The 1951 Booker T. Washington half dollars mark the sixth and final year of issue for this commemorative type honoring the social activist, author, and presidential advisor. The coin was designed by Isaac Scott Hathaway, who upon preparing the earliest BTW halves in 1946, became the first African American to design -- U.S. coin.

Booker T. Washington half dollars are very common in uncirculated grades, with the vast majority of examples grading between MS62 to MS66. The coins were minted at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mints, and examples of each from these three mints are readily available. The relative scarcity of examples in the grades of MS67 or better is explained by the overall flatness of the coin's design, which picks up many obvious marks.