Commems Collection Classic: 1920 Maine Statehood Centennial - Congress

In 1920, Congress was still trying to understand the scope of US commemorative coinage. Though based on the bill/Act that authorized the 1918 Illinois Statehood Centennial Half Dollar, questions still arose when the 1920 Maine Statehood Centennial coin bill came up for consideration.

The House of Representatives Players:

- Albert Henry Vestal (R-IN): 65th-72nd Congresses (1917-1932). Chairman of House Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures at time of Maine Statehood Centennial coin bill.

- John Andrew Peters (R-ME): 63rd - 67th Congresses (1913-1923). Maine Statehood Centennial coin bill Sponsor.

- John Quillin Tilson (R-CT): 61st-72 Congresses (1909-1933)

- John Franklin Miller (R-WA): 65th-71st Congresses (1917-1931)

- Andrew Jackson Montague (D-VA): 63rd-75th Congresses (1913-1939)

- Warren Gard (D-OH): 63rd-66th Congresses (1913-1921)


On April 21, 1920, Representative Vestal requested consideration of the 1920 Maine Statehood Centennial coin bill. The bill was read, and discussion began:

"Mr. VESTAL. Mr. Chairman, I yield five minutes to the gentleman from Maine [Mr. PETERS].

"Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, the proposition involved in this bill is to use a special design in the coinage of $50,000 worth of half dollars in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the admission of the State of Maine into the Union. The bill is based exactly on the act passed in the Sixty-fifth Congress in a similar case, in the matter of the admission of the State of Illinois. The rights of the Government have been entirely protected, as we believe, in the bill. No expense is involved on the part of the Government of the United States, the expense of preparing dies and all other details being taken care of by the State of Maine. The design prepared by the State under the terms of the bill must be approved by the Director of the Mint. There is the same amount of silver in the proposed half dollar as in the ordinary coined half dollar.

"Mr. TILSON. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

"Mr. PETERS. Yes.

"Mr. TILSON. Is this to take the place of the coinage of any other half dollars during the next year?

"Mr. PETERS. This does not change the regular business of coinage. It simply uses this design on $50,000 worth of 50-cent pieces. It has no other effect on the coinage.

"Mr. TILSON. It is well known that silver at the present time is at a very high price as compared with the former price or with the price as measured by gold. Will there be any difficulty in securing the silver metal or the additional amount of
silver metal to make into these coins?

"Mr. PETERS. I understand there will not be. The Government is coining 50-cent pieces, of course, from time to time, and in the next $50,000 that is being coined, if this bill should become a law, this special design will be used. There is no expense whatever attached to the transaction on the part of the Government. We believe it to be a suitable and desirable way of recognizing an important historical event.

"Mr. MILLER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

"Mr. PETERS. Certainly.

"Mr. MILLER. Who is bearing the expense of the dies?

"Mr. PETERS. The State of Maine pays all of the expense of the dies.

"Mr. MONTAGUE. Has this measure the approval of the Treasury Department?

"Mr. PETERS. It has the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury and of the Director of the Mint. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to extend my remarks in the Record.

"The SPEAKER. Is there objection?

"There was no objection.

"Mr. VESTAL. Mr. Speaker, I move the previous question oi the bill to final passage.

"Mr. GARD. Mr. Speaker, I trust the gentleman will not move the previous question until we can get some information in respect to the bill.

"Mr. VESTAL. I withhold the motion, Mr. Speaker.

"Mr. GARD. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I could not hear all of the explanation of the gentleman from Maine [Mr. PETERS].

"Is it the purpose to have the $50,000 worth of these coins redeemed after the anniversary? I presume that when the anniversary is had the coins will be used in connection with the celebration. Then, naturally, after the celebration shall have
ceased, outside of the sentimental or souvenir value, there will be no reason for the continuation of this particular design. Is there any provision in this bill for its discontinuance or for the redemption of the coins?

"Mr. PETERS. Not at all; there could not be. The coins will be used exactly as any other 50-cent pieces are used. They will simply go into circulation with a special design upon them, as was the case in the State of Illinois some years ago.

"Mr. GARD. I understand that, but what I am trying to get at is this: Some of the thrifty people in the State of Maine will take some of these 50-cent pieces and put them away where they will never see the light of day again, at least among people who circulate money by spending it. Is there going to be any power of redemption, or are these coins still to roam through our currency system?

"MR. PETERS. There is going to he no special power of redemption. They will continue to roam so long as they are in circulation. It can not be otherwise.

"MR. GARD. I see that section 2 provides for the transportation, distribution, and redemption of the coins in accordance with the laws now in force relating to subsidiary coinage.

"Mr. PETERS. Certainly, so far as any coins are redeemed. These will have no special consideration and no special privilege. The general laws in respect to coinage apply to these 50-cent pieces just as to other 50-cent pieces.

"Mr. GARD. I have in my hand Public, No. 163, which relates to the coinage of 50-cent pieces for the celebration of the anniversary of the admission of the State of Illinois into the Union. A hasty examination shows that the bill under consideration is the same as that contained in act No. 163.

"Mr. PETERS. It is exactly the same, changing, of course, the United States.

"Mr. GARD. Is there any provision about the dies, which shall not be made at Government expense, becoming the property of the United Slates?

"Mr. PETERS. I think the law provides for that now. The law in force provides that all such dies shall be the property of the United States. They are made under the direction of the Director of the Mint.

"Mr. GARD. Asking pardon for my crass ignorance on the matter, will the gentleman kindly advise me when this celebration is to be had?

"Mr. PETERS. It is in progress now, and will be all of this year in the State of Maine.

"Mr. GARD. There is no particular time at which a celebration will be had?

"Mr. PETERS. Different towns and cities take up the matter during the summer and will have special celebrations, but it will be a general year of reunions and celebrations in the State of Maine in honor of our centennial."

At that point, Chairman Vestal stepped in steer the House's consideration back to the Maine coin bill.

"Mr. VESTAL. Mr. Speaker, I move the previous question on the bill to final passage.

"The previous question was ordered.

"The SPEAKER. The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill. The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read the third time, and passed."


With that, the bill was referred to the Senate for its consideration. The bill was ultimately approved and signed into law by US President President Woodrow Wilson on May 10, 1920.

I found the exchange between Representatives Peters and Gard regarding the post-celebration fate of the coins particularly interesting. How successful do you think a redemption/recall program would have been on such a souvenir coin? I think, "Not Very!"

1920 Maine Statehood Centennial Half Dollar



For more of my stories about commemorative coins and medals, including much more on the Maine half dollar, see: Commems Collection.