1938 50c New Rochelle

Coin / United States of America / 50c / Classic Commemoratives / 1938 / Philadelphia

The 1938 New Rochelle half dollar, dated 1938, marks the 250th anniversary of the New York community's settlement in 1688. However, this coin was struck in 1937, a year before its stated date of issue. Such discrepancies between dates of production for certain coins versus the dates seen on those pieces were common in the high-flying days of the traditional commemorative series in the mid 1930s. This attractive coin, designed by Gertrude K. Lathrop, features an obverse motif of a settler handling a calve, and the reverse showcases a fleur-dis-lis, or flower of the lily. <BR><BR> Approximately 50 examples of the issue were struck with a special strike. The dies and planchets were polished like a proof coin but the strike wasn't quite to that standard resulting in a special (SP) strike.