Last year, I posted about an unsuccessful 1918 proposal for a 15-cent coin (see:
What If? 1918 15-Cent Coins For Circulation. This time out, I thought I'd travel back to 1917 for another odd-ball coin denomination proposal.
In August 1917, George Holden Tinkham (R-MA) introduced a bill that would have authorized the US Mint to produce 6-cent coins for circulation. Upon its introduction, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures.
ICYWW: Six cents in 1917 was worth the equivalent ~$1.50 (per CoinNews US Inflation Calculator).
The bill was very "open" in terms of its coin specifications, it did not include requirements for the coin's weight, composition, size or designs. All coin specifications were to be determined by the Director of the Mint, with review and approval by the Secretary of the Treasury .
The bill did not outline reasons for its proposal, nor did Representative Tinkham outline reasons while introducing the bill. The fact that the bill did not specify a metallic composition strongly suggests that its introduction was not prompted by pressure from the silver, nickel and/or copper industries - either directly or via their lobbyists.
The issue date for the coin also went unspecified in the bill, other than "as soon as practicable." Considering the bill's date of introduction (August), it is plausible to think that the coin would first have appeared in 1918 vs. the Mint rushing to achieve a 1917 release.
While it may have made a small percentage of regular purchases slightly more convenient, there did not appear to be an overwhelming commercial need for the new denomination (e.g., it was not needed to simplify the purchase of a US postage stamp - which was either two or
Three Cents in 1917 - as was the case for the three-cent coin of 1851). As a result, it wasn't much of a surprise when the bill failed to be reported out of Committee or acted upon further - it quietly faded away!
For other of my posts about coins and medals (and even a bit of paper currency),, see:
Commems Collection
Posted 01/12/2026 12:44 pm
