Q. David Bowers
Commemorating: 100th anniversary of the establishment of the territorial government in Wisconsin
Obverse motif: Badger
Reverse motif: Arm, pickaxe, and ore mound
Authorization date: May 15, 1936
Dates on coins: 1936 (also 4th DAY OF JULY ANNO DOMINI 1836)
Date when coins were actually minted: 1936
Mint used: Philadelphia
Quantity authorized: 25,000 minimum, unlimited maximum
Total quantity minted (including assay coins): 25,015
Assay coins (included in above): 15
Quantity melted: None
Net number distributed (including assay coins): 25,015
Issued by: Wisconsin Centennial Coin Committee (also known as the Coinage Committee of the Wisconsin Centennial Commission), Madison, Wisconsin (some inquiries were handled by John Callahan, state superintendent, chairman of the Wisconsin Centennial Coin Committee; most inquiries and orders were handled by Rev. Fred W. Harris, a numismatist, who was director of distribution); unsold remainders distributed by the State Historical Society
Standard original packaging: Paper coin envelope; insert-type cardboard card for mailing; some wrapped in tissue or other light-weight paper and sent in mailing envelope from the State Superintendent, State Capitol, Madison, Wis.
Official sale prices: $1.50 plus 7¢ postage for the first coin, 2 ¢ postage for each additional coin (later sold for $1.25 each in lots of 10 coins; still later sold for $3 per coin, see text)
Designers of obverse and reverse: Benjamin Hawkins extensively modified designs created by David Parsons
Interesting facts: According to provisions of the congressional acts enabling this, the Bridgeport,and the Delaware half dollars, although coinage was to be a minimum of 25,000, there was no stated maximum, and an unlimited quantity could have been made at the time; this coin, like a few other commemoratives, also bears a day date, 4th of July Anno Domini 1836; remainder coins were still being sold by the state in the 1950s
(average market prices)
1940 MS-63 to 64 $1.25
1945 MS-63 to 64 $2
1950 MS-63 to 64 $3
1955 MS-63 to 64 $10
1960 MS-63 $14
1965 MS-63 $30
1970 MS-63 $35
1975 MS-63 $85
1980 MS-63 $530
1985 MS-63 $325
1986 MS-60 $255, MS-63 $360, MS-64 $600, MS-65 $980
1990 (spring) MS-60 $265, MS-63 $295, MS-64 $360, MS-65 $630
1990 (December) MS-60 $220, MS-63 $235, MS-64 $255, MS-65 $350