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Entry Details
Coin Date: 1951-PDS Denomination (Short): Set Denomination (Long): Half dollar Variety: Washington-Carver Desg: MS Mint Mark: Various Composition: 90% silver; 10% copper Mintage: 10,004 Strike Type: Business Coinage Type: Classic Commemorative Coinage Years: 1951-1954 Mint Location: Various Diameter: 30.6 Fineness: 0.9 Weight (Grams): 12.5 Weight (Ounces): 0.36169 Designer: Isaac Scott Hathaway Edge: Reeded Obverse Description: Features overlapping portraits of George W. Carver and Booker T. Washington with the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN GOD WE TRUST, and E PLURIBUS UNUM on the outer periphery. The inner periphery bears the names of those honored along with the words HALF DOLLAR. The date is presented to the left of the portraits at 9 o'clock. Reverse Description: Depicts a map of the United States with the letters U.S.A. overprinted. The periphery bears the words FREEDOM AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL * AMERICANISM. General Notes:
The same year as the issuance of the last Booker T. Washington half dollar came the initial release of -- half dollar honoring Booker T. Washington and contemporary George Washington Carver. Both were among the most prominent African Americans of their day, with Washington -- noted author and presidential advisor and Carver -- scientist and inventor. The coin honoring both of these social leaders was designed by Isaac Scott Hathaway, who became the first African American to design -- U.S. coin when the Booker T. Washington half dollar was released in 1946.
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Washington-Carver halves were issued at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mints and are quite common. Most are known in grades of MS62 to MS65, though pieces grading MS66 are scarce and those in MS67 or higher are extremely rare, in large part due to the vast, flat surface on the reverse depicting -- map of the United States.
