In light of all the current discussion surrounding the 50th anniversary of the
Kennedy half dollar (and how to commemorate it), I thought I'd relate a 50-year old story that would have greatly impacted the widely popular coin series and likely have prevented the 1999-2008
Statehood Quarters Program from ever being suggested!
The
Kennedy half dollar was signed into law by President Lyndon Baines Johnson on December 30, 1963, replacing the
Franklin half dollar after a run of just 15 years. Six months later, Representative Elmer Joseph Holland (D-PA), introduced a bill in the House to "provide for the issuance of a special 50-cent piece in honor of each of the several states."
Based on the bill's language, the obverse design of the half dollar (Kennedy's portrait) was not to be changed, just the reverse. It also appears the coins were meant to be released by the Treasury for circulation rather than struck for a private sponsor and sold at a premium. The number of coins to be struck was left up to the Secretary of the Treasury.
The bill called for the reverse of each coin to feature a "geographic outline of the State in honor of which the coin is issued and the date upon which such State ratified the Constitution or was admitted to the Union, whichever is earlier." The coins were to be issued in chronological order based on such dates.
A simple outline map for each state on its own would not have made for a very interesting design, IMHO. A few years later, however, the Franklin Mint took up the idea and issued a 50-medal series honoring each state that featured an outline map along with other design elements. The multiple design elements, at least, added interest.
The bill, however, did not specify when the first issue was to take place or how many states would be honored each year. It also failed to specify whether the regular issue
Kennedy half dollar featuring the US Presidential Seal on its reverse was to be released alongside the "special" half dollars or if only the state designs were to be struck.
One could imagine the series starting in 1965 and being similar in structure to the
Statehood Quarters Program with five states being honored each year for 10 years. Had this been done, the series would have led directly into the commemorative Bicentennial issues of 1975-76.
Holland's bill was referred to the House Committee on Banking and Currency, but no further action was taken on it. An opportunity missed!
Had the bill passed, the
Kennedy half dollar series would today include a minimum of 52 different reverse designs, making for a much different series! And, of course, it is very unlikely that Congress would have approved a ten-year series of quarters honoring each state. I wonder what impact that would have had on our hobby?
Read More: Commems Collection
Posted 05/23/2014 6:19 pm
