Obverse: Depicts George Washington on horseback. Inscriptions: George Washington, Liberty, 250th Anniversary of Birth, date 1982.
Reverse: Shows the eastern facade of George Washington’s Mount Vernon home with a heraldic eagle below. Inscriptions: United States of America, In God We Trust, denomination Half Dollar.
About the coin: This is a 1982 commemorative half dollar silver coin issued to celebrate the 250th anniversary of George Washington’s birth. The coin is made of 90% silver, marking the first 90% silver coins produced by the US Mint since 1964. Designed by Elizabeth Jones, the chief sculptor and engraver of the US Mint at the time. Authorized maximum mintage was 10 million coins. Coins were struck at San Francisco (proof) and Denver (uncirculated) Mints. Although dated 1982, the coins were sold during 1982–1983. Unsold coins were melted down after orders stopped in 1985. The program earned over $36 million for the Treasury. Due to high mintage, the coin remains widely available. Its value depends mainly on the market price of silver as it contains 0.36169 troy ounces of silver.