Commems Collection Classic: 1892-93 World's Columbian Exposition - Common Sense

I've made several posts about design references for the 1892-93 World's Columbian Exposition - Christopher Columbus Half Dollar.

You can read them here:

- 1892-93 World's Columbian Exposition - Portrait Source?
- 1892-93 World's Columbian Exposition - U. S. J. Dunbar & Olin Warner
- 1892-93 World's Columbian Exposition - Gunther Controversy

In the midst of the back-and-forth bickering about the true design reference for the coin's portrait of Christopher Columbus came an editorial published in the San Francisco Chronicle on August 28, 1892. It is the most logical and sensible discussion on the topic that I have encountered - I thought others might enjoy reading it for themselves...

"THE SOUVENIR COIN

"There is a great deal of unnecessary fuss being made in Chicago over the attempt to agree upon an authentic portrait of Columbus to be reproduced in the World's Fair souvenir coin. The impression seems to have gone out somehow that the coin is to be a souvenir of Columbus, whereas it is, of course, a souvenir of the World's Columbian Exposition , which is intended, first of all, to celebrate the progress of the United States and not the discovery of America.

"The four-hundredth anniversary of the happening of Columbus upon a new world, which he then believed to be part of the old world, has been taken advantage of to give the exposition a definite date, but the leading purpose and feature of the exposition is, manifestly, to show the world where the United States are today, and not to glorify the exploit of Columbus. There are a number of portraits of Columbus in existence, no two of which look alike and every one of which is claimed to be the only real counterfeit presentment of the Genoese adventurer. It makes very little difference which portrait is selected, for the souvenir coin is not expected to be a work of art in the sense of a portrait.

"If the managers of the World's Fair will settle the matter once for all and send the designs to the mint so that the engraving can be made and the work on the dies begun nobody will be dissatisfied. Not one in ten thousand of those who will purchase and preserve a souvenir coin will know the difference between the Gunter portrait or any other. If anyone wants to study pictures of Columbus he will go to the portraits themselves or to copies made of them, and not to an effigy stamped on a coin the size of a half-dollar. If the work is pushed along everybody will be perfectly contented, no matter which portrait of Columbus is selected."

Note: "Counterfeit" - as used above - was meant to convey a meaning for the word that is no longer in use. At one time, "counterfeit" was used to refer to a close likeness or portrait vs. today's negative connotation of a deceptive copy (i.e., not genuine).

I think the editorial's common sense wisdom would have expedited matters and likely prevented the situation described in tomorrow's post.

1892 World's Columbian Exposition - Columbus Half Dollar



For more of my stories about commemorative coins and medals, including other Columbian Exposition topics, see: Commems Collection.