Commems Collection Modern: What If? 1997 Marian Anderson Birth Centennial - Circulating Half Dollar

I've previously posted about a proposed 1997 commemorative coin program to honor Marian Anderson on the centennial (100th Anniversary) of her birth. It included calls for non-circulating collector coins as well as a circulating half dollar.

You can check out that post out here:

- What If? 1997 Marian Anderson Birth Centennial

The original post focused on the proposed Silver Dollar and Half Dollar (introduced by George E. Brown, Jr. (D-CA)). My focus here is on the proposed circulating half dollar component of Brown's bill.

Per Title II of the bill, a circulating half dollar was to be struck on planchets of the standard (at the time) Copper-Nickel (CuNi) Clad circulation composition rather than the silver planchets used for the collector coin. The circulating half dollar, however, was to feature the same design as its collector coin counterpart.

The bill's language indicates that between January 1, 1997 and July 30, 1998, (a near 19-month stretch) the Secretary of the Treasury had the option of using the Marion Anderson design vs. the John F. Kennedy (JFK) design for the half dollar. [Emphasis added.] (Many Kennedy half dollar collectors would not have been happy!)

Regarding use of the Anderson design for a circulation half dollar, the bill stated the design alternative could be struck "At the discretion of the Secretary..." It would not have surprised me in the least if the Secretary decided against replacing the popular JFK half dollar design and keeping the Marion Anderson a non-circulating collector coin program exclusively.

As I reported previously, Brown's bill was referred to the House Committee on Banking and Financial Services which then further referred it to its Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy. The bill did not gain traction in Committee, however, and was never reported out or considered by the Whole House.

Roughly 20 years prior, the US Mint struck a series of medals - the Gold American Arts Medallions series - that featured Anderson in 1980. The medal's design might give a sense of how a Marian Anderson Half Dollar would have appeared.

1980 Marian Anderson Gold American Arts Medallion

Image Credit: Heritage Auctions,)

(For more on the American Arts Gold Medallion series, see: 1980-84 American Arts Gold Medallions.)

For many, it's hard to imagine JFK not being on the US Half Dollar - his portrait has been on the coin for 60+ years! But never say never!


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