Lexington-Concord Sesquicentennial half dollar Monroe Doctrine Centennial, this coin does no credit to Beach's stature as a first-class artist. What the coin exudes in patriotism, it lacks in art." A total of 162,099 Lexington-Concord Sesquicentennial half dollars were struck at the Philadelphia Mint in April and May, 1925, with 99 pieces set aside for inspection and testing by the 1926 Assay Commission. The coins were made from blanks, or planchets, that had been intended for mintage into 1924 Stone Mountain Memorial half dollars, but had not been used. The first coin struck was presented to President Coolidge. The half dollars were sold at the
Derek Blanks children's book, "“Up in the Learning Tree”" published by Lee & Low Books. Blanks entered into lifestyle and fashion Photography by developing a portfolio with works published by "Essence", BET Networks, Sony Music Entertainment, Reach Media Inc. and "Ebony". In 2009, Blanks collaborated with NeNe Leakes by photographing the cast of "Real Housewives of Atlanta" for his Alter Ego portrait series. Blanks photographed several more celebrities for the series including Chaka Khan, Taraji P. Henson, Blair Underwood, Snoop Dogg, Janelle Monáe, Rockmond Dunbar, Hill Harper, Faith Evans, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Brandy, Boris Kodjoe, Terrell Owens, Angela Bassett, Cover Girl, Nicole Ari