Q. David Bowers
Commemorating: 150th anniversary of the battle of Lexington and Concord
Obverse motif: Minute Man statue
Reverse motif: Old Belfry
Authorization date: January 14, 1925
Dates on coins: 1925 (also 1775)
Date when coins were actually minted: 1925
Mint used: Philadelphia
Maximum quantity authorized: 300,000
Total quantity minted (including assay coins): 162,099
Assay coins (included in above): 99
Quantity melted: 86
Net number distributed (including assay coins): 162,013
Issued by: United States Lexington-Concord Sesquicentennial Commission through local banks.
Standard original packaging: Small wooden box with sliding top, imprinted in blue ink with a design of the Minute Man statue on the lid and the Old Belfry on the bottom; some were mailed in ornate envelope with wax seal; some unofficial presentation boxes were distributed privately by banks (e.g., the Second National Bank of Boston)
Official sale price: $1
Designer of obverse and reverse: Chester Beach, who modeled the obverse from a sketch by Philip Holden and the reverse from a photograph (additional ideas were furnished by Harry B. Little)
Interesting facts: This was one of the few events of truly national significance to be commemorated on a coin in the 1920s up to this date; both sides of the coin depicted architectural objects, a statue on the obverse and a small building (belfry) on the reverse.
(average market prices)
1930 MS-63 $1
1935 MS-63 $1.50
1936 (summer) MS-63 $1.75
1940 MS-63 $1.25
1945 MS-63 $2
1950 MS-63 $3
1955 MS-63 $4.50
1960 MS-63 $7
1965 MS-63 $11
1970 MS-63 $18
1975 MS-63 $57
1980 MS-63 $280
1985 MS-63 $130
1986 MS-60 $55, MS-63 $250, MS-64 $520, MS-65 $1,300
1990 (spring) MS-60 $65, MS-63 $175, MS-64 $420, MS-65 $2,550
1990 (December) MS-60 $65, MS-63 $90, MS-64 $320, MS-65 $1,425