Commems Collection Classic: 1935 Hudson, NY Sesquicentennial - Bridge Connection?

The 1935 Hudson, NY Sesquicentennial Half Dollar went on sale in late June 1935 (the coins were struck by the US Mint in early June; pre-orders were accepted starting in May).

1935 Hudson, NY Sesquicentennial


Contemporary reporting on the coin (in a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania newspaper - The Pittsburgh Press) made reference to its linkage to the (then) recently-opened (officially, July 2, 1935) Catskill-Hudson Bridge:

"The distribution of the new coins was part of the celebration which marked the opening of the new Catskill-Hudson Bridge over the Hudson River between the two cities."

Note: The official name for the Catskill-Hudson Bridge is the Rip Van Winkle Bridge.

I believe, however, that the author of the news piece associated two separate items/objects/events that while connected with Hudson, NY's 150th Anniversary celebrations, were not formally linked. The half dollar marked Hudson's 150th Anniversary not a bridge opening. Proceeds from sales of the coin did not go to supporting the costs of bridge construction, nor were the tolls collected for use of the bridge used to pay for expenses related to the coins. The bridge's opening and the commemorative half dollar's release were two aspects of Hudson's anniversary year that simply co-existed. (Maybe the author had read very early rumblings about the still-in-the-future 1936 San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Opening half dollar and assumed a similar situation in Hudson, NY?)

Catskill-Hudson / Rip Van Winkle Bridge[ Postcard

(Image Credit: Hudson Area Library.)

Personally, I don't think it's wise to make too strong of a connection between things based on coincidence! I believe such was the case here for the coin and bridge.

For bridge aficionados: The Rip Van Winkle bridge is a cantilever and truss design. It is 5,040 feet long, has a clearance under its highest section of 145 ft and connects the cities of Hudson (east) and Catskill (west) across the Hudson River. It is located approximately 104 miles north of New York City. ICYWW: Yes, the bridge is named after the character in Washington Irving's 1819 short story of the same name - Irving had strong ties to the Hudson River Valley, including having a home there.


For more of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, including more on the history and design of the Hudson, NY half dollar discussed here, see: Commems Collection.