If my "ciphering" is correct, this is the 100th proposed (but failed) US commemorative coin I've written about via a What If? story. If you enjoy these stories of "coins that weren't," take heart, there's more to come! In March 1937, Senator James Hamilton Lewis (D-IL) introduced a bill in the Senate that called for "the coinage of 50-cent pieces In commemoration of the one-hundredth anniversary of the establishment of the city of Chicago, Illinois, as a city." The anniversay date being celebrated was the centennial of the Illinois State Legislature granting a charter to the City of Chicago on March 4, 1837.
Chicago traces its roots to the 1770s when Jean Baptiste Point du Sable came to the area with his wife and built a house and farm - its first! Others followed, and a settlement eventually developed in the area. In 1903-04, the US Government constructed Fort Dearborn along the Chicago River (within present-day Chicago's borders). The log fort attracted additional settlers to the area and it continued to develop as a trading center.
Burned to the ground during the War of 1812, Fort Dearborn was rebuilt after the war and once again helped drive settlement in the area. Growth continued, and in 1837 the population had reached 4,170 (Per Illinois Secretary of State web site) and the City of Chicago was granted a charter by the Illinois State Legislature. The incorporated city continued to expand and grow its population. In 1937, the city's population was ~3.3 million and it was time for a centennial celebration! (Today, Chicago's population is ~2.7 million - a drop from 1937.)
(The history of Fort Dearborn and Chicago is far too extensive for me to cover here, I suggest those with an interest seek out more indepth coverage via the web site of the Chicago History Museum (www.chicagohistory.org/) and/or internet searches.)The Chicago's Charter Jubilee Committee was formed to plan/organize the city's anniversary celebrations. The celebration opened on March 4. 1937 with a parade and continued through the summer and into October with a variety of special events. Included were: a large horse show with 400+ thoroughbred horses from stables across the country, horse races, pageants, festivals, luncheons/dinners/dances, swimming races, golf and tennis tournaments, Men's and Women's "Farm Olympiads" with events such as cow milking, rolling pin toss, hog calling, post driving and horsehoe pitching - and, of course, fireworks!
The bill sought the minting of up to 100,000 silver half dollars of standard specifications on behalf of Chicago's Charter Jubilee. The bill's language allowed for the coins to be struck at multiple mints and did not set requirements for minimum order sizes by the sponsor. It did, however, include several key restrictions: all coins struck were to carry the date "1937" and no coins could be issued after December 31, 1937. Net proceeds from the sale of the coins were to defray expenses related to the Committee's commemorative events.
The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Banking and Currency, and was included on a list of bills under consideration in Congress that was prepared for the April 15, 1937 commemorative coinage Hearing before a Senate Subcommittee, but the Chicago coin was never discussed during the Hearing. Ultimately, the bill was not reported out by the Committee for further action.
US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had sent a letter to the Committee Chairman, Senator Robert Ferdinand Wagner (D-NY), in January 1937 outlining his preference for commemorative medals to be struck in lieu of coins for most proposed events. The letter, the Treasury Department's continuing opposition to commemorative coins and the Committee's lack of action on the coin bill, led Senator Lewis to introduce a commemorative medal bill for Chicago as a replacement.
As did the coin bill, the Chicago medal bill called for up to 100,000 pieces to be struck. The specifications for the medal, including its metallic composition, were left up to the Director of the Mint. The bill did not include provisions regarding the date to appear on the medals, an expiration date for their striking or which Mint facilities could be used to strike them.
The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Banking and Currency, which reported the bill favorably and with a recommendation to pass; no amendments were specified. The bill was soon considered and passed in the Senate, after which it was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration. In the House, it was referred to the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures. The Committee did not report on the bill, however, and it died for lack of action.
The House's ignoring of the medal bill is somewhat surprising given the fact that the President, Treasury Department and US Mint were all on record as favoring medals over coins for commemorative souvenirs, not to mention the prominent position that Chicago held (and continues to hold) among US cities.
It does not appear that the Jubilee Committee had an official souvernir medal struck privately, though a quick search on the internet will identify the medal sponsored by CD Peacock Jewelers who celebrated its 100th year in Chicago in 1937.
1937 CD Peacock Jewelers Brass Medal
(Image Credit: Heritage Auctions, https://www.ha.com.)For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more What If? stories, see:
Commems Collection. 
Posted 07/16/2022 07:21 am
