Grant Memorial coinage

The Grant Memorial coinage are a gold dollar and silver half dollar struck by the United States
Bureau of the Mint in 1922 in honor of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ulysses S. Grant, a
leading Union general during the American Civil War and later the 18th president of the United
States. The two coins are identical in design and were sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser.

The Ulysses S. Grant Centenary Memorial Association, also called the Grant Commission,
wanted to sell 200,000 gold dollars to be able to finance multiple projects in the areas of
Grant's birthplace and boyhood home. Congress authorized only 10,000 gold coins, but also
authorized 250,000 half dollars. Hoping to boost sales, the Grant Commission asked for 5,000 of
the gold dollars to bear a special mark, a star; the Mint did the same for the half dollars as well,
unasked for.

All the gold dollars and most of the half dollars sold, though some half dollars were returned to
the Mint for melting. The half dollar with star has long been priced higher than most
commemoratives; its rarity has also caused it to be counterfeited. Money from the coins was
used to help preserve Grant's birthplace, but other planned projects were not completed.