Commems Collection Classic: 1936 Cincinnati Music Center 50th Anniversary - Design Issues

Here's one to whip up the 1936 Cincinnati Half Dollar haters!


The 1936 Cincinnati Half Dollar was struck "in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of Cincinnati, Ohio, as a center of music, and its contribution to the art of music for the past fifty years."

It's a commonly known fact, however, that the premise for the 1936 Cincinnati Music Center 50th Anniversary Half Dollar was, at a minimum, flawed, and, at worst, a complete misrepresentation.

I very much enjoyed reading an article about the dubious nature of the Cincinnati half dollar's 1886 musical heritage written by Eugene Segal that appeared in The Cincinnati Post (May 15, 1936 edition).

In the article, Segal didn't hold back on the questionable nature of a 50th Anniversary of music in Cincinnati in 1936. He commented, "Incidentally, it turns out that the Cincinnati coin will commemorate practically nothing since 1886 was not particularly eventful in the city's musical history."

The Commission of Fine Arts ("CFA") was also a critic of the coin, not just from a historical accuracy standpoint, but also from a design standpoint.

In a letter to Nellie Tayloe Ross, Director of the US Mint, the CFA Chairman Charles Moore wrote "The design of the obverse of the coin is directly contradictory to the express purpose of the Act. It shows a portrait of Stephen Collins Foster, who had no part whatever in the movement which made Cincinnati a musical center. In fact, he died in New York City 72 years ago, whereas the movement which made Cincinnati a music center began in 1873, sixty-three years ago. The commission is at a loss to connect a 50th anniversary in 1936 with a movement that began in 1873. Nor do the members of this Commission connect the name of Stephen Foster with the 'art' of music."

Turning his attention to the use of Stephen Foster on the coin, Moore suggested that Theodore Thomas, one of the founders of Cincinnati's May Festival in 1873 would be a far more appropriate choice. (Note: The May Festival is a music festival that continues to thrive to the present -)

Thomas was a central figure of Cincinnati's music scene from 1873. In addition to serving as the conductor of the orchestra at the May Festival through 1894, Thomas was also hired as Director of the newly established Cincinnati College of Music; he served from 1878 to 1879. Thomas resigned from the Cincinnati College position after a couple of years over disagreements regarding changes he proposed, but he continued to return to Cincinnati for the May Festival for years after. In addition to his own traveling orchestra, Thomas also led/conducted the New York Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Thomas certainly had much stronger links to Cincinnati and its music heritage than Stephen Foster! The Thomas anniversary dates wouldn't match, but they would be more aligned than the anything having to do with Foster! (Foster died in New York City on January 13, 1864.)

Theodore Thomss - Circa 1873-1894

(Image Credit: Quincy Public Library. Educational use.

Thoms G. Melish and his Cincinnati Musical Center Commemorative Association did not budge on the desire to feature Foster, however, and eventually won out.

Based on this letter, it's clear that the US Treasury Department / US Mint was fully aware of the historical inaccuracies surrounding the Cincinnati half dollar, but proceeded with the striking of the coin despite the issues.

The "1886" date-of-convenience notwithstanding, I think the Melish-sponsored Cincinnati half dollar would be less maligned if a portrait of Thomas had appeared on the coin's obverse (vs. Foster).

1936 Cincinnati Music Center 50th Anniversary Half Dollar



For a related story on Stephen Foster and the 1936 Cincinnati Music Center 50th Anniversary Half Dollar, see:

- 1936 Cincinnati Music Center 50th Anniversary - The "Fight" Over Foster


For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more Cincinnati stories, see: Commems Collection.