Battle of Antietam Half Dollar was designed by William Marks Simpson and struck in 1937 to commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the famous Civil War battle to thwart Lee's invasion of Maryland.
Generals George B. McClellan and Robert E. Lee were opposing commanders in the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest single day in the Civil War, September 17, 1862. This horrific battle between the north and south culminated in the total deaths of over 25,000 Americans in what many believe to be one of the turning points in the South's struggle for freedom from what they believed as government tyranny. On the coin itself, three stars behind Lee represent his rank as General in the Confederate Army; two stars left of McClellan represent his rank as Major General in the Union Army. On reverse, Burnside Bridge was the major focus in the battle. Spanning Antietam Creek, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, this bridge was the key to strategic high ground overlooking Sharpsburg. It only later was named after General Ambrose E. Burnside (the hair into whiskers style known as sideburns had the same origin). Monogram WMS behind Lee's shoulder is for William Marks Simpson, designer and sculptor, of Baltimore.
The Washington County Historical Society of Hagerstown, Maryland, worked with United States Antietam Celebration Commission (of 45 E. Washington St., Hagerstown)-appropriately, since Park W.T. Loy was simultaneously chairman of the Historical Society and Secretary of the Commission-to set up a celebration in the area, September 4-17, 1937, known as the National Antietam Commemoration. This was to include a wide variety of what would later be called family entertainment. Political pressure exerted by Senator Milard Tydings (D.-Md.) resulted in passage of the Act of June 24, 1937, authorizing a maximum of 50,000 pieces.
Simpson completed his models in April 1937, and as Paul Manship (sculptor member of the Federal Commission of Fine Arts) had photographs of them on April 16, the Commission approved them the same day. Though the celebration's sponsors hoped to have the coins on hand on or before August 1, 1937, the Mint did not ship them unitl more than a week after that, and the first specimen went to President Roosevelt on August 12. In all, the legal maximum of 50,000 were coined, plus 28 reserved for assay. Celebration or no, brochures or no, publicity or no, the coins languished even at $1.65 each, and eventually the Historical Society returned 32,000 as unsold; net mintage, 18,000.
Many survivors, even those in pristine choice mint state, are not well struck up in center of reverse; the area most affected is the central top part of the bridge. No proofs have been confirmed to exist; specimens (probably matte) have long been rumored to exist, and were probably made for John R. Sinnock.
Due to their popularity and the fact that gem condition Antietam half dollars are quite scarce, US Rare Coin Investments feels that these commems represent an above average investment coin in the top grades. Be picky about the aesthetics of the individual coin and the Antietam half dollars and should prove a worthy tangible asset for your portfolio or collection.
