Mintage 17,671
In 1936 Albany city officials prevailed upon Congress to issue a half dollar to mark the 250th anniversary of the granting of its city charter. The obverse of the coin shows a beaver chewing a maple branch. The beaver is on Albany's city seal and the maple is New York’s official tree. The coin's reverse depicts the city's first mayor, Peter Schuyler, and his secretary, Robert Livingston, accepting the charter in 1686 from Gov. Thomas Dongan of New York. Gertrude K. lathrop prepared the designs. Congress authorized 25,000 examples; 7,342 were melted, leaving a net mintage of 17,671, a fairly low figure, especially for a "commem" of such a late date. Unlike many other commemorative coins, this one didn't find its way into circulation in large numbers. Although its relief is relatively low, the Albany half dollar generally comes with very fine detail. As a result , mint-state specimens exist in decent quantities and because of the sharpness with which they were struck, superb examples are available and affordable.
Value $280 - $603 |
