Commems Collection Classic: 1936 Norfolk Medal Vs. Coin - A Technical Misstep

I've written before about the Norfolk, VA half dollar vs. medal story (You can find it here:

- 1936 Norfolk Bicentennial / Tricentennial - Medal Vs. Coin.

I wanted to return to the story for one piece of the saga that I left out in my original coverage to avoid complicating the story on which I was focusing.

As presented previously, the initial bill introduced on behalf of the Norfolk Advertising Board and its plan to mark the "three-hundredth anniversary of the original Norfolk (Virginia) land grant and the two-hundredth anniversary of the establishment of the city of Norfolk, Virginia, as a borough" called for 50-cent coins; the bill was introduced in the Senate by Senator Carter Glass (D-VA).

Before it left the Senate, the bill was amended to remove the request for coins and in its place was substituted a call for commemorative medals. The medal version was sent to the House for its review and consideration.

Consideration of the amended Senate bill was requested in the House by Representative Absalom Willis Robertson (D-VA). In a "perfect" example of how little attention was paid to the details of some commemorative coin bills, the incorrect version of the bill was presented in the House. Per The Congressional Record, the clerk read the version of the bill that called for 20,000 half dollars and not the Senate-amended medal bill. As there was no objection raised, the bill was "ordered to be read a third time, was read the third time and passed, and a motion to reconsider laid on the table."

With that, the bill was sent back to the Senate. In the Senate, word was received that the House had passed the Norfolk commemorative bill and so it was assumed it was the version specifying medals - the medal bill was sent to the President for approval. The bill was signed by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on June 26, 1936.

So, technically speaking, the President signed a bill passed by only one chamber of Congress - the Senate - which could have made for a potentially messy situation. All of this happened, however, as the session of Congress was drawing to a close and nearing adjournment, so no further action was taken. A new bill calling for Norfolk, VA coins was introduced in the next session of Congress and successfully passed by the House and Senate - the sponsor wanted a coin, not a medal. The coin bill was signed into law by President Roosevelt on June 28, 1937 - months after the city had celebrated its milestone anniversaries (in the Fall of 1936).

Just one of the many unexpected twists in the US commemorative coin storyline.

1936 Norfolk, VA Tricentennial/Bicentennial Half Dollar



For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more on the history of the Norfolk, VA half dollar, see: Commems Collection.