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1961 Matte Silver Medal D1961-2a, 57mm Pony Express Termination Cent.

Strike Type
1961 Matte Silver Medal D1961-2a, 57mm Pony Express Termination Cent.

Coin Details

Year
1961
Denomination
Medals
Strike Type
Special Strike
Series
U.S. Mint Medals
Mintage
1,000
Composition
Silver
Diameter
57.2mm

Description

This 1961 matte silver medal at 57mm, cataloged as D1961-2a, commemorates the centennial of the Pony Express's termination on October 24, 1861. The service ended the day the transcontinental telegraph was completed, rendering ten-day mail delivery obsolete in comparison with instantaneous electronic communication. The matte silver composition and 57mm diameter match the 1960 Founders medal (PCGS #75934), creating a bookend pair marking both the birth and death of the Pony Express. The D1961-2a Duster designation identifies this as the premium metallic version of the termination centennial medal. The Pony Express lasted only eighteen months, yet it became the most enduring symbol of the American frontier spirit — its story of young riders racing across a vast and dangerous landscape captured the popular imagination so thoroughly that the brief service achieved a mythic status far exceeding its actual operational significance. This final medal in the centennial series marked the end of the legend.

Rarity Notes

D1961-2a, matte silver 57mm. Pony Express Termination Centennial 1961. Limited silver production. Companion to 1960 Founders medal.

Cross References

PCGS #75938; D1961-2a; Pony Express Termination Centennial Medal, Matte Silver 57mm; Ended October 24, 1861

External References

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