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One of the more controversial commemorative issues is the 1936 Cincinnati half dollar, minted to honor the 50th anniversary of the Cincinnati Music Center, which was built in 1886. However, the coin, billing the medium-sized Ohio city as a center of music, also carries the bust of Stephen Foster. He was by every measure a talented musician but someone who spent only a few years in Cincinnati and did not compose any major pieces there. While the coin, designed by Constance Ortmayer, perhaps paints Cincinnati as a city on an equal musical footing a la Nashville, Detroit, Chicago, or Philadelphia, far more egregious matters occurred behind the scenes.
A very small number of coins were minted across the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mints, and many of the coins were distributed among the major players who brought the coin to fruition. The coins, offered in sets of three (P, D, S) for $7.75, were reported as sold out early on, leaving many collectors who wanted these coins disappointed. Values for the trio shot up quickly, reaching $50 for the three coins. Of course, after values peaked, many of the early inside buyers sold the coins for a tremendous profit. As coins flooded the market, values returned to more reasonable levels of $12 to $15 for the set.
The Cincinnati half dollars are popular with collectors today. While it would seem the three issues would be equally rare given their virtually identical mintages, the 1936-D is encountered more frequently than the 1936 (-P) or 1936-S Cincinnati halves. While mostly encountered in the MS63-66 range, they are generally tough even in those levels, while examples grading MS67 or better are scarce to rare.
Catalog Information
GSID:
10292
Designer:
Constance Ortmayer
Obverse Designer:
Constance Ortmayer
Reverse Designer:
Constance Ortmayer
Fineness:
0.9
Weight (gr):
12.5 gr
Weight (oz):
0.475 oz
Precious Metal Weight:
0.3617 oz
Strike Type:
Business
Diameter:
30.6
Coin Shape:
Round
Edge:
Reeded
Variety:
Cincinnati Music Center
Coin Date:
1936-PDS
Denomination:
Set
Designation:
MS
Mintage:
5,005
Coinage Type:
Classic Commemorative
Coinage Years:
1936
Composition:
90% silver; 10% copper
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Coin Value History
1936-PDS Set Cincinnati Music Center MS
Value By Grade
1936-PDS Set Cincinnati Music Center MS
CPG (retail) values
Currency
Grade Range
Grading Authority
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Pricing
Values
Greysheet & CPG® Values
| Grade | CAC | CPG Value (Retail) | Greysheet Price (Wholesale) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS67 |
|
$11,000 | $1,234 |
| MS67 | - | $9,000 | $1,234 |
| MS66 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS66 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS65 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS65 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS64 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS64 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS63 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS63 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS62 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS62 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS61 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS61 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS60 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS60 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU58 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU58 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU55 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU55 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU53 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU53 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU50 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU50 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF45 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF45 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF40 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF40 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
1893 25c Isabella MS
Worth: $190 – $52,000
1900 $1 Lafayette MS
Worth: $360 – $80,000
1921 50c Alabama MS
Worth: $90 – $20,250
1921 50c Alabama, 2x2 MS
Worth: $150 – $14,500
1936 50c Albany MS
Worth: $160 – $16,100
1937 50c Antietam MS
Worth: $405 – $35,000
Arkansas 50c MS [Type]
Worth: $72 – $20,000
1935-PDS Set Arkansas MS
Worth: $216 – $4,400
1935 50c Arkansas MS
Worth: $72 – $1,800
1935-D 50c Arkansas MS
Worth: $72 – $24,000
1935-S 50c Arkansas MS
Worth: $72 – $1,100
1936-PDS Set Arkansas MS
Worth: $216 – $4,520
1936 50c Arkansas MS
Worth: $72 – $1,620
1936-D 50c Arkansas MS
Worth: $72 – $20,000
1936-S 50c Arkansas MS
Worth: $72 – $1,800
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Events
Midlands Coin Club Coin, Currency and Collectibles Show - SC
Location: Medallion Center
Friday, May 1, 2026
