Fergus Falls Sesquicentennial Coins Now Available For Purchase

The year 2022 marks the 150th anniversary of the founding of Fergus Falls, and to celebrate, the Otter Tail County Historical Society has partnered with seven community sponsors to produce a run of custom commemorative coins – available this year only.

To ensure a stunning product, the historical society has contracted Osborne Coinage, of Cincinnati, OH – the oldest private mint in the country. Osborne’s history goes back so far as to predate the Civil War, and, in fact, the mint produced coins for both the Union and Confederate armies during the 1860s. It’s a business that has survived the most tumultuous events of the last two centuries, and their designers tapped into the company’s experience to create a beautiful product for Fergus Falls.

It was important that a commemorative coin embody something uniquely Fergus Falls while paying homage to our history. For the face (obverse) of the coin, the Osborne team has captured the world’s largest otter, Otto the Otter – a gift to the city during the centennial in 1972. Otto has become the city’s unofficial mascot, and the coin’s face shows him perched near Grotto Lake.

The reverse design speaks to the city’s founding and history. The Osborne team was asked to create an image that reflects a place where “the woods meet the prairie at the river” – an image not unlike the founding fathers, Joseph Whitford, James Fergus, and George B. Wright, may have encountered when viewing the Fergus Falls site for the first time. A flock of geese soars overhead, and “The Coming City of the Northwest” is engraved along the outer edge – famously used by Wright to advertise the growing village during its earliest days.

Collectors in particular were consulted throughout the design process, in an effort to create a lasting collectible. Following their feedback, the 150th anniversary commemorative coins have been minted in two choices of pure metals – .999 Pure Silver and .999 Pure Copper. To protect your investment, the Pure Silver coins include an acrylic capsule for display or preservation.

This project was paid for entirely through the generous support of our sponsors, and we hope you’ll take a moment to compliment their commitment to the community the next time you stop in to: Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union, American Federal Bank, Bell Bank, the City of Fergus Falls, FM Bank, Green Plains, Inc., and Visit Fergus Falls.

None of this would be possible without their involvement.

Coins go on sale beginning May 2, 2022, and you’ll find them at the Otter Tail County Historical Society gift shop and Victor Lundeen Co., in downtown Fergus Falls. All proceeds benefit the Otter Tail County Historical Society and the preservation of local history. Pure Copper coins will be available for $6/each, and Pure Silver coins will sell for $45/each. Should the initial run of 600 coins sell out, more will be minted to meet demand.

Story by: Otter Tail County Historical Society