1925 Fort Vancouver Centennial Half Dollar

The story behind this coin

San Francisco (mintmark omitted)

Design and symbolism

The half dollar marked a century since the Hudson's Bay Company established Fort Vancouver in 1825. The post became the company's western headquarters and a powerful commercial center on the Columbia River. Laura Gardin Fraser designed both sides, linking its chief factor, Dr. John McLoughlin, with the landscape and frontier trade that shaped the region.

Obverse: McLoughlin faces left between the centennial dates. He is shown as the older, formidable administrator remembered as the “Father of Oregon.”

Regular issues and mintages

The figures in this 1925 Fort Vancouver Centennial 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.