1992 Columbus 500th Anniversary Solid Silver Ships of Discovery Medals Set Over 2oz of silver. Up for Auction is a Set that was mired in Controversry. The set was commissioned by “The Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee Commission”, a temporary federal agency that was dogged by controversy since they commsioned the medals. The Commission was attacked by the Representative Frank Annunzio (D-Ill.), the legendary "coin czar" of Capitol Hill. Annunzio felt the coins which were authorized by a federal department, albeit temporary, would be mistaken for the coins Annunzio had shepharded through the US min’s official Comemorative program. Annunzio and the Mints Lawyers put such pressure on the commission that they eventually limited the number of medals to just 500 sets. This is the first time I have ever seen a set in hand, or been able to bring it to auction.