As questions about these American Revolution Bicentennial Administration (ARBA) medals are posted from time to time, I thought I would expand upon my previous replies to the individual questions and present a more complete overview of this medal series.
First, of course, a bit of background...The American Revolution Bicentennial Commission (ARBC) was created on July 4, 1966 when Congress passed Senate Joint Resolution 162 (Public Law 89-491). The purpose of the ARBC was "to prepare an overall program for commemorating the bicentennial of the American Revolution, and to plan, encourage, develop, and coordinate observances and activities commemorating the historic events that preceded, and are associated with, the American Revolution."
Within two years of its creation, the Commission was to submit a comprehensive report on its plan and recommendations to the President. In the enacting legislation, Congress specifically stated that the report could include recommendations for "the issuance of commemorative coins, medals, certificates of recognition, and stamps."
The ARBC created an Advisory Panel on Coins and Medals in July of 1970. This Panel recommended that the designs of all US circulation coins be changed in honor of the bicentennial, and that "a National Medal, an Awards Medal, and a series of 13 Commemorative Medals to be used in conjunction with a Philatelic Numismatic Combination" be struck. (Official Documents, 1973, pg. 48) This recommendation was the catalyst behind Public Law 92-228 (approved on February 15, 1972) which authorized the striking of a National bicentennial medal and a maximum of 13 additional medals "each of a different design...to commemorate specific historical events of great importance, recognized nationally as milestones in the continuing progress of the United States of America toward life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." (PL 92-338).
Congress replaced the ARBC with the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration (ARBA) via Public Law 93-179 which was signed into law on December 11, 1973. ARBA was to be more of an implementation/execution organization vs. the planning/recommending body that the ARBC was. Among the ARBC's accomplishments were the development of the official American Revolution Bicentennial logo and the launch of the American Revolution Bicentennial medal series; it should also be acknowledged for its role in helping to ignite interest in the commemorative Bicentennial quarter, half dollar and dollar that were approved in October 1973.
The same law changed the ARBA medal program's end-date. The program was originally authorized to issue medals through December 31, 1983 to enable the issue of medals to commemorate the bicentennial of the 1783 Treaty of Paris which formally ended the American Revolution. The new law changed the program's expiration to June 30, 1977, effectively cutting off six years' of commemorative medals.
Official Logo of American Revolution Bicentennial
Continue Reading Part II
Posted 01/31/2022 7:54 pm
