The first live person appearing on a United States coin is T. E. Kilby Governor of the State of Alabama during 1919. Please pay close attention to what I'm about to reveal to you: the coin authorized bearing Governor Tiby's bust is the 1921 (dated) Alabama Centennial silver Half Dollar. For some reason (not discovered by this author), though the Centennial celebration was during 1919, the minting of the Half Dollar wasn't authorized until 1920. Stranger still, this coin struck in 1920, wasn't released for sale until October 26, 1921 to coincide with President Harding's visit to Birmingham. Governor Kilby's bust isn't the only bust appearing on the obverse of the coin: the first governor of Alabama, William Wyatt Bibb has the distinction of appearing there too. Laura Gardin Fraser designed the coin. She strove to make sure anyone viewing the coin would know it proudly represented Alabama, by employing two devices to do this: Before I tell you about those devices, please click the following link: http://www.50states.com/flag/alflag.htm The Alabama State Flag bears a giant Saint Andrew's Cross on it. "So what?" you ask. Ms Fraser used that cross in her first device to proclaim this Half Dollar being a true commemorative of Alabama. Since Alabama was the 22nd State of the United Staes of America she placed 22 on the right field of the coin. She went a bit further in her desire by seperating the two 2s making up 22 with a tiny Saint Andrew's Cross, That's right that isn't an "X" between those 2s! Take a look (photo courtesy of coinpage): http://www.coinpage.com/large.php?tImageId=1185 What about the second devise? Did you count the stars on the coin? There are 12 stars in the left field and 10 in the right field totaling 22. 59,038 of these were struck, but, because a few squeaky voices complained about the 2 cross 2 in the field, another 6,006 halves were struck without that device and command slightly higher prices. Here's a photo of the "no 2x2" courtesy of coinfacts: http://www.coinfacts.com/commemoratives/half_dollar_commems/alabama_half_ dollar.htm Hope you now have a better appreciation of the Alabama Silver Half Dollar... Clinker - http://clinker.bravehost.com/funpage.html
