Commems Collection Classic: 1923 Monroe Doctrine Centennial - Warren G. Harding's Presentation Coin

On June 20, 1923, the 29th US President - Warren G. Harding - set out on his cross-country "Voyage of Understanding" trip, His itinerary included stops in St. Louis MO, Kansas City MO, Denver CO, Salt Lake City UT, Portland OR and Spokane WA (among other citiess), plus a trip to Alaska and Vancouver, British Columbia via the USS Henderson.

Warren G. Harding

(Image Source: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. Public Domain.)

After Alaska, Harding worked his way through California, including a visit to Yosemite National Park, as he made his way to Los Angeles and the American Historical Revue and Motion Picture Exposition (the Exposition had opened in July, Harding's visit was planned for early August, just before the Exposition closed).

At the Exposition, Harding was to receive an example of the 1923-S Monroe Doctrine Centennial Half Dollar. Ostensibly, a key element of the Exposition was the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of James Monroe's enunciation of US foreign policy provisions for the Western Hemisphere that would become known as the Monroe Doctrine. (Read more here: 1923 Monroe Doctrine Centennial - Exposition Program. The sponsor of the Exposition was also the ultimate sponsor of the Monroe Doctrine commemorative half dollar.

Unfortunately, Harding died in his hotel in San Francisco, CA on August 2, 1923 - he had been suffering from shortness of breath, occasional chest pain and sleep difficulties for years. The original cause of death was announced via a press release as "a stroke of cerebral apoplexy," but was later believed to have been caused by a myocardial infarction (i.e., heart attack). As Harding's wife - Florence Harding - did not allow an autopsy to be conducted, the exact cause of Harding's death can't be stated definitively.

So, Harding's planned visit to the financially-troubled Exposition was not to be and no Monroe Doctrine Centennial Half Dollar was ever presented. I wonder what became of the "Harding" coin?

1923 Monroe Doctrine Centennial Half Dollar



For more of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, including more on the Monroe Doctrine half dollar, see: Commems Collection.