1936 Cleveland Centennial Great Lakes Expo US Half Dollar Choice BU (MS64) $

1936 Cleveland Centennial Great Lakes Expo USA Half Dollar Choice Brilliant Uncirculated (MS-64)

The 1936 Cleveland Centennial–Great Lakes Exposition Half Dollar was issued to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Cleveland, Ohio’s incorporation as a city and to commemorate the Great Lakes Exposition, held on Cleveland’s lakefront in 1936. Designed by sculptor Brenda Putnam, the obverse features a left-facing portrait of Moses Cleaveland, the founder of the settlement that bears his name. Cleaveland, a surveyor and Revolutionary War veteran, led a group of settlers to the area in 1796 as part of the Connecticut Land Company. His portrait is therefore a fitting choice for a coin celebrating Cleveland’s first century, with the inscriptions “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “LIBERTY,” “MOSES CLEAVELAND,” and “HALF DOLLAR” surrounding the design.

The reverse is perhaps the most distinctive feature of the coin, depicting a map of the Great Lakes with a large compass superimposed over it. Nine stars identify important cities in the Great Lakes region, including Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, Toronto, Rochester, Toledo, Milwaukee, and Duluth. Cleveland is represented by the largest star, while the compass points directly toward it, emphasizing the city’s central role in the exposition and the region. The Great Lakes were the foundation of Cleveland’s growth and industrial importance, making the map a clever way of celebrating not only the city itself but also its geographic and economic relationship with the surrounding region. Authorized in a maximum quantity of 50,000 pieces, all were struck at the Philadelphia Mint; interestingly, 25,000 were produced in 1936 and another 25,000 in 1937, but all carry the 1936 date.

Obverse: Bust of Moses Cleaveland facing left, with the legend around and the denomination below.
Reverse: The Great Lakes, with a compass superimposed over top, with the legend around, and the date in smaller font to the right.

Specifications:
Engraver: Brenda Putnam
Composition: 0.900 Silver
Weight: 12.5 g
Diameter: 30.6 mm
Edge: Reeded
Mint: The United States Mint of Philadelphia, United States
Mintage: 50,030