Commems Collection Classic: Quick Bits #94 - Coins To Medals - Part I

A comment from nickelsearcher in my recent Northampton, MA post spurred this deeper dive into the topic - I agree that it makes for an interesting story...


Though there weren't any vetoed coin proposals that resurfaced as medal bills, there were a number of failed commemorative coin proposals that fared better with a subsequent medal bill.

I introduced these scenarios last year with:

- Quick Bits #48 - Coins To Medals

Here's another take on these pieces, with several additions to the list. I've broken them up into categories.


Success as a Coin Bill AND a Medal Bill

One very interesting back-and-forth story is that of the 1936 Norfolk, VA coin - it was approved as a coin and as a medal. I've written about the Norfolk coin's journey in Congress before, check it out here:

- 1936 Norfolk Bicentennial / Tricentennial - Medal Vs. Coin


Successful Coin Bill AND Abandoned Medal Bill

The 1925 Fort Vancouver Centennial Half Dollar had an interesting journey through Congress, including being introduced as a medal after initial coinage attempts fizzled. Ultimately, the medal proposals were pushed aside and the coin was pursued. As we know, the second coin pursuit was successful.

- 1925 Fort Vancouver Centennial - Origin Story


Failed Coin Bills, Successful Medal Bills

There have been a number of coin proposals that were transitioned into medal bills before being passed by Congress / presented to the President for final approval.

George Washington Monument
In 1900 and 1901, the George Washington Monument Association of Alexandria, VA sponsored bills that called for half dollars to be struck in memory of General George Washington. The bills were not successful, but a medal bill was introduced in 1902 that became law. (Note: Coin proposals were again floated in Congress about 10 years later.)

- I am currently drafting a post on this coin/medal. Stay tuned!

Norse-American Centennial
The "grand daddy" of such scenarios is the Norse-American Centennial Medal. Its sponsor - the Norse-American Centennial Commission - via Representative Ole Juulson Kvale (Farmer Laborite-MN) - wanted a coin, but was swayed by the Treasury Department to seek a medal to ensure passage of a commemorative piece. I've posted before about the Norse medal:

- 1925 Norse-American Centennial Medal - Origin Story
- 1925 Norse-American Centennial

Yorktown Surrender
A few years later, the Yorktown Sesquicentennial Commission requested a commemorative half dollar for the 150th anniversary of the surrender of British General Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, VA. in 1781. Though a coin was originally sought, the request was changed to a medal as a result of President Herbert Hoover's then-recent veto of the Gadsden Purchase half dollar bill.

- What If? 1931 Yorktown Surrender

Tri-State Territory
In 1936, a bill calling for commemorative half dollars for the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Tri-State Territory (Texas/Louisiana/Arkansas) was introduced in Congress. Before it made it out of the Senate, the request for half dollars was changed to medals. The medal bill was signed into law by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, but the sponsor - Shreveport Centennial, Inc. - did not employ the US Mint to strike any medals.

- What If? 1936 Tri-State Territory

1936 Arrival of Marcus and Narciss Whitman in the Walla Walla Valley, Washington
A commemorative half dollar was sponsored by Whitman Centennial, Inc. to honor Marcus and Narciss Whitman and their journey west. The House OK'ed the coin bill, but the Senate Committee on Banking and Currency amended the request to a bill that proposed commemorative medals. The medal bill was approved and signed into law by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, but the sponsor did not pursue the striking of medals by the Mint.

- 1936 Whitman Mission Centennial

Colorado Settlement - Air Force Academy Establishment
Silver Dollars to mark the centennial of the settlement of Colorado and the recent establishment of the US Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs, CO were proposed in 1958 and 1959, but were unsuccessful. In mid-1959, a medal proposal was introduced and ultimately approved. Silver medals were struck by the US Mint.

- What If? 1959 Colorado Settlement Centennial - Air Force Academy Establishment
- A post on the medal is under development at present.

Nevada Silver Centenary - Comstock Lode
A circulating commemorative half dollar (or, alternatively, a circulating silver dollar) for the 100th anniversary of the Comstock Lode (silver) was proposed for 1959. The bills were unsuccessful, but successful medal bills were introduced following the failed attempts for coins.

- What if? 1959 Nevada Silver Centenary
- What if? 1959 Nevada Silver Centenary - Medal


More Coins-to-Medals stories can be found in Part II:

- Commemorative Coins to Medals - Part II