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000 A000000 06/30/97
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000 F000000 Y
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001 A000000 COLUMBIA SPECIAL FUND, INC.
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002 B000000 PORTLAND
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020 A000001 MONTGOMERY SECURITIES
020 B000001 941701676
020 C000001 405
020 A000002 MORGAN STANLEY & CO.
020 B000002 132655998
020 C000002 317
020 A000003 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
020 B000003 135108880
020 C000003 249
020 A000004 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE
020 B000004 135674085
020 C000004 199
020 A000005 LEHMAN BROTHERS
020 B000005 132518466
020 C000005 182
020 A000006 WEEDEN & CO.
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020 C000006 173
020 A000007 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES
020 B000007 133224016
020 C000007 172
020 A000008 UBS SECURITIES, INC.
020 B000008 132932996
020 C000008 159
020 A000009 NESBITT BURNS SECURITIES
020 B000009 132620737
020 C000009 153
020 A000010 DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRE
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<PAGE> PAGE 2
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022 C000004 14339
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022 C000005 12593
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022 B000006 135659485
022 C000006 4438
022 D000006 27845
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022 C000007 16716
022 D000007 14497
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022 B000008 133299429
022 C000008 5650
022 D000008 24586
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SIGNATURE GEORGE HANSETH
TITLE SR. VICE PRESIDENT
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE
AUDITED ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COLUMBIA FUNDS DATED DECEMBER 31, 1996, AND
THE UNAUDITED SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COLUMBIA FUNDS DATED JUNE 30, 1997,
AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000773599
<NAME> COLUMBIA SPECIAL FUND, INC.
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 1,237,360,211
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 1,363,819,640
<RECEIVABLES> 14,350,243
<ASSETS-OTHER> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 116,792,100
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,494,961,983
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 16,370,800
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 7,436,500
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 23,807,300
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 1,280,565,310
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 68,977,673
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 79,861,296
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 576,070
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 63,553,874
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 126,459,429
<NET-ASSETS> 1,471,154,683
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 5,696,465
<INTEREST-INCOME> 2,044,659
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 7,165,054
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 576,070
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 64,383,451
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 38,176,351
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 103,135,872
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 9,102,051
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 19,985,674
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (114,129,531)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 576,070
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (829,577)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 6,153,546
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 7,165,054
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 1,485,652,654
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 19.85
<PER-SHARE-NII> .01
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 1.47
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
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<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 21.33
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .96
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
