US - FANTASTIC SCARCE LEXINGTON - CONCORD SILVER 50 CENTS, 1926, KM# 157

Description: Fantastic historical scarce (162,013 struck) Lexington Concord Sesquicentennial Commemorative Silver 50 CENTS, dated 1925 (162,013 struck). The coin is identified as KM# 156. A bit of history. "The shot heard around the world" was fired on April 19, 1775 at Lexington, Massachusetts. Although this engagement and the one that followed at neighboring Concord weighed against the Americans, their willingness to fight for their rights was at last put to the crucial test, and there was no going back. These initial skirmishes of the American War of Independence came about after years of wrangling between the colonists and the British motherland over irritating taxes and other perceived abuses. The passage of the "Coercive Acts" in 1774 led to the assembly of the First Continental Congress, which met to determine what action should be taken. Sensing that resistance to these new laws would be met with force, Massachusetts formed a Committee of Safety headed by the bold John Hancock. A special militia of "Minute Men" was recruited that would be prepared to take arms on short notice. The British, aware of munitions being stockpiled by the colonists at several locations, drew plans to destroy these arsenals. Their first target was Concord, 21 miles from Boston by road. Early on the morning of April 19, 1775, a force of 700 British troops left Boston headed for Concord. The Committee of Safety, alerted to their mission by its informers, dispatched Paul Revere and William Dawes to summon the Minute Men. Reaching Lexington around midnight, Revere notified John Hancock and Sam Adams of the danger they faced as the targets of royal wrath. Joined by Dr. Samuel Prescott, Revere and Dawes then continued on toward Concord. Luck was not with them that night. Confronted by a British patrol, Revere was captured and Dawes was forced to flee. It was Prescott alone who made his way through to warn the residents of Concord. Reaching Lexington, an advance force of British troops was confronted by armed Minute Men. The Americans were ordered to lay down their weapons and disperse, whereupon a shot rang out, and the British responded with several devastating volleys. Stunned, the unseasoned volunteers scarcely responded, and soon eight Americans lay dead. Only one British soldier was wounded. Unfazed by this engagement, the British continued their march toward Concord to join up with additional units. There, the troops carried out the destruction of whatever military stores they could find before making their return to Boston. By this time, it was high noon. Largely unopposed up to this point, the British now came under the harassing sniper fire of an angered civilian populace. Only by acquiring reinforcements at Lexington were the British able to avoid a total rout and massacre. As the 150th anniversary of these battles approached, the United States Lexington-Concord Sesquicentennial Commission contracted with sculptor Chester Beach (creator of the 1923-S Monroe Doctrine Centennial half dollar and the 1928 Hawaii Sesquicentennial half dollar) to prepare models based on their sketches. These depicted Daniel Chester French's statue of a Minute Man titled The Grand Concord Man, chosen for the obverse, and the Old Belfry in Lexington from which a single lantern had been lit to warn of the oncoming British, this for the reverse. Your coin will be shipped as soon as payment is received. If you have any questions let me know before you bid. Shipping in the US including insurance is $10. These rates do not apply to foreign purchasers, the rates depend on the country. You can rest assured I will find the cheapest and safest option, please check before you bid. I combine shipments. Thanks and good luck!

Price: 294.75 USD

Location: Bloomington, Indiana

End Time: 2024-03-01T15:35:58.000Z

Shipping Cost: 10 USD