Many of the US commemorative half-dollars of the mid-1930s were mailed to purchasers by their sponsoring commissions in either small folders that included information about the coin (see an example here:
http://goccf.com/t/130904[/url]) or in simple cardboard holders (see an example here:
http://goccf.com/t/150855 [/url]) . The 1935 Connecticut Tercentenary Commission went a different route, however, by distributing their coins in small cardboard boxes. The coins were distributed via mail order as well as through a number of Connecticut banks.
The boxes were wrapped in paper of various colors and/or styles; at least eight different box styles are known. Noted US commemorative authority Anthony Swiatek notes seven different boxes in his 2012 authoritative
Encyclopedia, with the style of red box shown below not among them.
Read More: Commems CollectionBelow are the two examples of the boxes I have in my collection. The first is a box wrapped in silver foil paper. It is of the "box with lid" variety with the two pieces connected via a small piece of silver tape. The box's top has the central portion of the Connecticut State Seal imprinted in blue along with the commemorative dates "1635 â€" 1935." Much of the imprint has been lost over the years, so I've included a public domain image of the Seal so that you can better "imagine" the box's original appearance. The Latin text on the banner translates as "He who is transplanted still sustains."
The interior of the box shows the distributing bank's name on the lid and features a dark/navy blue velour material in the bottom tray. The coin was wrapped in a small piece of tissue paper and placed in the box for delivery.
The second box is wrapped in a red paper with an embossed checkerboard pattern. The name of the distributing bank is on the outside of this box owing to the "drawer" style design of the box. The interior tray slips into the outer box like a drawer into a chest; note the small ribbon "handle" that is used to pull the drawer out of the outer box. The drawer again features a dark/navy blue velour interior but this time with a pouch in which the coin was inserted. Per Swiatek, similar boxes are also known with green velour interiors.
As with much of the ephemera material associated with the classic series of US commemorative coins, these boxes are far less common than the coins themselves. As such, boxes in decent shape will often sell for $100 or more (sometimes much more!).
Lastly, I've included the half-dollar that came with the red box. It has definitely toned over the years, but its connection to the box makes it a "special" piece in my collection.
Enjoy!
1935 Connecticut Tercentenary Silver Foil Box - Top
1935 Connecticut Tercentenary Silver Foil Box - Interior
Connecticut State Seal
1935 Connecticut Tercentenary Red "Checkerboard" Box - Top
1935 Connecticut Tercentenary Red "Checkerboard" Box - Interior
1935 Connecticut Tercentenary "Red Box" Coin - Obverse
1935 Connecticut Tercentenary "Red Box" Coin - Reverse
Posted 05/22/2013 8:34 pm
