Commems Collection Modern: What If? 2020 Arrival Of The Plymouth 400th Anniversary

Continuing the story...


Though the efforts initiated in the First Session of the 114th failed to bring about a commemorative coin to marks the 400th Anniversary of the arrival of the Mayflower, efforts were renewed in the Second Session - with an expanded scope!

William R. Keating (D-MA) introduced a bill in June 2016 that called for the minting of coins "in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the landing and settlement of Plymouth Colony, the signing of the Mayflower Compact, and the role of the indigenous Wampanoag tribes in the realization of the settlement."

This Short Title of the proposal was "Plymouth 400th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act of 2016".

Beyond the expanded purpose of the coin bill, it also included an expanded "Findings" section that addressed its additional objectives:

The Congress finds that--

(1) the United States is poised for an anniversary of national and international significance, the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower voyage and the founding of Plymouth Colony;

(2) the Plymouth 400 anniversary will highlight the cultural contributions and United States traditions that began with the interaction of the indigenous Wampanoag and English peoples, a story that significantly shaped the building of the United States;

(3) the settlers, some known as Pilgrims, and their ship the Mayflower, have come to represent national and international symbols of freedom and law;

(4) the indigenous Wampanoag people, and their interaction with the Pilgrims, created an important legacy through their assistance and association, including participation in the shared harvest feast, "The First Thanksgiving", which serves as the indelible icon for the Thanksgiving holiday in the Untied States;

(5) the "Mayflower Compact", signed near Provincetown off the coast of Cape Cod before landing in Plymouth, was the colonial cornerstone for self-governance in the New World and had a profound influence on later developments related to the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights;

(6) there are more than 20,000,000 descendants worldwide that trace their ancestry back to the Mayflower passengers arriving in 1620 and on subsequent ships in the 1620s;

(7) in 2009, a nonprofit organization, Plymouth 400, Inc., was established to ensure a suitable national observance of the Plymouth 400th anniversary to include the themes of exploration, innovation, immigration, self-governance, religious freedom, and thanksgiving, which are legacies that were sparked by these historic events and that continue today as cornerstones of the United States;

(8) Plymouth 400, Inc. will lead, support and facilitate legislative and marketing efforts for a commemorative coin series, United States postage stamps, and related activities for the Plymouth 400th anniversary observances and commemorations in 2020;

(9) a commemorative coin series will bring national and international attention to the lasting legacy of Plymouth Colony, its settlers and the indigenous Wampanoag tribes of the area;

(10) the proceeds from a surcharge on the sale of such commemorative coins will assist the financing of a suitable national observance in 2020 and 2021 of the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrim landing and historic events, including the signing of the Mayflower Compact, the "First Thanksgiving" feast, interaction with the indigenous Wampanoag people and other significant events of the period;

(11) today, people from across the 50 States and from around the world flock to Plymouth to see the landing place, Plymouth Rock, visit the re-created Mayflower and Plimoth Plantation, and trace their ancestry and learn about the indigenous Wampanoag and their integral role in the history of the United States; and

(12) story of the Pilgrims, the indigenous Wampanoag people, and the Mayflower are iconic symbols for the world representing freedom, family, law, and justice.

Keating's bill called for a three-coin commemorative program - Gold Half Eagle (up to 100,000), Silver Dollar (up to 500,000) and Copper-Nickel (CuNi) Clad Half Dollar (up to 750,000) - to be struck in Proof and Uncirculated versions.

The bill did not include specific design criteria for each coin, including just the general statement: "emblematic of the landing and settlement of Plymouth Colony, the signing of the Mayflower Compact, and the role of the indigenous Wampanoag tribes in the realization of the settlement." It isn't hard to imagine that each of the three denominations would be used to address one of the three design objectives.

The bill didn't make it easy, however, for the Secretary of the Treasury in terms of selecting the final designs. While the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee ("CCAC") was designated for its standard review role, ten (10) different organizations were identified as consultants on the designs:

(A) Plymouth 400, Inc.
(B) Plimoth Plantation, Inc.
(C) the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
(D) the Wampanoag Tribe of Gayhead (Aquinnah)
(E) the General Society of Mayflower Descendants
(F) the Pilgrim Society
(G) the Plymouth Antiquarian Society
(H) the Pilgrim Monument and Pro­vince­town Museum
(I) the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and
(J) the Massachusetts Historical Society

I would not have envied Secretary Jacob Lew and his task of getting ten independent groups to agree on an inherently subjective endpoint!

Keating's bill dropped the "1620 - 2020" dual dating specified in the previous bills, and specified the coins were to feature dates of "2020", "2021" or "2020-2021". Gone were the legislated historical "bookends", but it would not be a surprise to find "1620" included on one or more of the proposed designs regardless. The dual-date (2020/2021) options were tied to the fact that the bill authorized a two-year window for striking the coins - January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021.

The Issue Price of each coin was ro include a surcharge:

- $35 per Gold Half Eagle
- $10 per Silver Dollar
- $5 per Clad Half Dollar

The collected surcharges were to be paid using a split-distribution model:

(1) 50 percent of the surcharges, to Plymouth 400, Inc.--

(A) to support the work of the organization to develop, implement, and provide oversight for the commemorations surrounding the events of 2020 through 2021; and

(B) at the discretion of Plymouth 400 to distribute to local historical preservation and cultural organizations to support their important work in educating the public about the settlement of 1620, their continued existence for the benefit of future generations, and other related purposes.

(2) 15 percent of the surcharges to Plimoth Plantation to support their effort to maintain the replica of the 1627 Plantation, the Mayflower II, and the replica of the Wampanoag Village.

(3) 15 percent of the surcharges, to a Wampanoag tribal organization to continue programs to educate people about the life of the Wampanoag people prior to the Plymouth settlement and the interactions between the settlers and the Wampanoag people. (I see potential problems with the lack of a specific, named beneficiary - let the in-fighting begin!)

(4) 10 percent of the surcharges, to the General Society of Mayflower Descendants--

(A) to support the continued restoration of the main facility in Plymouth;

(B) provide funding for their research library at that site; and

(C) for educational purposes.

(5) 10 percent of the surcharges, to the Pilgrim Society to continue their work in displaying the story of the settlement and its artifacts, including the role of the indigenous Wampanoag tribe in the settlement.

A companion "Plymouth 400" bill was introduced in the Senate (also in June 2016) by Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Keating's House bill was referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. Neither bill was reported out of Committee or considered further.

Another attempt was made in the 115th Congress. Representative Keating and Senator Markey re-introduced their companion bills in December 2017. Each was referred to its appropriate Committee (House Committee on Financial Services and Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, respectively), but failed to gain the needed support for continued consideration.

All was not lost, however, as the Treasury Department, believing the anniversary too important to let pass without commemoration, used its general authority for the striking of US gold coinage and national medals (previously granted by Congress), took it upon itself to strike a Gold Eagle ($10) and a silver medal to help mark the 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower and those it carried. The Treasury/Mint stated definitively that neither the gold coin nor the silver medal were commemorative pieces specifically authorized by the US Congress and were therefore not part of the modern commemorative coin series.


To read about the Mayflower coin bills introduced in the 114th Congress, see:

- Mayflower 400th Anniversary


For other of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, including more What If? stories, see: Commems Collection.