Commems Collection Modern: What If? 2016 U S S Olympia

During the classic era of US commemorative coins, there were two unsuccessful commemorative coin proposals related to the 50th Anniversary of the Spanish-American War: What If? 1948 Termination Of The War With Spain and What If? 1948 Destruction Of USS Maine. There has been added (so far) one additional related proposal in the modern era - to celebrate the legacy of the USS Olympia.

In October 2011, Robert Brady (D-PA), on behalf of himself and 14 of his colleagues, introduced a coin bill that called for "the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the legacy of the U.S.S. Cruiser Olympia" - the coins were to be silver dollars.

USS Olympia At Sea

(Image Credit: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. Public Domain.)

While introducing the bill, Representative Brady remarked "since 1922, an American icon of the late 19th and early 20th Century, the USS Cruiser Olympia, rests majestically at Penn's Landing...along the Philadelphia waterfront of the Delaware River...Unfortunately, unless the American public and the U.S. Congress takes notice to preserve this national treasure for future generations, I am afraid our Nation might lose this great ship to old age and neglect. Unless it is placed in dry dock in Philadelphia, and its hull stabilized, we could lose this historic vessel."

As had become the norm, an attempt to justify the coin was made via a series of "Findings" included in the bill:

"The Congress finds the following:

(1) The U.S.S. Cruiser Olympia is the world's oldest steel war ship afloat. She is the sole surviving United States naval ship of the Spanish-American war and revived American Steel Navy. Launched in 1892 and serving with distinction in two wars, the U.S.S. Cruiser Olympia is emblematic of the moment the United States became a global power.

(2) The U.S.S. Cruiser Olympia is a National Historic Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1964), a National Historic Engineering Landmark (1977), a National Historic Maritime Landmark (1988), and was awarded "Official Project" status of Save America's Treasures program (1999).

(3) The U.S.S. Cruiser Olympia was the flagship of the Asiatic Squadron and is the only vessel from the Spanish-American War still in existence. Commissioned on February 5, 1895, she visited ports in China, Japan, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.

(4) When war was declared on April 25, 1898, between the United States and Spain, Commodore George Dewey made the U.S.S. Cruiser Olympia his flagship under the command of Captain Gridley and entered Manila Bay on the morning of May 1, 1898, to confront the Spanish ships and coastal artillery. At approximately 5:40 in the morning, Commodore Dewey instructed the captain, "You may fire when ready, Gridley". By 7:30 a.m., the Spanish squadron and shore batteries were destroyed and Dewey accepted the surrender of the Spanish at Manila.

(5) The U.S.S. Cruiser Olympia became famous as the first victors of the War, and returned to the United States for celebrations in Boston and New York. During the early twentieth century, it served in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and, during World War I, became the flagship of the American fleet.

(6) In 1921, the U.S.S. Cruiser Olympia was honored to carry the first American unknown solider from the port of Le Havre, France, to Washington, DC. On November 10, 1921, the unknown soldier lay in state in the United States Capitol, and then was transported by caisson to Arlington National Cemetery for interment. Accompanying the casket were President Warren Harding, officials of the United States government, and World War I veterans.

(7) The U.S.S. Cruiser Olympia was decommissioned in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the winter of 1922 and has rested beside the city since that time. It is permanently docked at Penn's Landing, Philadelphia, open for public viewing, and is one of only four warships representative of the Spanish-American war period that exists in the world.

(8) The Friends of the Cruiser Olympia is a non-profit, tax exempt organization dedicated to restoring and preserving the national treasure of the U.S.S. Cruiser Olympia and to provide education for Americans and foreign visitors regarding the impact it had on American and world history.

(9) The Friends of the Cruiser Olympia is a non-governmental member-based organization that is entirely dependent on funds from members, donations, and sponsorships for its mission, which is to restore and preserve the U.S.S. Cruiser Olympia.."

The bill called for up to 500,000 silver dollars of 0.900 fineness and standard specifications. The coins were to include the date "2016" and feature designs "emblematic of the courage, pride, sacrifice, sense of duty, and history of the U.S.S. Cruiser Olympia." The Friends of the Cruiser Olympia were to work with the Commission of Fine Arts and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee to select appropriate designs.

The issue price of each silver dollar was to include a surcharge of $10.00, with collected surcharges to be paid to the Friends of the Cruiser Olympia "for the purpose of restoring and preserving the U.S.S. Cruiser Olympia."

Upon its introduction, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. with a subsequent referral to its Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology. The bill was never reported out of Committee, however, and thus progressed no further.

I'm happy to report, however, that the USS [i[Olympia{/i] continues on despite the lack of a commemorative silver dollar issued to give it financial support. The Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia is the current custodian of the ship, and has spent millions of dollars on its restoration and preservation. The ship, the museum and the USS Becuna WWII-era submarine that are part of the museum complex can be toured daily.


For other posts about commemorative coins and medals, including other What IF? stories from the classic and modern eras of US commemorative coins, see: Commems Collection.