Pilgrim Tercentenary Half Dollar

The Pilgrim Tercentenary Half Dollar is a United States classic commemorative fifty-cent piece struck in 1920 and 1921 to mark the 300th anniversary of the Pilgrims' 1620 landing at Plymouth. The pictured coin is a 1920 example, the first year of issue.

The obverse shows a Pilgrim figure in profile wearing a broad Pilgrim hat and a long coat, holding a staff and clutching a book against his chest. The reverse depicts the Mayflower under full sail on the sea. Like other commemoratives of the era, the coin is 90% silver and shares the standard half-dollar diameter, but it was sold to the public at a premium rather than released into circulation.

Congress authorized the coin to help fund the tercentenary celebration of the Pilgrims' arrival, and the design was created by Boston sculptor Cyrus Edward Dallin. The obverse figure is commonly associated with Pilgrim leader William Bradford. The 1920 issue carries no date on the obverse other than the anniversary framing; for the 1921 striking the date "1921" was added to the obverse field.

The 1920 coins were struck in far larger numbers than the 1921, and a substantial portion of unsold pieces from both years was returned to the Mint and melted, leaving net distributions well below the totals originally coined. All examples were produced at the Philadelphia Mint and therefore carry no mint mark. The coin belongs to the long "classic commemorative" series that ran from 1892 into the 1950s.

On the obverse, look for the standing/profile Pilgrim in a wide-brimmed hat holding a staff and a book, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and PILGRIM HALF DOLLAR around the rim and IN GOD WE TRUST in the field. A 1920 coin has no extra date in the field; a coin with 1921 added near the figure is the second-year issue.

The reverse shows the Mayflower sailing left under full canvas, encircled by PILGRIM TERCENTENARY CELEBRATION and the anniversary dates 1620-1920, with the denomination and E PLURIBUS UNUM. Specifications match a standard silver half dollar: about 30.6 mm in diameter, roughly 12.5 g, struck in 90% silver / 10% copper, with a reeded edge.

The 1920 Pilgrim is the more available of the two dates and is one of the more affordable classic commemoratives. Circulated and lightly worn examples typically trade in the low tens to around a hundred dollars, while attractive uncirculated (Mint State) pieces generally run from roughly a hundred into the low hundreds, climbing further for high grades with strong luster.

The 1921 issue, with its much smaller net distribution, is scarcer and carries a noticeably higher premium than the 1920. All figures are broad ranges only: actual value depends on grade, eye appeal, toning, and current market demand, and third-party grading from services such as PCGS or NGC strongly influences price.