Some numismatists say that coins tell a story, but there is one United States issue that is definitively our country’s most loquacious; the 1936 Norfolk Bicentennial half dollar bears the largest number of characters of any U.S. coin. Produced to commemorate the city’s establishment as a borough in 1736, this anniversary is regarded by some as one of the least significant events commemorated in the classic commemorative era, 1892-1954.
The busy, wordy designs on both sides list a bunch of major dates in Norfolk’s history, though only one, 1736, is the actual date commemorated by the coin. The obverse includes the city’s seal (which itself includes some text), and reads “BOROUGH OF NORFOLK BICENTENNIAL 1936 TOWN 1682 BOROUGH 1736 CITY 1845 ET TERRA ET MARE DIVITIAE TUAE [Latin for Both by land and by sea thy riches (are), according to the city’s website] and CRESCAS [For “thou shalt grow,” also per the city’s website] UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Its reverse similarly has much to say, blaring “NORFOLK VIRGINIA LAND GRANT 1636 IN GOD WE TRUST E PLURIBUS UNUM LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR.”
Including spaces, that comes to 218 characters (according to Microsoft Word), the most on a U.S. coin. The coin also depicts the Norfolk Mace, a silver ceremonial mace presented to the Norfolk Common Council in 1754 Royal Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie.
