Coin profile
Reported standard-issue mintage / distribution: 1892: 950,000; 1893: 1,550,405
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1892–1893 World's Columbian Exposition Half Dollar
The story behind this coin
Congress created the Columbian half dollar to help finance Chicago’s World’s Columbian Exposition. Fair managers expected the novelty of a special federal coin to produce a large premium, but sales lagged and enormous quantities were released or melted. As the first federally authorized U.S. commemorative coin, it established the fundraising model later sponsors copied.
Design and symbolism
Obverse: Christopher Columbus.
Reverse: The Santa María above two hemispheres.
Regular issues and mintages
| Regular issue | Mint | Net distribution / collector mintage |
|---|---|---|
| 1892 | Philadelphia | 950,000 |
| 1893 | Philadelphia | 1,550,405 |
The figures in this 1892–1893 World's Columbian Exposition Half Dollar table report the regular collector issues shown for this commemorative. Where sponsors returned unsold coins for melting, the listed quantity reflects net distribution rather than the larger number initially struck.