Some top-grade classic era United States commemorative coins will be crossing the auction block at Legend’s Regency Auction 59 on May 25 in New Orleans.

The only silver dollar in the 1892 to 1954 U.S. commemorative series is the 1900 Lafayette–Washington dollar, issued to help raise funds to erect a statute of the Marquis de Lafayette, a French military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War. The initial legislation allowing for 100,000 half dollars priced at $1 per coin was changed to allow for 50,000 silver dollars to retail for $2 each, and a plaster statue was introduced the during the 1900 International Exposition in Paris.

Demand was rather tepid for the dollars, with nearly a third of the struck dollars going unsold, resulting in a total mintage of 36,026.

This one was previously offered at Stack’s Bowers Galleries’ March 20, 2020, sale of the D. Brent Pogue Collection: Part VII, where it realized $60,000. There, catalogers observed, “Iridescent reddish-rose is seen obverse periphery, while the center offers warmer olive-gray and silvery near brilliance. The reverse exhibits antique silver and olive-gray central toning with more subtle reddish-rose at the border.”

It is one of just four graded Mint State 67 at Professional Coin Grading Service, bettered only by two graded MS-67+ that have not been offered at auction.

The dollar in the auction carries a green Certified Acceptance Corp. sticker.

It has a high estimate of $70,000.

1922 Grant, with Star half

Another stellar commemorative from the same consignment, the Coronet Collection, is a 1922 Grant Memorial half dollar featuring a sunken star on the obverse above the date. Graded MS-67 by PCGS and with a green CAC sticker, it is one of just six in this grade topped by one in MS-67+ that is the finest at that service.

The subject coin was previously offered at Heritage’s January 2019 Florida United Numismatists sale where it brought $33,600; it more recently sold for $55,812.50 at Legend’s July 2022 Regency 53 sale. In New Orleans it carries a high estimate of $60,000.

The issue celebrated the centenary of the birth of Ulysses S. Grant, and the sunken star was seen on the first examples struck, though the “Red Book” notes, “The star has no particular significance.”

The “Star in Obverse Field” subtype has a mintage of 4,256 while the “No Star” variant is more common, with a mintage figure of 67,405. 

Also from the Coronet Collection is a PCGS MS-67+ 1935 Hudson, New York, Sesquicentennial half dollar carrying a CAC green sticker. It is one of just eight with a plus grade, and none are finer at the service.

The mintage of 10,008 coins honors the founding of the city. Sculptor Chester Beach’s designs feature one side with Henry Hudson’s ship the Half Moon and the other depicting the seal of the city, including Neptune holding a trident and seated on a whale. Legend praises its bold strike, calling it, “Awash in a pearly silver and iridescent antique silver-white toning with faint golden accents at the peripheral devices.”

Legend expects it to sell for as much as $30,000.

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