1921 2X2 US Silver Commemorative 50C ALABAMA - NGC MS 66

About Alabama Centennial Silver Half Dollars
The 1921 Alabama Centennial Half Dollar celebrated the 100th anniversary of statehood two years after the fact. Also of note, this represented the first U.S. coin to depict a living person.

Authorization for 100,000 of the silver half dollars had been received in May 1920 with the coins to be produced "as soon as practicable." The design proposal and discussion by Alabama Centennial Commissions Discussion was not concluded until 1921, by then the 102nd anniversary of Alabama's statehood.

The Alabama Centennial Half Dollar obverse featured portraits of William Wyatt Bibb, the first governor of Alabama and Thomas E. Kilby, the current governor. Twenty two stars are arranged to each side of the portrait. Some coins were struck with "2X2" in the right field above the stars. Although this was intended to be a scarcer variety, ultimately the number of plan and "2X2" coins were very close. Inscriptions on the obverse include UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN GOD WE TRUST, BIBB, KILBY, 1921 and HALF DOLLAR.

The reverse of the coin features an eagle perched on a shield, which is based on the Alabama State Seal. Inscriptions include STATE OF ALABAMA, 1819, CENTENNIAL, 1919 and on the ribbon in the eagle's beak HERE WE REST, which is the state motto. Laura Gardin Fraser designed both the obverse and reverse of the coin.

About Early Commemorative Coins
Early Commemorative Coins were issued between the years 1892 and 1954 and have included primarily silver half dollars and gold dollars. Over the years additional denominations have been used including the silver quarter, silver dollar, several gold quarter eagles and one $50 gold piece. In total there were 50 different Silver Commemorative coin designs and 9 different Gold Commemorative coin designs. Each issue was typically authorized by an act of Congress which provided a specific maximum or minimum mintage requirement. Because legislation often did not specify otherwise, some Commemorative coin issues were produced in multiple years or struck at multiple mints.