Uncovering America's Heritage... Coin by Coin
1925 Lexington-Concord Sesquicentennial Half Dollar
April is an excellent month to tell you about this coin. It commemorates two battles that took place in April: the battles of Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts. The first shot fired is known as "the shot heard 'round the world" because it marked the start of the American Revolutionary War. All the world was soon watching to see if the colonies would gain their independence from Great Britain.
On April 19, 1775, British forces passed through Concord toward Lexington to destroy the colonists' stores of weapons. Thanks to a warning system set in motion the night before, the Minutemen of Concord and the militia of Lexington were ready. The warning included the words of Paul Revere and friends on horseback and the sound of the bell in Lexington's Old Belfry, pictured on the back of this coin.
The Battle of Concord took place at the town's North Bridge. Today, that site is part of a national park where the statue of a Minuteman stands. The statue was sculpted by young Daniel Chester French in 1874 (a century after the battle) and cast in bronze from a melted-down cannon. This same statue is shown on the Massachusetts quarter.
By the way, "sesquicentennial" means the 150-year anniversary. This coin was made in 1925, 150 years after the battles of 1775. I like the looks of this coin!