In May of 1838, Pennsylvania Hall opened its doors in Philadelphia. The hall was designed as a meeting place for “benevolent or moral societies”, including most prominently abolitionists and suffragettes. From its inception, the hall was a source of tension in the former US capital city. Just three days after the dedication of the building, a pro-slavery mob burned it to the ground. Could this 1838 half dollar, minted in Philadelphia, have witnessed this destructive event?
