One of the books in my commemorative coin library is
One Fatte Calfe - Being An Account of the New Rochelle Half Dollar and of the Celebration Marking the 250th Anniversary of the Founding & Settlement of the City of New Rochelle Nw Yk. The book was written by Amy C. Skipton, and was published by the New Rochelle Commemorative Coin Committee in 1939. It is a detailed and well-written history of the coin, the city it commemorates and its anniversary celebration events. Oh, how I wish every coin sponsor had produced a similar accounting of its coin!
It was a reasonably scarce and sought after book when I purchased mine. Today, it is fairly easy to obtain a modern copy of the book as multiple publishers offer reprints at reasonable prices. Original, hardback copies still sell at a premium in the marketplace, however.
As part of the book's extended Preface, Ms. Skipton offered an original poem about the New Rochelle Half Dollar. IMO, it flows well, highlights important elements of the city's history and is a fine ode to the coin. I don't know how many other poems have been written about a US commemorative coin, but Ms. Skipton's sets a fairly high bar!
For your reading pleasure...
The New Rochelle Half Dollar
Beautiful coin, so silvery white
Little did Huguenots dream in their flight
That a city they'd found like our own New Rochelle
Where folks of all creeds in amity dwell.
On Your reverse you bear the Lily-of-France
While on obverse once more the "fatt calfe" doth prance
And Lord Pell in a costume befitting the day
Receives him as "quit rent" -- so our aannals do say.
North, South, East and West, little coin you have sped
With New Rochelle's story of heroes long dead
Who feared no the hardships but stubbornly fought
For the faith that they loved and the Freedom they sought.
God grant, little coin, that the story just told
May live on forever and character mold
In a form where there's Beauty, Faith, Hope, Truth and Love
And over us hover sweet Peace like the dove.For more on the New Rochelle half dollar, and other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, check out:
Commems Collection. 
Posted 03/27/2022 12:59 pm
