What early Commemorative issues were circulated the most?

[islemangu]

Newbie here on commemoratives and just curious. The redbook says the Columbian 1892-3 did not sell out and many used in circulation. Are there other issues with significant numbers circulated?

[nwcs]

Probably BTW halves and I'd say many of the halves issued before the great depression. I'd bet that necessity saw their use in commerce. But that's just a guess.

[braddick]

Many circulated including Washington Carvers; BookerT's (as mentioned) and Pilgrim Tercentenary's; Alabama's; Lexinton-Concord Sequecentennial's; Stone Mountains; Grants; Oregon Trail Memorials; Huguenot-Walloon's, and Sequicentennials. To a slightly lesser degree, Texas Centennials circulated along with Arkansas Centennials and Providence Rhode Islands. Generally if a Commemorative was minted at or around 1921 it circulated due to the Great Depression although, due to some high mintages, halves of 1936 also were dumped into circulation.

 

Interestingly, the ones that you DON'T find circulated (or, hardly ever) are: Hawaiian's; Vermonts; Maryland Tercentenarys; Hudsons and Cincinnati's. I've also had difficulty finding Wisconsins and Old Spanish Trails in anything less than XF40.

[Higashiyama]

Braddick is definitely the leading expert in this field, but I am his protege, so let me try to add some further details.

 

The Columbian is certainly the easiest classic commem to find in circulated (and very highly circulated) conditions.

 

In general, those coins issued (a) before the 1936 commemorative craze, and (b) with very high quantities minted are not hard to find in circulated condition. These include, in particular, Stone Mountain and Monroe.

 

The Carver-Washington and Booker T Washington coins, issued in the 1950s with huge quantities minted are not hard to find circulated, especially the BTM, although not as often highly circulated like the Columbian (in part because those that circulated would have been removed from circulation after only 10 - 15 years)

 

In addition to these, most of the earlier issues (up through 1925 or 6) are not unusual to find circulated. The Isabella, Alabama, Grant, Lexington, Maine, and Sesqucentennial are perhaps a bit easier than the California, Huguenot, Illinois, and Pac Pac 50c. Pilgrims also show up well worn. The 1926 Oregon Trails saw some circulation or appear to have been common pocket pieces, though truly worn examples are tough.

 

Among the 1936 dated coins, the Long Island occasionally appears, presumably due to its relatively high mintage.

 

The Lafayette dollar is common found in circulated condition, although often quite severely abused as well.

 

As Braddick points out, a few are extremely hard to find circulated. One of my prize circulated specimens is a lightly circulated New Rochelle from the Braddick collection. Another is a circulated Hawaiian -- a coin which is beautiful in any grade.

 

 

 

[shadroch]

My godfather worked at the racetracks in NY from 1959 t about 1990. He saved many of the strange coins that passed thru the system.

After his death I recieved them and included were the following;

1 Conn.1935

3 Elgin 1936

1 delaware 1936

many Carver-Washingtons- at least 50

2 stone Mountains

12 Long Islands

3 Monroes

1 San Diego

2 Texas 1938

Many Booker Ts- at least 100, there were two rolls but I don't think they were original.

There were also some Phillipino Pesos, a few mexican coins and a few others.Lots of strange paper money. Red seals, national notes, Africa notes, Hawaii notes, ect

[islemangu]

Thank you for the very interesting and informative posts. I feel another commemmorative bug bite coming on.