Classic Coins - Daniel Boone Bicentennial Half Dollar

The Daniel Boone Bicentennial Half Dollar Classic Commemorative Coin honored the 200th anniversary of the legendary pioneer's birth year in 1934. The silver commemorative coin, however, was produced from 1934 through 1938.

Characteristics - size, weight, metal content, value range
Obverse - picture, description, artist
Reverse - picture, description, artist
Commentary - coin notes, mintage information, historical comments, fun facts

Two different Congresses approved two different laws for the Daniel Boone Bicentennial half dollar.

On May 26, 1934, the second Session of the 73th Congress approved an act which became Public Law 73-258. 

The law began, "That, in commemoration of the two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of Daniel Boone, there shall be coined by the Director of the Mint six hundred thousand 50-cent pieces of standard size, weight, and silver fineness and of a special appropriate design to be fixed by the Director of the Mint, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, to be Legal tender in all payments at face value; but the United States shall not be subject to the expense of making the models or master dies or other preparations for this coinage.

"SEC. 2. That the coins herein authorized shall be issued at par and only upon the request of the secretary of the Daniel Boone Bicentennial Commission.

"SEC. 3. Such coins may be disposed of at par or at a premium by said Commission and all proceeds shall be used in furtherance of the Daniel Boone Bicentennial Commission projects."

The law continues by stating that all coinage laws already in place shall also apply to these coins.

Just over a year later on August 26, 1935, the first Session of the 74th Congress approved an additional law amending the design of the Daniel Boone commemorative coin.

This new law stated, "That, inasmuch as the annual change in coinage date required by law has caused the removal of the commemorative date of 1934 from the design originally approved and in use for the coinage of the 50-cent pieces commemorating the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of Daniel Boone, authorized by the Seventy-third Congress in Public Act Numbered 258 (S. 3355), the Director of the Mint, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, be, and is hereby, authorized to supplement the said design so that the reverse of said 50-cent piece will show the figures '1934' immediately above the words 'pioneer year'."

Characteristics - Daniel Boone Bicentennial Half Dollar

Metal Composition: 90% Silver, 10% Copper
Diameter - millimeters: 30.6
Diameter - inches: 1.2
Weight - grams: 12.5
Weight - troy ounce: 0.401884332
Silver content weight - troy ounce: 0.3617
Mint Locations: Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco
Years Minted: 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938

The coin's silver content alone makes it more valuable than its face value of $0.50.

But, the coin's age, its condition, and its desirability make it even more valuable as a collectible.

The coin's estimated value ranges from $80 (low grade - XF) to $270 (high grade - MS-66).

Extraordinary characteristics on the Daniel Boone Bicentennial Half Dollar can command a price outside the estimated value range. 

Obverse - Daniel Boone Bicentennial Half Dollar

The obverse or front of the coin displays a left-facing portrait of Daniel Boone. with the inscriptions United States of America and Half Dollar.

The coinage inscriptions say, United States of America and Half Dollar.

Artist: Augustus Lukeman

Reverse - Daniel Boone Bicentennial Half Dollar

The reverse or back of the coin shows the frontiersman holding a chart of Kentucky and a rifle. He faces Blackfish, war chief of the Chillicothe of the Shawnee tribe, who holds a tomahawk. A blockhouse stockade and a half sun rising at the horizon can be seen in the background.

The coinage inscriptions read In God We Trust, E Pluribus Unum, and Daniel Boone Bicentennial Pioneer Year.

For the initial year, the date "1934" occurred beneath their feet and the die did not include any year date above "pioneer year."

Artist: Augustus Lukeman

Commentary - Daniel Boone Bicentennial Half Dollar

The stated mintage limit was 600,000, but records show a significantly lower number, roughly 87,200, were minted including all five years' mintage numbers.

The coin pictured above resides in an NGC holder and is graded as an MS-66. (NGC, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation, provides coin grading and certification services.)

Versions of the coin also exist across a variety of the grades.

Only the Philadelphia Mint produced the coins in the initial anniversary year, 1934.

In 1935 through 1938, all three mint locations — Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco — made the coins.

The mint locations produced some of the 1935 coins prior to the legislation allowing "1934" to be added to the design.

The mint marks for Denver and San Francisco show on the reverse just to the right of the Indian's foot.

The three mint locations produced the largest number of coins in 1936.

As a three-coin set, the 1935/34 PDS set can bring a value of over $2700 if all three coins are in MS-66 condition.

The 1935/34 Daniel Boone Bicentennial half dollar included both dates — a larger 1935 at the base of the reverse design and the smaller 1934 above the "pioneer year."

Do you remember the Daniel Boone theme song from the popular TV show starring Fess Parker and Ed Aames?

It began "Daniel Boone was a man, a big man." Actually, he wasn't a large man, he stood 5'7" per records of that time.

The images on the front and back of the coin almost look as if Daniel Boone is wearing a coon skin cap, but history states that the real Daniel Boone did not wear a coon skin cap.

Both the theme song and Fess Parker in the TV show popularized Daniel Boone wearing the coon skin cap.

During his lifetime, Daniel Boone became famous both in the States and in Europe due to stories of his exploits being published.

Through the years, people embellished Daniel Boone stories.

In his words, "Many heroic actions and chivalrous adventures are related of me which exist only in the regions of fancy. With me the world has taken great liberties, and yet I have been but a common man."

But, the fact remains that Daniel Boone did much to discover new frontier and help his fellow pioneers.

Visit our GACS Numismatic Shoppe Daniel Boone Bicentennial for a variety of useful items decorated with images of the classic commemorative silver half dollar coin.