Arising during the most prolific year of new issues during the classic commemorative era, the 1936 Elgin half dollar honors the centennial of the moderately sized northern Illinois city. The coin, designed by Elgin sculptor and native Trygve A. Rovelstad, was issued to fund a memorial to local pioneer families. The obverse features the bust of a pioneer while the reverse depicts a pioneer family consisting of four adults and a baby.

The flattish surfaces of the Elgin half dollar are susceptible to marks and other detractions, but many Gems survive with lustrous surfaces. The bulk of Elgin half dollars are found in grades of MS63-67, though pieces grading MS68 or higher are quite rare and elusive.