Columbian Exposition Half Dollar 90% Silver 1892-1893

This is one of the most interesting coins in our catalog! The Columbian Exposition was the World's Fair of 1892 which actually didn't open until 1893 due to delays. The "Columbian" theme was to honor Christopher Columbus who had discovered the Americas exactly 400 years earlier in the year 1492. This "Columbian Half Dollar" was the first commemorative US coin ever, and the first to have a historical figure on it rather than Lady Liberty. It had the bust of Columbus on the front and his ship, the Santa Maria, on the reverse. This coin was created in an attempt to fund the costs of hosting the fair, a plan that failed miserably in the end. However, the Columbian Half Dollar is tied in so many ways to American history that it is one of our favorite and most interesting coins - be sure to check out our dedicated page about it. If you don't already have at least one of these coins in your silver stack yet make sure to get one while they last!