Museum Collections

Vermont Sesquicentennial half dollar; obverse depicts a right-facing bust of Ira Allen with his name "IRA ALLEN" below; legend surrounding bust reads: "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" above and "FOUNDER OF VERMONT" below; reverse shows a profile view of a catamount poised atop a mountain crag. In front of the catamont is the date of the battle "AUG. 16" and above the dual dates of commemoration "1777-1927". The words "BATTLE OF BENNINGTON" and the value "HALF DOLLAR" are arranged around its periphery. In the remaining space are the statutory inscriptions "IN GOD WE TRUST" and "E PLURIBUS UNUM". The artist’s initials "CK" appear between the cat’s left hind leg and the tip of its tail.