Quick Coinage Facts
Years Minted: 1936
Mints: Philadelphia (no Mint Mark)
Composition: .900 Silver, .100 Coper
Diameter: 30.6 mm
Weight: 12.50 grams
Total Mintage: 81,826 (including 53 held for Assay)
Edge: reeded
Introduction
One of over a dozen different designs available in 1936 the Long Island Tercentenary commemorative was authorized on April 13, 1936 to “commemorate the 300th anniversary of the founding of the first settlement on Long Island, New York”. Unlike other commemoratives available at the time, the legislation specified that thought the coins could be sold from one year from the authorization date (until April 12 1937) all coins minted for this purpose would bear the 1936 date, eliminating the then common practice of extending a series over multiple years to sell out the issue.
Of the 100,000 minted 81,773 were sold for the issue price of $1.00 by the end of the year and the remaining 18,227 were returned to the mint to be destroyed. The Guide book Mintage of 81,826 includes 53 pieces reserved for assay.
The design was engraved by Howard Kenneth Weinman, son of A.A. Weinman (designer of the “Walking Liberty Half" minted from 1916 -1947). The obverse design shows the Right profile bust of an Algonquin Indian behind a similar bust of a Dutch settler. The word “Liberty” ranges along the rim from 10 o’clock to 2 o’clock and the motto “E Pluribus Unum” is below the busts from about 8 o’clock to 4 O’clock. The designers initial “H W” appear prominently as a graphic under the Indian's Chin.
The Reverse design shows a Dutch sailing vessel sailing to the Right on a moderate wave with the motto “In God We Trust” incused in to the wave. The other inscriptions include; “United States Of America Half Dollar” along the rim from 8 O’clock over the top to 4 O’clock. Under the ship three rows of text form arcs including; “1936”; “Long Island”; & “Tercentenary”