John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. wrote the Pulitzer-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath 
(1939) and East of Eden (1952) and Of mice and Men  (1937). He wrote a total 
of twenty-seven books, including sixteen novels, six non-fiction books and five 
collections of short stories. In 1962, John Steinbeck received the Nobel Prize
for Literature. His later work reflected his wide range of interests, including
marine biology, politics, religion, history, and mythology. Steinbeck was 66
when he died in December of 1968.

1984 John Steinbeck gold commemorative coin

William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody was a soldier, buffalo hunter and
showman. He was one of the most colorful figures of the Old West, mostly
famous for the shows he organized with cowboy themes. Buffalo Bill received
the Medal of Honor in 1872. He died on January 10, 1917.