Commems Collection Classic: What If? Phantom 1927 Oklahoma Statehood

This edition of the What If? Phantom series presents a potential coin that was first announced in the pages of the January 1927 issue of the American Numismatic Association's The Numismatist magazine.

In what would have been one of the "quickest" anniversary commemorations during the classic era of US commemorative coins, the State of Oklahoma considered requesting a US half dollar to commemorate the 20th anniversary of its Statehood in 1927. Oklahoma joined the Union as the 46th State on November 16, 1907; two months before, on September 17, 1907, the people of the predecessor Indian and Oklahoma Territories (created by the Organic Act of 1890) voted to approve the Oklahoma Constitution which made Statehood possible.

To help "tell the world what a land of opportunity and progress Oklahoma is," the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce created a division named Oklahomans, Inc. to manage a national advertising campaign about the State. As part of the promotional campaign, the group floated the idea of a commemorative coin as a means of demonstrating the progress made by Oklahoma since it attained Statehood.

The group's plan was for the Oklahoma State Historical Society to spearhead the coin drive, and for an Oklahoma artist to prepare the coin's designs. It does not appear, however, that the coin concept got much past initial discussions.

No coin bill was ever introduced in Congress for Oklahoma's 20th Anniversary of Statehood, and its national promotional campaign had to make due with other tools. Thirty years later, upon the State's 50th Anniversary, a great commemorative medal was designed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser. You can read more about it here: 1957 Oklahoma Land Rush.

1957 Oklahoma Land Rush Commemorative Medal



Also, an attempt was made in 1955 for a 50th Anniversary of Statehood commemorative half dollar. I discussed it here:

- What If? 1957 Oklahoma Statehood Anniversary


For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more What If? Exploratory stories, see: Commems Collection.