Q. David Bowers
(average market prices)
1950 MS-60 to 63 $4
1955 MS-60 to 63 $4
1960 MS-60 to 63 $6
1965 MS-60 to 63 $8
1970 MS-60 to 63 $12
1975 MS-60 to 63 $25
1980 MS-60 to 63 $60
1985 MS-60 to 63 $50
1986 MS-60 $38, MS-63 $48, MS-64 $120, MS-65 $360
1990 (spring) MS-60 $38, MS-63 $55, MS- 64 $80, MS-65 $350
1990 (December) MS-60 $38, MS-63 $45, MS-64 $68, MS-65 $225
Note: In The Numismatist, March and June 1947, Bebee Stamp & Coin Company, not official distributors at the time, offered 1946 sets for $3.75 postpaid.
(Also see preceding listing)
Authorization date: August 7, 1946
Date on coins: 1947
Date when coins were actually minted: 1947
Mints used: Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco
Maximum quantity authorized: 5,000,000 (for entire issue 1946 and onward)
Total quantity minted (including assay coins): 100,017 Philadelphia, 100,017 Denver, 100,017 San Francisco
Assay coins (included in above): 17 Philadelphia, 17 Denver, 17 San Francisco
Quantity melted: 94,000+ (author's estimate, see note) Philadelphia, 94,000+ (author's estimate) Denver, 94,000+ (author's estimate) San Francisco
Net number distributed (including assay coins ): 6,000- (author's estimate) Philadelphia, 6,000- (author's estimate) Denver, 6,000- (author's estimate) San Francisco
Issued by: Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial Commission, Rocky Mount, Virginia (Dr. S.J. Phillips in charge); 1,000 or more sets sold by Stack's, 12 West 46th Street, New York City, N.Y.
Standard original packaging: Paper and cellophane envelopes; some single coins in special envelopes as official souvenirs of the 1947 Mardi Gras in New Orleans, with envelope flap imprinted "Bebee Stamp & Coin Co." and the firm's Chicago address Official sale price: $6 per set of three
Note concerning estimated melting and distribution quantities: After the mintage of 1946-1951 Booker T. Washington sets was completed, 1,581,631 unsold pieces were melted. Included were sets of three coins as well as quantities of larger-mintage individual issues. No account was kept of the quantities melted of particular issues. A survey of estimated 1947 Booker T. Washington sets and coins in collectors' hands and data from the PCGS Population Report suggest that today 1947 sets and coins are rarer than those dated 1949 and 1950 (except for single 1950-S coins), leading to the logical conclusion that the net distribution of 1947 sets was no larger than and was probably smaller than the distribution for 1949 and 1950 sets (for which specific figures are known). Therefore, the author assumes that the distribution of the 1947 coins was fewer than 6,000 pieces from each mint, as estimated above.
(average market prices)
1950 MS-60 to 63 $6
1955 MS-60 to 63 $6
1960 MS-60 to 63 $8
1965 MS-60 to 63 $15
1970 MS-60 to 63 $16
1975 MS-60 to 63 $32
1980 MS-60 to 63 $110
1985 MS-60 to 63 $70
1986 MS-60 $60, MS-63 $75, MS-64 $165, MS-65 $475
1990 (spring) MS-60 $52, MS-63 $70, MS-64 $105, MS-65 $710
1990 (December) MS-60 $52, MS-63 $68, MS-64 $105, MS-65 $540
Note: To find the price of a single coin, divide by three (and add a small premium, for sets usually sell for slightly less on a per-coin basis than single specimens).
(Also see preceding listings)
Authorization date: August 7, 1946
Date on coins: 1949
Date when coins were actually minted: 1949
Mints used: Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco
Maximum quantity authorized: 5,000,000 (for entire issue 1946 and onward)
Total quantity minted (including assay coins): 12,004 Philadelphia, 12,004 Denver, 12,004 San Francisco
Assay coins (included in above): 4 Philadelphia, 4 Denver, 4 San Francisco
Quantity melted: 6,000 Philadelphia, 6,000 Denver, 6,000 San Francisco
Net number distributed (including assay coins ): 6,004 Philadelphia, 6,004 Denver, 6,004 San Francisco
Issued by: Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial Commission, Booker Washington Birthplace, Virginia (Dr. S.J. Phillips in charge); 1,000 or more sets sold by Bebee Stamp & Coin Company, 1180 East 63rd Street, Chicago, Illinois; and a like number by Stack's, 12 West 46th Street, New York City, N.Y.
Standard original packaging: Cellophane envelopes within paper envelopes Official sale price: $8.50 per set of three
Interesting fact: This was the first of several issues distributed by Bebee Stamp & Coin Company, a Chicago coin dealer specializing in commemoratives.