1963 Silver Medal D1963-1b, Silver

Coin Details

Description

Swoger catalog number D1963-1b. This silver medal was struck at the United States Mint in Philadelphia to commemorate the centennial of West Virginia statehood. West Virginia was admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, as the 35th state, having separated from Virginia during the Civil War after the western counties refused to follow Virginia's secession from the Union in 1861. The state's creation was constitutionally controversial — it remains the only state formed by seceding from a Confederate state during the war. President Abraham Lincoln signed the statehood bill despite reservations from some cabinet members about its constitutionality. The Swoger catalog (D-series), compiled by Tom Swoger, documents modern U.S. Mint commemorative medals from 1956 onward. This silver version is the premium metallic variant in the D1963-1 series.

Rarity Notes

Silver composition medal. Silver variants were produced in smaller quantities than bronze. Exact mintage not separately reported by the Mint.

Cross References

PCGS #683572; Swoger D1963-1b