# 772 - Early American Commemoratives - Part 5

Most of the info below comes from: https://earlycommemorativecoins.com/

"Commemorative coins were first issued by the United States Mint in 1892 to mark the World’s Columbian Exposition. The silver half dollars depicting Christopher Columbus were sold at the expedition for one dollar each. In subsequent years, the US Mint would continue the tradition of issuing gold and silver commemoratives to honor the important people, places, and events of the country.

Early commemorative coins were issued between the years 1892 and 1954 and have included primarily silver half dollars and gold dollars."

I will show the series "Silver Early Commemoratives". It will be presented in alphabetical order.

All coins weight 12.5g, with 90% silver purity.

The fifth is a MS66 1936 "Bridgeport" Half Dollar.

"The 1936 Bridgeport Centennial Half Dollar was issued for the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of city in Connecticut. The city had actually been founded almost two centuries early in 1639, but had remained unincorporated."

PCGS graded 5,486 1936 "Bridgeport" Half Dollars, with 1,840 as MS66 and 141 above. 25,015 1936 "Bridgeport" were minted in Philadelphia in 1936.

Today's price is around $275.00.

"The obverse features a portrait of Bridgeport’s most famous citizen, P.T. Barnum. The well known entertainer, showman, and philanthropist is remembered for his circus, museum, and the promotion of numerous celebrated hoaxes. The design of both obverse and reverse are by Henry Kreis."

"The reverse design features an modernistic interpretation of an eagle. It bears similarities to the earlier reverse design for the Connecticut Half Dollar, but carries the modernistic approach to a more extreme level."

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