FUN 1915-S Panama Pacific and San Diego Commemorative Half Dollars

These commemorative half dollars beckoned me at the FUN show. I was not really looking for a commemorative half dollar when I saw this Pan Pac in Ed Hips case. Ed & Lance Hips offered me the coin at the right grade & the right price. Just a few steps down the aisle & I picked-up the San Diego piece. I had only been in Orlando for an hour & I had already had two cool commemoratives half dollars added to my collection. BTW, if you had told me that morning that I was going to buy commemorative half dollar coins at FUN I would have said you were crazy.

The 1915-S Pan Pac is a gemmy coin IMO. It has the typical dark toning encroaching from the periphery that is seen on many Pan Pacs. I’m no expert, but I have seen several of these coins with this toning pattern. This one is brighter than most I’ve seen and I hope that the toning is halted. It is in an NGC holder. If you would like to guess the grade then I’ll post it tomorrow. I will tell you that I have a green CAC sticker on it.

 

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The second commem is this 1936 San Diego in an old rattler PCGS slab. The flashy coin got my attention from afar. I believe that it meets or exceeds the grade on the old holder. It has some gentle peripheral color which is difficult to focus on with your eyes let alone a camera. These are the best photos I could take in my hotel room. Again, I’ll post the TPG grade tomorrow.

 

Both are super nice in my book!

Chris

 

Great start there.
You going to be looking for a set?

 

The answer is a qualified "yes".

I think I already have about five & with these two new coins I might be up to seven now.

Now I'll probably be looking more attentively for the keys. I know that Hawaii is one of the important keys.

This wasn't my plan but they can kind of grow on you. I should take photos of the ones I have to date.

 

Here are my guesses on grade:
1915 - MS66.
1936 - MS68.(with notation)

 

Nice looking coins, I have being thinking about getting into the Commemorative Half dollars.

 

I agree. There are several nice designs in the commemorative half series.

 

I'll be sure to post the TPG grades later today.

 

Beautiful! I've been thinking about getting a 1915 50c for a while, but the price point is a bit high.

If I won the lottery, I would immediately set out to complete a commemorative US 50 cent / 50 centavo set - there are a LOT of cool designs there.

 

Just buy one (1) every once in a while

If I won the lottery I would probably die of an overdose of coins.

 

Welcome to the Early Commem club. Once you're in, you're stuck for good!

 

Suggestion of what to look for?

Which commem or specific detail on that commem would you suggest I look for while I am gleening the bourse floor(s)?

 

The TPG gave the 1915-S a MS64. CAC gave it a green sticker.

IMHO it is a 64-65 coin and I like it.

 

PCGS gave the San Diego a MS65. IMHO MS65 is a fair and conservative opinion for this coin.

If it were up to me, I would have given it a 66.

 

Beautiful commems! I only own two of the 1893 columbian expos but I have grown to hate them. I want something with a little better art like your two or the texas commem. Nice coins though and the grades seem to be spot on. Though that 36-S looks like it could get a regrade (Maybe?) for an upgrade. Absolutely beautiful either way.

 

Looking at pretty coins like that, and masterpieces like the Connecticut and Oregon trail pieces, and then looking at modern commemoratives just makes you sick doesn't it? We have fallen down so far in 80 years? I am not sure this country can ever produce masterpieces that we used to. Maybe I should shut up about them, or next they will be using the Oregon Trail design to pimp another form of bullion sales.

Chris

 

I think you are spot on with this assessment. There are many artistic commemorative coins and very (very) few modern masterpieces.

I too like the Connecticut half. I actually own two of them. (I already have a duplicate in the commemorative half series. :rollling: )

 

If you get too itchy about it, just let me know.

What I think is sad is to look at the first two designs they stole. Look at the old design and the reverse, new design. That shows you hwo sad modern designs are. The reverse are simply stale, committee designed modern garbage compared to the classic obverses. I think they even saw this so when they stole the buffalo nickel design they simply stole both sides so they wouldn't embarrass themselves any further.

I mean, these are Commemoratives! Why do they insist in creating low relief, boring coins for a commemorative program? Are they physically incapable of striking a coin such as the Oregon Trail nowadays? There have been a few decent designs in the modern series, but then they are ruined by being struck in ultra low relief. Take the 1988 $5 gold, strike that in high relief, and you have a very attractive coin. They way they struck it, its ok, but not like the older issues.

Just my opinion, and I will step off my soapbox, sorry.

Chris

 

I completely agree with you Chris. I just recently picked up a 2011 Army Half. It's a great looking coin for a modern. I guess you can say it's the steak...

But the 1935 Texas I picked up a week prior has got the sizzle! If only the mint went back to the old days and contracted out designs to third party professional sculpters for upcoming events. That would certainly bring the fanfare back into commems and possibly draw more interest into the hobby. Back in the hey day, didn't they use to hold open design contests for those early commems?