Commems Collection Classic: Quick Bits #77 - Longest Full Bill Titles

The Title of a Bill/Act of the US Congress (and most other similar governing bodies) provides a summary of its purpose and objectives; the details of its objectives are to be found in the body of the Bill/Act. Most classic-era US coin bill titles are reasonably brief (20 to 30 words), stating (typically) a single purpose for the bill. For example,

1920 Landing of the Pilgrims Tercentenary

To authorize the coinage of 50-cent pieces in commemoration of the three hundredth anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims.


Some classic-era commemorative coin bills, however, were introduced with much longer and more involved titles that made it to the final version of the bill and into the coin's authorizing legislation (Act). Here are the three longest, single-coin, bill titles of the classic era series:

1. Oregon Trail Memorial


Title: To authorize the coinage of 50-cent pieces in commemoration of the heroism of the fathers and mothers who traversed the Oregon Trail to the Far West with great hardship, daring, and loss of life, which not only resulted in adding new States to the Union but earned a well-deserved and imperishable fame for the pioneers; to honor the twenty thousand dead that lie buried in unknown graves along two thousand miles of that great highway of history; to rescue the various important points along the old trail from oblivion; and to commemorate by suitable monuments, memorial or otherwise, the tragic events associated with that emigration-erecting them either along the trail itself or elsewhere, in localities appropriate for the purpose, including the city of Washington.

The First Place ribbon goes to the Oregon Trail Memorial bill! It features 124 words and four objectives. I'm glad it didn't become the model for future US commemorative coin bills!


2. Stone Mountain Memorial


Title: To authorize the coinage of 50-cent pieces in commemoration of the commencement of the work of carving on Stone Mountain, in the State of Georgia, a monument to the valor of the soldiers of the South, which was the inspiration of their sons and daughters and grandsons and granddaughters in the Spanish-American and World Wars, and in memory of Warren G. Harding, President of the United States of America, in whose administration the work was begun.

The 1925 Stone Mountain Memorial Half Dollar Bill/Act earns Second Place with a word count of 76 and two objectives (one of which was dropped during the coin's journey to striking - the honoring of President Harding on the coin).


3. Hawaiian (European) Discovery Sesquicentennial


Title: To authorize the coinage of silver 50-cent pieces in commemoration of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands by Captain James Cook, and for the purpose of aiding in establishing a Captain James Cook memorial collection in the archives of the Territory of Hawaii.

Third Place goes to the 1928 Hawaiian (European) Discovery Sesquicentennial half dollar. Its Title includes 50 words covering two objectives.


Third Place was hotly contested, with several other bills coming close to matching/exceeding the Hawaiian's 50 words, but close isn't good enough!

Honorable Mention (Fourth Place) goes to the 1934-38 Texas Independence Centennial coin program. Its Title includes 47 words covering two objectives.


4. Texas Independence Centennial


Title: To authorize the coinage of 50-cent pieces in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary in 1936 of the independence of Texas, and of the noble and heroic sacrifices of her pioneers, whose revered memory has been an inspiration to her sons and daughters during the past century.



ICYWW: The three-coin Act that authorized the Battle of Bennington/Vermont Independence Sesquicentennial, the California Statehood Diamond Jubilee and Fort Vancouver Centennial half dollars had 59 words and four objectives. I disqualified it from "prize" consideration, however, by virtue of the fact that it covered three coins vs. just one. On average, each of the three coins included in the title would likely have had a stand-alone title of 30 words or less.

Title: To authorize the coinage of silver 50-cent pieces in commemoration of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Bennington and the independence of Vermont, in commemoration of the seventy fifth anniversary of the admission of California into the Union and in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of Fort Vancouver, State of Washington.


For more of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including discussions of each of the coins referenced here, see: Commems Collection.