1927 50¢ Vermont Sesquicentennial Half Dollar Commemorative Coin (NGC MS 64)

Graded NGC MS 64. Please see the images for further details on the condition of the coin.

The 1927 Vermont Sesquicentennial half dollar was struck to commemorate the struggles the state and its people faced in its early history. One of the most prominent early Vermonters was Ira Allen, who, with his brother Ethan, helped Vermont (and the United Statea) achieve independence. One of the major battles of the American Revolution in which they fought was the Battle of Bennington on August 16th, 1777. During this fight, the Allen brothers’ band of fighters, the Green Mountain Boys, helped defeat a force of Hessian mercenaries in a battle remembered as “the turning point of the Revolution.”

In honor of the 150th anniversary of these events, the Vermont Sesquicentennial Commission sought the mintage of a commemorative coin to mark the event in 1927. Legislation which passed on February 24th, 1925 authorized the mintage of 40,000 coins honoring the battle. The Commission hired sculptor Charles Keck (creator of the 1915 Panama-Pacific gold dollar) to prepare models. His obverse depicts Ira Allen, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and FOUNDER OF VERMONT around the periphery above and below, respectively.

The reverse has a beautifully rendered image of a striding mountain lion. While pretty, it has absolutely nothing to do with the theme of the coin. In front is the date of the battle AUG. 16 and above the dual dates of commemoration 1777-1927. The words BATTLE OF BENNINGTON and the value HALF DOLLAR are arranged around its periphery. Crowded within the little remaining space are the statutory inscriptions IN GOD WE TRUST and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

Due to the fact that these coins were approved so early, there were great hopes of a sell-out. Unfortunately for the Commission, interest outside of Vermont was stagnant, and 11,892 of the 40,000 coins minted were eventually returned to Philadelphia for destruction. This leaves a net mintage of 28,108 coins for the issue.

Due to the uniqueness of each item, please refer to the photos provided in this auction. We offer high resolution images of each item rather than a written description of condition.

This item is being shipped from the Pristine Auction warehouse.