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 Replies: 11 / Views: 710 |
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
 United States
12253 Posts |
There are a variety of Mount Rushmore novelty notes available in the marketplace for the collector/souvenir seeker who desires such a piece. Some feature a color overprint on a genuine US note - typically a $1 or $2 note - others are non-fiscal paper pieces printed in a style so as to resemble US paper money but are complete novelty/fantasy non-legal tender pieces. Things could be different, however. In July 1955, Ellis Yarnal Berry (R-SD) introduced a bill in the House of Representatives that called for "the likenesses of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln as produced. on the Mount Rushmore National Memorial appear on $1 bills." Berry was looking to celebrate South Dakota's leading attraction as well as honor four of the US' most inspiring Presidents. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Banking and Currency. After 14 years, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial was declared "Complete!" on October 31, 1941, just prior to the US entry into World War II (following the bombing of Pearl Harbor). The carving of Mount Rushmore was initiated by Gutzon Borglum (of Stone Mountain fame) in 1927; after his death in 1941, his son, Lincoln Borglum, oversaw completion of the work. The proposal would have impacted the back of the bill vs. its front - George Washington's portrait on the front would not have been replaced. An image of Mount Rushmore would have been placed on the $1 bill's back. The proposal was never reported out of Committee, however, and the $1 bill continued unchanged. I think an image of Mount Rushmore would have worked well on the $1 bill and would have helped relay a lesson in US history to all who encountered it. If you'd like to read more about a proposed commemorative half dollar intended to celebrate and financially support the completion of Mount Rushmore, check out: - What If? 1947 Mount Rushmore CompletionFor other of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, see: Commems Collection. Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
Edited by commems
05/14/2023 08:32 am
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Moderator
United States
15388 Posts |
Fascinating - a What If? story focused on paper money. I agree that an image of Mount Rushmore would have looked good on the reverse of a $1 bill.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4637 Posts |
Interesting read, thanks for sharing.
I'm a member of several paper money forums, and one has an infrequent member that is continually starting threads about putting Togo, a Husky sled dog, on US paper money. The discussion usually ramps up into all kinds of alternative portraits or animals.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Of all the visual memories over a long lifetime, Mt. Rushmore floodit at night is one of the very strongest.
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
 United States
12253 Posts |
Quote:
...an infrequent member that is continually starting threads about putting Togo, a Husky sled dog, on US paper money. I'm fairly certain that Togo would not generate my full support for placement on US paper money!  Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4637 Posts |
Quote:
I'm fairly certain that Togo would not generate my full support for placement on US paper money! That's typically the pushback whenever this certain member makes this suggestion. Sometimes it gets rather heated. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1648 Posts |
Interesting read (as usual Commems). Did you know that a bill introduced in Congress in 1937 proposed that a carving of Susan B. Anthony's head be included among the luminaries at Mount Rushmore but fell through due to a rider on the existing appropriations bill mandating that federal funds be spent only on those carvings already begun. As someone who has bought several 'novelty' type notes, I have seen quite a few of these color overprints on a genuine US note, many are coming from Merrick Mint currently actually. https://www.merrickmint.com/catalog...unt+rushmoreWould this be what to put on the other side of the note?   Edited by datadragon
05/14/2023 3:39 pm
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
United States
12253 Posts |
@datadragon: Thanks for the additional info. Do you have a bill number for the Anthony proposal? I've never come across such a formal proposal, so I'd like to research more about it.
I do know that including Anthony on Mount Rushmore was a passing mention during a tribute to Anthony in the House, but was not aware a separate bill was introduced.
Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1648 Posts |
Quote:
@datadragon: Thanks for the additional info. Do you have a bill number for the Anthony proposal? I've never come across such a formal proposal, so I'd like to research more about it.
I do know that including Anthony on Mount Rushmore was a passing mention during a tribute to Anthony in the House, but was not aware a separate bill was introduced. Here is where I first heard about it in 2012, it was introduced in 1936 or 37 but there is no citation nor on a later article also mentioned it below so research would be needed to locate the bill in house and senate. Congress.gov doesn't go back that far. https://web.archive.org/web/20121114191216/https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/rushm...meline2.html and https://www.npca.org/articles/1755-...unt-rushmoreThere was also going to be a hall of records which you can read about here and fits in well with your what ifs generally. https://www.nps.gov/moru/learn/hist...-records.htm The documents for what was to be included are in a pdf here http://npshistory.com/publications/...-records.pdf An article in Ford Times for March 11, 1939, (in the possession of Lincoln Borglum), lists a number of persons selected to give a "message to posterity" in the Hall of Records including Susan B Anthony. Edited by datadragon
05/14/2023 7:39 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
I can only imagine how SBA's head would ruin this monument. Thank god for her contributions to this country, and thank god her image is confined to a small dollar coin. |
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
United States
12253 Posts |
Thanks for the follow-up, I'll do some digging tomorrow. re: the possible Anthony bill In the interim... Quote:
There was also going to be a hall of records which you can read about here and fits in well with your what ifs... I briefly discussed the Hall of Records in the following What If? post, maybe it will be of interest: - What If? 1947 Mount Rushmore CompletionCollecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
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Moderator
United States
187662 Posts |
Very interesting!  If I were into conspiracies, I would guess the Illuminati kept the change from happening.   |
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Replies: 11 / Views: 710 |
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Posted 05/14/2023 08:39 am
