as mint (ms) or proof (pr). They came as single halves or single dollars in presentation boxes, and some were created with both half and dollar in a case.

This is an original Proof half dollar with original box and proof of authenticity document included. 1992

$59.95, plus $6 S/H

The boxed coins themselves were either housed in hard plastic cases or acrylic covers as seen to right covering this Mint state half. All mint issues would be designated as "Brilliant Uncirculated", but not graded, as the government does no assign a numerical grade. The color and tone would be perfectly even across the obverse and reverse of the issue.

$44.95, plus $6 S/H

Brilliant Uncirculated, and still encased in the protective acrylic cover. Mint.

$44.95, plus $6 S/H