List of United States commemorative coins (1920s)

The United States has struck commemorative coins since 1848 to commemorate the anniversaries of people, places, and events. Commemorative coins have a face value and are legal tender, though they are sold at premium as souvenirs. Most commemorative coins are sold to coin collectors. The classic era of commemorative coins began in 1892 with the issuance of the Columbian Exposition half dollar. This list includes the major varieties of United States commemorative coins struck in the 1920s.

The 1920s saw an expansion in exploitative practices, as commemorative coins were struck by the United States Mint and sent to local organizations, sometimes controlled by an private individual, who set the sale price and distribution procedures. The decade saw the introduction of different dates, varieties, and designs for specific issues to encourage coin collectors to purchase each coin to complete their collections. The Pilgrim Tercentenary half dollar, Alabama Centennial half dollar, Missouri Centennial half dollar, and Grant Memorial coinage followed this trend. Many subjects of questionable importance were commemorated, with Congress passing legislation for commemorative coins partly due to political influence from sponsors. The Monroe Doctrine Centennial half dollar was distributed by the film industry in Hollywood for a motion picture exposition, with the historical subject selected to legitimize the coin.

The Stone Mountain Memorial half dollar, issued in 1925 to raise funds for the Stone Mountain Memorial, saw the most significant marketing of the classic era, though sales fell short by millions of coins. The issue also saw criticism for honoring the Lost Cause of the Confederacy. The United States Sesquicentennial coinage of 1926 issued for the Sesquicentennial Exposition sold below expectations as well, with most of the mintage being melted; the Sesquicentennial quarter eagle was the last gold commemorative coin struck during the classic era.

The Oregon Trail Memorial half dollar was struck at both the Philadelphia Mint and San Francisco Mint in 1926, and was struck again in 1928 and later throughout most of the 1930s, creating more varieties for collectors to buy. This practice continued throughout the 1930s for several commemorative coins.

Commemorative coins (P)No mint mark, struck at the Philadelphia MintSS mint mark, struck at the San Francisco Mint(S)No mint mark, struck at the San Francisco Mint + Commemorative coins issued by the United States in the 1920sCoinYearObverse designReverse designDesignerCompositionMintage (mint)ObverseReverseMaine Centennial half dollar1920Arms of MaineInscription surrounded by a pine wreathAnthony de Francisci, based on sketches by Harry Cochrane90% silver, 10% copper50,028 (P)Pilgrim Tercentenary half dollar1920Governor William Bradford standing with a bookThe MayflowerCyrus E. Dallin90% silver, 10% copper200,112 (P)Pilgrim Tercentenary half dollar1921Governor William Bradford, 1921 in fieldThe MayflowerCyrus E. Dallin90% silver, 10% copper100,053 (P)Missouri Centennial half dollar1921Portrait of Daniel BooneDaniel Boone and a Native American, with the inscription SEDALIARobert Ingersoll Aitken90% silver, 10% copper11,400 (distribution estimated) (P)Missouri Centennial half dollar(2★4 variety)1921Portrait of Daniel Boone, 2★4 in fieldDaniel Boone and a Native American, with the inscription SEDALIARobert Ingersoll Aitken90% silver, 10% copper9,400 (distribution estimated) (P)Alabama Centennial half dollar1921Portraits of Thomas Kilby and William BibbAdaptation of the State Seal of AlabamaLaura Gardin Fraser90% silver, 10% copper35,000 (distribution estimated) (P)Alabama Centennial half dollar(2X2 variety)1921Portraits of Thomas Kilby and William Bibb, 2X2 in fieldAdaptation of the State Seal of AlabamaLaura Gardin Fraser90% silver, 10% copper30,000 (distribution estimated) (P)Grant Memorial half dollar(without star)1922Portrait of Ulysses S. GrantThe Grant Birthplace cabin amidst treesLaura Gardin Fraser90% silver, 10% copper95,055 (P)Grant Memorial half dollar(with star)1922Portrait of Ulysses S. Grant, star above GRANTThe Grant Birthplace cabin amidst treesLaura Gardin Fraser90% silver, 10% copper5,006 (P)Grant Memorial dollar(without star)1922Portrait of Ulysses S. GrantThe Grant Birthplace cabin amidst treesLaura Gardin Fraser90% gold, 10% copper5,000 (P)Grant Memorial dollar(with star)1922Portrait of Ulysses S. Grant, star above GRANTThe Grant Birthplace cabin amidst treesLaura Gardin Fraser90% gold, 10% copper5,016 (P)Monroe Doctrine Centennial half dollar1923Portraits of James Monroe and John Quincy AdamsStylized figures representing North and South America touch at the Panama CanalChester Beach90% gold, 10% copper274,077 (P)Huguenot-Walloon half dollar1924Portraits of Gaspard de Coligny and William the SilentThe ship Nieuw NederlandtGeorge T. Morgan90% gold, 10% copper142,080 (P)Lexington–Concord Sesquicentennial half dollar1925The Minute Man statue in Concord, MassachusettsThe Old Belfry in Lexington, MassachusettsChester Beach90% silver, 10% copper162,099 (P)Stone Mountain Memorial half dollar1925Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson on horsebackEagle perched on a cliffGutzon Borglum90% silver, 10% copper2,314,709 (P)California Diamond Jubilee half dollar1925A miner panning for goldGrizzly bear, from the Flag of CaliforniaJo Mora90% silver, 10% copper150,200 SFort Vancouver Centennial half dollar1925Portrait of John McLoughlinPioneer with Fort Vancouver in backgroundLaura Gardin Fraser90% silver, 10% copper50,028 (S)United States Sesquicentennial half dollar1926Portraits of George Washington and Calvin CoolidgeThe Liberty BellJohn R. Sinnock, based on sketches by John Frederick Lewis90% silver, 10% copper1,000,528 (P)United States Sesquicentennial quarter eagle1926Liberty, bearing a scroll and a torchThe front of Independence HallJohn R. Sinnock90% silver, 10% copper200,226 (P)Oregon Trail Memorial half dollar1926Native American standing in front of a map of the United StatesConestoga wagon traveling west towards the sunsetJames Earle Fraser and Laura Gardin Fraser90% silver, 10% copper48,030 (P) 100,055 SVermont Sesquicentennial half dollar1927Portrait of Ira AllenCougar facing leftCharles Keck90% silver, 10% copper40,034 (P)Oregon Trail Memorial half dollar1928Native American standing in front of a map of the United StatesConestoga wagon traveling west towards the sunsetJames Earle Fraser and Laura Gardin Fraser90% silver, 10% copper50,028 (P)Hawaii Sesquicentennial half dollar1928Portrait of James CookHawaiian chieftain standing with extended armJuliette May Fraser90% silver, 10% copper10,008 (P)

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