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000 B000000 12/31/96
000 C000000 773599
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
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000 J000000 U
001 A000000 COLUMBIA SPECIAL FUND, INC.
001 B000000 811-4362
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002 A000000 1301 SW FIFTH AVENUE
002 B000000 PORTLAND
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003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
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018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 12
019 C000000 COLUMBIAFD
020 A000001 INSTINET CORP.
020 B000001 133443395
020 C000001 503
020 A000002 MONTGOMERY SECURITIES
020 B000002 941701676
020 C000002 360
020 A000003 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES
020 B000003 133224016
020 C000003 347
020 A000004 LAHMAN BROTHERS
020 B000004 132518466
020 C000004 347
020 A000005 GOLDMAN SACHS
020 B000005 132108880
020 C000005 272
020 A000006 UBS SECURITIES
020 B000006 132932996
020 C000006 183
020 A000007 WEEDEN & CO.
020 B000007 133364318
020 C000007 181
020 A000008 MORGAN STANLEY & CO.
020 B000008 132655998
020 C000008 180
020 A000009 SALOMON BROGHERS, INC.
<PAGE> PAGE 2
020 B000009 133082694
020 C000009 164
020 A000010 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE
020 B000010 135674085
020 C000010 163
021 000000 4281
022 A000001 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO., INC.
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022 C000001 129826
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022 C000002 138559
022 D000002 158405
022 A000003 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE
022 B000003 135674085
022 C000003 68949
022 D000003 73697
022 A000004 BROWN (ALEX) & SONS, INC.
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022 C000004 66385
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022 A000005 SMITH BARNEY SHEARSON
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022 C000005 47283
022 D000005 54555
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022 C000006 27958
022 D000006 56239
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022 C000007 41207
022 D000007 24234
022 A000008 SALOMON BROGHERS, INC.
022 B000008 133082694
022 C000008 25073
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022 A000009 BEAR, STEARNS & CO.
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022 C000009 34326
022 D000009 20925
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<PAGE> PAGE 3
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080 A000000 ICI MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
080 C000000 15000
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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 AUDITED ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COLUMBIA FUNDS DATED DECEMBER 31, 1995,
AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000773599
<NAME> COLUMBIA SPECIAL FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 1,399,532,531
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 1,487,815,609
<RECEIVABLES> 10,967,479
<ASSETS-OTHER> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 117,419,890
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,616,202,978
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 15,781,001
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 15,137,763
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 30,918,764
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 1,497,830,713
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 79,861,296
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 64,573,734
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (829,577)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 88,283,078
<NET-ASSETS> 1,585,284,214
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 5,440,648
<INTEREST-INCOME> 4,581,166
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 14,509,317
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (4,487,503)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 295,204,950
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (112,950,905)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 177,766,542
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 289,460,071
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 25,624,116
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 24,162,690
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 13,826,136
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 200,869,179
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> (51,817)
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (2,440,560)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 12,880,541
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 14,509,317
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 1,540,563,231
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 21.44
<PER-SHARE-NII> (.06)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 2.85
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<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
