The 1937-D Oregon Trail half dollar commemorates the 2,000-mile-long path cut through the western United States during the early 19th century. Many pioneers used the trail for trade, though it also served as a popular route for exploration during the early years of western expansion in a young America. The coin was designed by husband and wife coin artists James Earle Fraser and Laura Gardin Fraser, and it is widely viewed as a beautiful coin -- perhaps one of the most so ever struck by the United States. The obverse is anchored by a proud Native American standing before an outline of the United States, indicating the path of the trail with a line of miniature wagons cutting across the top left of the map.

With a mintage of just over 12,000, the 1937-D Oregon Trail half dollar is the highest post-1926 issue of the type. The vast majority are known in uncirculated condition, and most of those are found in grades of MS64-66, making it one of the most common Oregon halves to be found in that lofty grade range. Smaller numbers are known in MS67, a few dozen in MS68, and a tiny handful in MS69.