1939 Oregon Trail Tribute – A Journey Remembered in Silver

A covered wagon moves toward the setting sun, while a Native American figure stands before a map of the United States. Intaglio Mint’s 1939 Oregon Trail tribute revisits the imagery of the Oregon Trail Memorial half dollar in 2 troy ounces of .999 fine silver. This 39mm round is a modern tribute, distinct from the original United States commemorative coin.

A Collaboration in American Coinage

Laura Gardin Fraser and James Earle Fraser created the original Oregon Trail Memorial half dollar together. Issued intermittently from 1926 through 1939, it brought a broad historical subject into the small space of a coin. The date on this tribute recalls the final year of that series. Another distinction belongs to the 1933 issue: it was the first commemorative coin struck at the Denver Mint.

The Journey Behind the Wagon

The Oregon Trail stretched roughly 2,000 miles. For emigrants, the journey meant months of travel and the daily work of repairing wagons, finding water, gathering fuel and making camp. The wagon’s westward movement captures that sense of distance and effort, while the standing figure on the other side gives the composition a very different, monumental presence.

Obverse Design

A Native American figure in a feathered headdress holds a bow before a map of the United States. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” is inset within the map, with the tribute’s weight and .999 fine silver markings completing the design.

Reverse Design

An ox-drawn covered wagon travels left toward the sunset. “IN GOD WE TRUST” follows the upper curve, while “OREGON TRAIL MEMORIAL” and the date 1939 appear below the wagon.

Specifications

• Weight: 2 troy ounces
• Purity: .999 fine silver
• Diameter: 39mm
• Thickness: approximately 6mm
• Edge: Reeded
• Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated

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