# 158 - Monroe Doctrine

Continuing our series of the American Half Dollars Commemoratives, we will today present the 1923-S "Monroe Doctrine".

As all the commemorative half dollars, it weights 12,5g with a 90% silver purity.

This coin commemorates the centenary of the Monroe Doctrine.
In 1823 President James Monroe declared that European countries that interfered with countries in the western hemisphere or established new colonies in it would meet with disapproval or worse from the American government.
In reality the Monroe Doctrine did little, as the United States lacked the power to enforce it. In the 1830s, when France and England seized additional land in the western hemisphere, officials in Washington did not interfere.

The obverse depicted the conjoined portraits of presidents James Monroe and John Quincy Adams, both of whom were instrumental in formulating the Monroe Doctrine.

The reverse design was a copy of a medal created by Ralph Beck in 1899 that showed the continents of North and South America represented by simbolic female figures.

A total of 274,077 coins were distributed. The actual price is around U$165.00 in this grade.

This series will continue very soon.

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