Commems Collection Classic: What If? Phantom 1926 Afro-American World's Fair

During the 1926 Hearing regarding the Oregon Trail Memorial Half Dollar, a letter from Secretary of the Treasury Andrew Mellon was entered into the record. The letter expressed his objections to commemorative coins in general, provided the evidence that drives him to his opinions and listed the commemorative coin bills pending in Congress at that time.

In addition, he closed his letter by mentioning that representatives of the Afro-American World's Fair, said to be scheduled for August 1 through October 31, 1926, had approached him about the process to be followed to secure a commemorative half dollar to support their Fair.

The group was looking for an issue of 20,000 coins, with a design that featured a portrait of 16th US President Abraham Lincoln on one side and a portrait of Booker T. Washington (BTW) on the other.

Secretary Mellon stated that he believed a bill for the coin would soon be introduced in Congress, but such a bill never materialized. I haven't yet found published evidence that the Fair took place. It makes me wonder if the group decided not to hold its Fair in 1926 considering it would face stiff competition from the national Independence Sesquicentennial Exposition that was being held in Philadelphia.

I wonder if a coin was struck with a portrait of BTW in 1926, if its existence would have impacted the 1946-51 Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial half dollar (and subsequent 1951-54 George Washington Carver - Booker T. Washington half dollar). I tend to think not, but it's impossible to say for sure!


For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more What If? and What If? Phantom stories, see: Commems Collection.



1946 Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial Half Dollar