2020 Cook Islands Lost States of America McDonald 1oz Silver Proof Coin

The States That Never Were Are the Coins You Gotta Have!

Everyone knows that the United States of America is comprised of 50 states. These days it’s hard to even imagine the nation any other way. But from the start in 1776 with the first 13 states all the way up to Hawaii becoming the 50th state in 1959, the country’s history has witnessed numerous attempts to establish alternative states that, had they been successful, could have drastically changed the map of North America. To bring that history to life, the Cook Islands has released a “Lost States of America” coin series.

Created by U.S. Mint Designer Joel Iskowitz

To bring this series to life, the Cook islands turned to award-winning artist Joel Iskowitz, a prolific coin and medal designer from New York, who designed more than 50 coins and medals for the U.S. Mint while part of its Artistic Infusion Program from 2005 to 2018. A student of history, Iskowitz based his designs on the unique stories of these Lost States of America.

Legal-Tender Proof Coins

In addition to quarter-sized clad proof coins designed to complement the U.S. Mint’s 50 States Quarter program, the Cook Islands has also released $1 legal-tender silver dollar-sized coins that were struck in a full ounce of highly pure 99.9% fine silver. Using Coin Invest Trust’s (CIT) Smartminting® technology, the High Relief detail is so lifelike you’ll almost think you’re witnessing history as it unfolds in your hands! Plus, each coin comes in gorgeous Gem Proof condition, meaning they were all expertly crafted from hand-selected planchets, polished dies and multiple strikes to produce beautifully frosted details rising over mirror-like fields.

The Lost State of McDonald

Here you can secure the fourth release in the series from 2020; The Lost State of McDonald. This “state” was an unrecognized territory with its own provisional government that existed briefly in 1961, when it attempted to secede from the state of Missouri. The reason for this attempted secession was the omission of popular resort town Noel, Missouri from maps printed in 1961. The coin’s obverse features a profile of a Native American wearing a full headdress, while the reverse depicts an elk to represent the Elk River which runs through McDonald County.