Q. David Bowers
Articles About the Iowa Half Dollar
Article in the Philadelphia Daily News, Wednesday, November 20, 1946: "Phila. Mint Coins 50-Cent Pieces for Ia. Centennial: Employees of the Philadelphia Mint today began production of 100,000 50-cent pieces in commemoration of the Iowa Centennial, Mint Director Nellie Tayloe Ross announced. Mrs. Ross said she expects the job to be completed in 24 hours. The coins, which may be purchased only through the Centennial Commission, will be delivered at face value. The coin was designed by Adam Pietz, retired engraver at the Philadelphia Mint."
Article in The Daily Times, Davenport, Iowa, November 20, 1946: "Ralph Evans of Davenport Receives Iowa Centennial Coin in Ceremonies At U.S. Mint in Philadelphia Today: Ralph Evans, Davenport, chairman of the Coin and Stamp Sub-Committee of the Iowa Centennial committee, is in Philadelphia as the representative of Gov. Robert D. Blue and the commission of ceremonies today in connection with the stamping out of the new half dollar commemorating the 100th anniversary of Iowa's admission to statehood.
"The first coin was struck at 10:12 a.m. as the Mint there began the job of turning out the 100,000 coins in a continuous 24- hour process. Mr. Evans delivered a check to the Federal Reserve bank for $ 50,000 for the face value of the coins, plus payment of some additional charges for the making of the die. He said there will be no announcement until about Dec. 10 as to when the coins will be released and the price and details of the special distribution.
"The coins will be sent to Des Moines, where such matters as the price for which they will sell will be determined by the committee. In the matter of price to the public, two schools of thought prevail. One is that the price should be high enough to prevent collectors buying up large blocks of the coins and holding them for the inevitable price increase that will follow in a few years when, because of the limited minting, they become increasingly valuable. Some have advocated a price of $5 a coin, while others have proposed that one dollar a coin be charged.
Articles About the Iowa Half Dollar
Article in the Philadelphia Daily News, Wednesday, November 20, 1946: "Phila. Mint Coins 50-Cent Pieces for Ia. Centennial: Employees of the Philadelphia Mint today began production of 100,000 50-cent pieces in commemoration of the Iowa Centennial, Mint Director Nellie Tayloe Ross announced. Mrs. Ross said she expects the job to be completed in 24 hours. The coins, which may be purchased only through the Centennial Commission, will be delivered at face value. The coin was designed by Adam Pietz, retired engraver at the Philadelphia Mint."
Article in The Daily Times, Davenport, Iowa, November 20, 1946: "Ralph Evans of Davenport Receives Iowa Centennial Coin in Ceremonies At U.S. Mint in Philadelphia Today: Ralph Evans, Davenport, chairman of the Coin and Stamp Sub-Committee of the Iowa Centennial committee, is in Philadelphia as the representative of Gov. Robert D. Blue and the commission of ceremonies today in connection with the stamping out of the new half dollar commemorating the 100th anniversary of Iowa's admission to statehood.
"The first coin was struck at 10:12 a.m. as the Mint there began the job of turning out the 100,000 coins in a continuous 24- hour process. Mr. Evans delivered a check to the Federal Reserve bank for $50,000 for the face value of the coins, plus payment of some additional charges for the making of the die. He said there will be no announcement until about Dec. 10 as to when the coins will be released and the price and details of the special distribution.
"The coins will be sent to Des Moines, where such matters as the price for which they will sell will be determined by the committee. In the matter of price to the public, two schools of thought prevail. One is that the price should be high enough to prevent collectors buying up large blocks of the coins and holding them for the inevitable price increase that will follow in a few years when, because of the limited minting, they become increasingly valuable. Some have advocated a price of $5 a coin, while others have proposed that one dollar a coin be charged.
"The design on the obverse side of the coin shows the Old Stone Capitol building at Iowa City, complete even to the ivy-covered walls and lamp posts before the steps. Also on this side of the coin are the words, 'United States of America, In God We Trust, Liberty,' and the denomination of the coin, 'Half Dollar.' An eagle with outspread wings, and bearing in his beak a scroll with the Iowa state motto, 'Our Liberties We Prize, and Our Rights We Will Maintain,' is engraved on the other side. Over the eagle will be a cluster of 29 stars, in recognition of the fact that Iowa was the 29th state to be admitted to the Union. Around this design in large letters will be words, 'Iowa Statehood Centennial 1846-1946.'"
Article in the Coin Collector's Journal, January-February 1947, page 19:
"Iowa State Centennial Commemorative Half Dollar: On the cover of this issue is shown the obverse of the Iowa State Centennial half dollar, 100,000 of which were minted at Philadelphia in December 1946. We are indebted to Mr. Adam Pietz, the designer and sculptor, for this photograph taken from his original eight inch model for the coin. Mr. Pietz now operates his own studios in Philadelphia, having retired from the Mint last April. With a rather uncompromising subject-'The Old Stone Capitol' -and the prosaic eagle for the reverse, Mr. Pietz has succeeded in producing an attractive design. The spread eagle is more natural than those decorating most coins. The twenty-nine stars above the eagle's wings indicate the order in which Iowa entered the Union. The simplicity and symmetry of the coin is most pleasing to the eye, particularly so when compared with some other commemorative coins which are rather jumbled in design."
Collecting Iowa Centennial Half Dollars
In the years since 1946, Iowa half dollars have been popular and plentiful on the market, although pieces today are apt to be seen singly and in small groups. Most known specimens are in varying degrees of Mint State, with MS-63 being typical.
GRADING SUMMARY: The nature of the design, without open field areas, is such that a slight amount of friction and contact is usually not noticeable. Points to check are the clouds above the Capitol as well as the high points of the Capitol building on the obverse, and the head and neck of the eagle on the reverse. Most examples are lustrous and frosty.