1926-p Oregon Trail Old Commem Half Dollar 50c Graded ms61+ By SEGS. Despite having one of the most beautiful ...

1926-p Oregon Trail Old Commem Half Dollar 50c Graded ms61+ By SEGS. Despite having one of the most beautiful design in the series, the Oregon Trail Half Dollar is usually cited as the best example of the abuses which began to take place within commemorative coin programs. Between the years 1926 and 1939, the coins were minted with eight different dates at three different mint facilities for varying prices, in an attempt to make as much money as possible.The obverse of the Oregon Trail Half Dollar was designed by Laura Gardin Fraser. It features a covered wagon drawn by two oxen moving west, towards the setting sun. (Officially, the US Mint states this as the obverse of the coin, although the designers of the coin and many collectors consider this the reverse of the coin.)The other side of the coin was designed by James Earle Fraser. The full figure of a Native American in headdress is shown. He stands before a map of the United States with the Oregon Trail marked, with his left hand outstretched to the east and a bow in his right hand spanning the continent. The maximum authorized mintage for the program was set at a lofty 6 million pieces, which was the largest authorization for commemorative coin thus far. For the first year of issue coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint and San Francisco Mint and offered by the Oregon Trail Memorial Association for $1 each.Since the law authorizing the coins did not include a specific time frame or mint, the Association requested more coins struck in subsequent years and from different mints. Additional coins would be minted in 1928, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, and 1939, variously at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mints. Individual coin pricing varied from $1.50 to $2.00 to $1.60. The final two years were sold as complete sets from all three mints for $6.25 and later $7.50 each.When Buying an Oregon Trail Commemorative, regardless of year and mint the Points to first show wear are the Indian’s hand and thigh on the obverse and the ox and the bows of the wagon’s cover on the reverse, these are the high points.