Thread: Trivia - Delaware Commemorative

The 1936 Delaware Tercentary Half Dollar was minted to commemorate the 300th Anniversary of the Swedes landing in the New World. The Mint actually struck it as a souvenir coin hoping to make money on it's sales (as are most so-called commemorative coins). The obverse carries an artist's (Carl L. Schmitz) rendering of the Old Swedes Church in Wilmington, Delaware.


Now here's some things you may not know:

This coin was authorized in 1936 and carries the date 1936 on the obverse.
It was struck in 1937, but carries the date of 1938 on the reverse because 1938 was the true anniversary date of the landing.

The Old Swedes Church is the oldest protestent church still in use in The United States.

On the reverse of the half dollar you can see the ship (Kalmar Nyckel) used to carry the Swedish colonists from Sweden to the New World.

The celebration in the United States was held in 1938, but do you know Sweden celebrated the feat in 1938 too, and issued it's own commerative coin? That coin is a silver 2-Kronor coin and the Kalmar Nyckel boldly sails on it's reverse. If you have the 2007 or earlier World Coins 1901 - 2000 you can look this coin up. It is listed as Krause-Mishler 507 (KM507) and is a single year type coin.

If you own the Delaware coin, just think how much more it will enhance your collection if you obtain the Swedish 2-kronor.

Do you like this bit of numismatic trivia?

Clinker

Thanks for the info! I am actually looking for a good example of the 2-kroner to have it and the deleware put in an NGC multi-coin holder.