1914 Idaho Gold Half Dollar Token - X-Tn2

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,351 MS66 03-09-2017 Kagin's

Description

The 1914 Idaho Gold half dollar, cataloged as X-Tn2, is the larger denomination companion to the Idaho gold quarter token from the same year. The half-dollar denomination provided a more substantial gold souvenir at a correspondingly higher price, appealing to collectors and visitors willing to invest more in a genuine gold keepsake representing Idaho's mining heritage. Idaho's gold mining districts produced significant wealth during the territorial period and early statehood era. The Boise Basin alone yielded an estimated $250 million in gold during the nineteenth century, and smaller but significant operations continued throughout the state into the twentieth century. The 1914 gold half-dollar token acknowledges this heritage while serving as a collectible item rather than circulating money. The production of state-specific gold tokens by 1914 had become an established niche within American numismatics and the souvenir trade. These pieces typically featured state names, mining imagery, and gold denominations that connected them to the broader tradition of American territorial and private gold coinage. Idaho gold tokens are considerably less common than their California counterparts, as the market for such pieces was smaller and production quantities were accordingly lower. The half-dollar denomination, requiring more gold than the quarter, was produced in even smaller numbers.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Idaho gold half-dollar tokens are scarcer than the quarter denomination. Approximately 15-30 examples survive across all conditions.

Cross References

PCGS #531735; HK X-Tn2 (Idaho Territorial Token)