Set Description
Coins Celebrating Delaware - The Brandywine Collection
In 1999, the first new US quarter design in 24 years was released: The Delaware State Quarter. For many people, it was the first Delaware coin they'd ever encountered. And for others, even now, it may be the only one they know.
Between 1936 and 2019, there were seven coins designed and minted with a connection to the state. Remarkably, they’re not even all American. Some are common and may be in your pocket change while others wouldn't fit in your pockets. This collection is meant as a love letter to a state I called home for much of my life. Building this collection helped me build my skills and it helped me become a more advanced collector. I hope this serves as an inspiration to explore the connections between common modern coins and coins that may be less common.
A (Very) Brief History of Delaware
In an attempt to find a passage to the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic, Henry Hudson sailed into a bay north of the Chesapeake in 1609. Shortly afterward, in 1610, that bay and the river that feeds it were named in honor of the governor of the British colony Virginia Thomas West, the 3rd Baron De La Warr. Delaware gets its name from the bodies of water on its shores.
In March 1638 two Swedish ships, the Kalmar Nyckel and Fogle Grip, entered the Delaware River and anchored on the shores of present-day Wilmington, Delaware. They built Fort Christina on the banks of the Christina River, both named for Sweden’s Queen Christina, and established a settlement that became the first permanent European settlement in the Delaware Valley. The settlement was taken by the Dutch in 1644 and then taken again by the English in 1664. The colony was considered a part of New York until 1682 when the land was granted to William Penn and became part of Pennsylvania. Though Penn wanted to make all of Pennsylvania a predominantly Quaker colony, the more diverse lower counties that made up Delaware resisted. In 1704, a separate Assembly was established to govern the Lower Counties of Delaware.
Delaware remained a part of Pennsylvania until June 15th, 1776, when the colony declared independence from Pennsylvania AND the British Crown. This event is still celebrated annually as “Separation Day.” This enabled Delaware to become one of the 13 colonies to sign the Declaration of Independence two weeks later on July 4th. But that vote was deadlocked between the two other Delaware delegates of the Continental Congress. So on July 1, the 3rd delegate, Caesar Rodney, rode his horse overnight to cast the deciding vote for American independence. On December 7, 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the newly created Constitution of the United States.
The Brandywine Collection is named for the Brandywine Creek, a tributary of the Christina River.
To read even more about this collection, click here.
Set Goals
All of these coins are accessible to casual collectors, even if some of them are very rare. There are surprising connections between coins nearly 400 years old and others minted in the last 20 years. Hopefully, this set inspires others to explore the connections between coins and themes that they love. This is a collection in progress.
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| Delaware Tercentenary Half Dollar |
United States
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.900 silver, .100 copper 50C 1936 DELAWARE
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PCGS MS 66
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The Delaware Swedish Tercentenary Commission was created to plan the celebrations of the 300th anniversary of the Kalmar Nyckel’s landing in modern-day Wilmington, DE. To help fund the celebrations, a commemorative half dollar was minted and sold to collectors for $1.75 each by the Equitable Trust company (now part of PNC Bank). Commemorative coins, like today, celebrate the founding of cities or to honor special events. But unlike today, where the US Mint sells the coins directly, they were often sold by some third party to help fund events related to the coin’s theme. After Congress authorized the coin on May 15, 1936, a contest was announced for artists to submit their designs and win $500.
Unlike the Delaware State Quarter released six decades later, there was no mystery about what motifs would appear on the coin. The contest details were shared in the Delaware News Journal on October 2, 1936, after the submission deadline closed. They specified that the obverse would feature a tall ship under sail “modeled after the Key of Kalamar [sic]”. The reverse would feature Old Swedes Church, the nation's oldest church building still used for worship as originally built between 1698 and 1699. The Lutheran state church in Sweden sent clergy to support the congregants who remained in the area after control of the settlement changed hands decades earlier. It became a vital link for some families to their Swedish heritage.
There is some debate about which side is the obverse and which is the reverse. This is because US Mint records list the church side as the obverse. Most collectors agree. But articles published in the News Journal in 1936 & 1937 dispute this. The Tercentenary Commission chairman’s own words in 1936 dispute this. In addition, two articles published in The Numismatist magazine in 1937 (Feb. & March) dispute this. One last piece of evidence is in the design itself. The reverse of every half dollar since the Capped Bust design, introduced in 1807, includes UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the denomination (50 C., HALF DOL., or HALF DOLLAR). But, to avoid confusion, I’ll refer to the church side as the obverse.
Of the 40 submissions, judges John Sinnock, the Mint’s Chief Engraver at the time, and sculptor Dr. Robert Tait McKenzie selected artist Carl L. Schmitz’s submission.
Mr. Schmitz’s straightforward Art Deco-style depiction of Old Swedes Church is paired with the symbolism of sunlight shining through clouds. Clouds have often been used in art as a way to represent heaven, while a sun’s rays can imply God’s light. It could also signify a new day dawning over Delaware. Or it could just be clouds. Matched with “IN GOD WE TRUST”, the obverse celebrates both the church and the faith celebrated within its walls. 1936 marks the year of the coin’s authorization, which can be confusing since the coin was minted in 1937 for a celebration in 1938.
The reverse’s depiction of the Kalmar Nyckel has full sails on its way to new opportunities. A ship of settlers combined with the mottoes “E PLURIBUS UNUM” and “LIBERTY” create a sense of hope, freedom, and unity. The text on the coin feels fresh and appropriate for the time without looking out of place. The diamonds, meant to represent Delaware’s three counties while referencing the state’s nickname “The Diamond State”, serve as unifying design elements around the dates 1638 and 1938. Lastly, “DELAWARE TERCENTENARY” and “HALF DOLLAR” feature prominently, in case there is any doubt about what this coin was celebrating or its value. I think it’s the most visually poetic and artful of the Delaware coins. The artist’s initials, CLS, appear at the stern of the ship.
Carl Ludwig Schmitz immigrated to the US from France in 1923 and studied at the Beaux Arts Institute of Design in New York. He worked with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) creating sculptures for government buildings. He also created other pieces of medallic art, such as the Four Freedoms medal in 1943. His other sculptures share the same simple, bold, and ornamental visual language as his half dollar. Mr. Schmitz’s Kalmar Nyckel is full of hope, almost to the point where it’s bursting at the seams. In 1932 he worked under Swedish sculptor Carl Milles, the artist selected to create the Kalmar Nyckel monument gifted to Delaware by Sweden in 1938. You can even see Mr. Milles’ influence directly by comparing the two works of art.
This was Mr. Schmitz’s only coin.
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| 1938 G SWEDEN 2K DELAWARE SETTLEMENT 300TH ANNIVERSARY |
SWEDEN - 1855 TO DATE
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Weight 15 grams; composition, .800 silver, .200 copper 2K 1938 G DELAWARE SETTLEMENT 300TH ANNIVERSARY
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PCGS MS 66
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Sweden also celebrated the 300th anniversary with a commemorative coin. Like the American coin, it bears a depiction of the Kalmar Nyckel. Unlike the American coin, these were meant for circulation.
The decision by Sweden to create a commemorative coin was announced in the March 1937 edition of The Numismatist: “It has been proposed that a 4-kr. riksdaler shall be designed for this purpose.” But that announcement was a bit premature. There was discussion of minting a coin similar to a 17th-century riksdaler, like those available in 1638, but that was determined to be too difficult. The 4 kronor value was considered unsuitable because a coin between 2 and 5 kronor might lead to confusion since this coin was meant for circulation. By August 1937, the committee settled on the 2 kronor coin featuring the Kalmar Nyckel we now know. It fit into the current decimal monetary system and was similar in size and value to the US half dollar. 508,815 coins were minted and placed into circulation in early May 1938. Some of those coins were set aside and sent to the Swedish-American Tercentenary Committee in New York for sale at $1.00 per coin. The coin was engraved by Erik Lindberg, who is best known for creating the medals for the Nobel Prize in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Literature.
The Latin inscription on the reverse (the side with the ship), “NOVÆ SUECIÆ SUECIA MEMOR”, translates as “Sweden Remembers New Sweden”. Latin hadn’t appeared on a Swedish coin since the time of Gustav III in the late 18th century. The years 1638 and 1938 are featured on either side of the ship, a nod to the tercentenary. The ‘G’ privy mark below the ship’s stern stands for mint master Alf Gerhard Grabe. Below the bow, the St. Erik mintmark indicates the coin was minted in Stockholm. Above the Kalmar Nyckel is a depiction of the royal crown. Erik Lindberg’s Kalmar Nyckel is more angular and svelte than Carl Schmitz’s design. It’s a model of efficiency to get settlers to their destination safely and quickly.
Sweden’s King Gustav V, who attended the 1938 celebration in Delaware, is featured on the obverse. Around the King’s portrait is “GUSTAVUS V REX”, Latin for “King Gustaf V.” Below the neckline of the King’s portrait, the designer’s initials EL (Erik Lindberg) can be found.
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| Swedish 350th Anniversary of Delaware Settlement - Silver (Small Head) |
SWEDEN - 1855 TO DATE
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S100K 1988 E D DELAWARE ANNIVERSARY SMALL HEAD
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NGC MS 68
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Sweden issued a 100 Kronor commemorative in 1988, engraved by Bo Thorén, that celebrates the 350th anniversary of the landing of the the Kalmar Nyckel on the reverse, along with a depiction of the Delmarva Peninsula.
NYA SVERIGE translates to “New Sweden” in Swedish.
The CRS monogram refers to Christina, Queen of Sweden (Christina Regina Sueciae). While she was Sweden’s queen at the time of the landing, she was twelve when the settlement was established and she didn’t begin ruling until 1644 at the age of eighteen.
The CRS monogram was used on copper coins during her reign
Fort Christina, the Delaware town Christiana, and the Christina river, are all named in her honor
The obverse features Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf. He is the great grandson of Gustaf V, who is featured on the obverse of the 1938 commemorative coin.
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| Swedish 350th Anniversary of Delaware Settlement - Silver (Large Head) |
SWEDEN - 1855 TO DATE
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S100K 1988 E D DELAWARE ANNIVERSARY LARGE HEAD
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| Swedish 350th Anniversary of Delaware Settlement - Gold |
SWEDEN - 1855 TO DATE
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G1000K 1988 E D DELAWARE ANNIVERSARY
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NGC MS 68
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The fourth depiction of the Kalmar Nyckel on a coin, and the only gold coin in the collection.
The Kalmar Nyckel was captained by Peter Minuit, who is also credited with orchestrating the acquisition of Manhattan for the Dutch.
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| 1635 1/4 Öre with CRS Monogram |
SWEDEN 1601-1855
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Copper 1/4O 1635
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NGC AU Details
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The CRS monogram on the 100 Kronor commemorative coin refers to Christina, Queen of Sweden, using the initials of her Latinized name (Christina Regina Sueciae). It appeared on Sweden’s coins, like the 1635 1/4 Öre, that circulated during the time of the Kalmar Nyckel’s journey across the Atlantic. The shield-and-arrow mint mark below the bottom crown indicates that the mint master was Markus Kock. According to Roberto Delzanno’s detailed book on Swedish coins, my example is the “Fine Style” from the Säter mint. The slightly curved appearance of the coin is a result of the roller mill used to create it. Unlike the milled coins of today, which use a hammer and anvil die, these were struck on a copper band between two die wheels and then cut out. In addition, the dies suffered from corrosion, so even well-struck coins will appear uneven and damaged.
This is the only coin in The Brandywine Collection that doesn’t explicitly celebrate Delaware. I liked the connection to the era of New Sweden and the 1988 100 Kronor coin. It’s fun to imagine that one of these could have been aboard the Kalmar Nyckel during her journey in 1638. This coin also allowed me to branch out and learn something new. Remember, there are no rules for collecting coins. Set your boundaries however you want.
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| Delaware State Quarter, Business Strike |
United States
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25C 1999 D DELAWARE
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NGC MS 67
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This was the first coin of the US Mint’s new 50 State Quarters Series, released on Jan. 4, 1999. The legislation that authorized the state quarter program in 1997 was introduced by Delaware Representative Mike Castle. Each state’s governor was responsible for submitting concepts to the mint, but they had leeway on how they came to those selections. Delaware’s Governor asked residents to submit ideas to the Delaware Arts Council for review.
Once the US Mint finalized three potential designs for the reverse, Delawareans were asked to vote on their favorites. Of the 1,519 votes cast, the Caesar Rodney reverse, engraved by William Cousins and based on artist Eddy Seger’s submission, received 948. Both the final design and the original submission were based on James Edward Kelly’s sculpture of Caesar Rodney that stood in Wilmington’s Rodney Square between 1923 until 2020.
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| Delaware State Quarter, Clad Proof |
United States
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25C 1999 S CLAD DELAWARE
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NGC PF 70 ULTRA CAMEO
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The artist that served as inspiration for William Cousins design, Eddy Seger, taught at art at Caesar Rodney High School in Camden, DE at the time of the contest to design the state's coin. When he learned that Delawareans were being asked to submit ideas for the new coin, he made it an art project. Of the 340 submissions to the Arts Council, 39 came from his students.
The ceremonial first strike of the new series took place at the Philadelphia Mint on Dec. 7, 1998, the anniversary of the state’s ratification of the Constitution.
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| Delaware State Quarter, Silver Proof |
United States
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25C 1999 S SILVER DELAWARE
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PCGS PF 69 UC
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| Australian Kookaburra with Delaware Quarter Privy Mark |
AUSTRALIA - KOOKABURRA
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S$1 1999 KOOKABURRA DELAWARE PRIVY
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NGC MS 69
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Australia’s Perth Mint celebrated the new state quarter program by adding a privy mark of each of the first five state quarters on the 1999 silver Kookaburra. For such a small reproduction of another coin on the coin, it’s done quite well. The reverse, in addition to the Delaware privy mark, features two kookaburras balanced on a thin branch of a eucalyptus tree. Kookaburras mate for life and both adult birds help raise their young. "The Australian Kookaburra" appears on the reverse, followed by the coin's weight, purity, and the year 1999.
The Perth Mint is owned by the Western Australian government and produces collector and investment coins. It was established in 1899 to mint gold sovereigns for the British Empire. The P100 mint mark on the reverse (below the kookaburras) celebrates the mint’s 100th anniversary.
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| Bombay Hook National Park Quarter, Business Strike |
United States
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25C 2015 D BOMBAY HOOK
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PCGS MS 68
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View Coin
| Bombay Hook National Park Quarter, Clad Proof |
United States
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25C 2015 S CLAD BOMBAY HOOK
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PCGS PF 70 UC
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| Bombay Hook National Park Quarter, Silver Proof |
United States
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25C 2015 S SILVER BOMBAY HOOK
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PCGS PF 70 UC
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The America the Beautiful Quarters program, introduced in 2010, depicted national parks or sites through 2021. Five designs were released each year in the order that the parks were established. The decision to feature Bombay Hook was made in 2010, five years before the quarters were issued.
The Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, one of the largest tidal salt marshes in the mid-Atlantic, was established in 1937. It received its name from the Dutch phrase "Boompjes Hoeck”, which sounds like Bombay Hook, meaning "little-tree point. A Blue Heron and a Great Egret are featured on the reverse, which are common birds in the summer. It was designed by Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.
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| Bombay Hook National Park 5 oz Silver Bullion |
United States
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25C 2015 5oz SILVER BOMBAY HOOK
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PCGS MS 69 DPL
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| Bombay Hook National Park 5 oz Silver Bullion (Burnished) |
United States
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25C 2015 P 5oz SILVER BOMBAY HOOK FIRST DAY OF ISSUE
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NGC SP 70
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| American Innovation Dollar, Proof |
United States
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$1 2019 S - DE Classifying the Stars
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NGC PF 69 ULTRA CAMEO
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Released in the same order as the State Quarters series, Delaware was the first state featured in the US Mint’s American Innovation Series that will run until 2032. These coins are issued for numismatic sales only and not distributed for circulation. In fact, no dollar coins have been issued for circulation since 2011.
On May 9, 1922, the International Astronomical Union passed a resolution to formally adopt Annie Jump Cannon's stellar classification system, the Harvard Classification Scheme, which was the first serious attempt to organize and classify stars based on their temperatures and spectral types. With minor changes, it is still being used for classifying stars today. In 1925, she became the first woman to receive an honorary doctorate of science from Oxford University. The reverse honors her achievements with a silhouette of Annie Jump Cannon against a field of stars. It was designed by Donna Weaver and sculpted by Chief Engraver Joseph Menna.
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| American Innovation Dollar, Reverse Proof |
United States
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$1 2019 S - DE Classifying the Stars First Day of Issue
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NGC RP 70
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The Reverse Proof more make Annie Jump Cannon's silhouette more pronounced than the standard proof. Overall a beautiful coin.
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| American Innovation Dollar, Business Strike |
United States
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$1 2019 D - DE Classifying the Stars First Releases
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NGC MS 67 PL
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