Commems Collection Classic: 1936 Wisconsin Territorial Centennial - Historical Tidbits

Time for a few quick tidbits about the 1936 Wisconsin Territorial Centennial Half Dollar.


Tidbit #1

In mid-May 1936, the United States ("US") Treasury notified the Wisconsin Centennial Committee that the models it had submitted for its half dollar were unacceptable due to their being "impractical for coinage purposes." A new set of models needed to be submitted before any coins could be struck.

At the time the Treasury notified the Wisconsin Centennial Committee, the Wisconsin Territorial Centennial half dollar coin bill had been passed in the House of Representatives and Senate, but was still with the President awaiting final approval; President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Wisconsin coin bill into law on May 15, 1936.

See 1936 Wisconsin Territorial Centennial - Rejected Models for more about the Treasury's rejection.


Tidbit #2

The Wisconsin Centennial Committee announced in August 1936 that "Orders [for the coin] have come in from every State in the Union and most foreign countries. (Emphasis added.) A bit of marketing hyperbole regarding foreign orders?


Tidbit #3

The Committee actively worked to prevent dealers (and others) from buying large quantities of the half dollar and cornering the market, thus penalizing coin collectors. The Committee refused to fill large bulk orders until it believed in-state buyers had adequate time to purchase the coin; the policy was in place into September 1936.


Tidbit #4

Orders for the Wisconsin half dollar arrived at the Committee office in Madison, Wisconsin at a (reported) brisk pace as high as 100 per day. The Committee reported that it had received orders for 15,000 coins before the Mint had delivered them at the end of July.

While such reports may have been accurate, there is also potential reason to question them. One counter argument is the fact that the half dollars were available for approximately two decades beyond the Centennial Year from the Wisconsin State Historical Society. So, either sales activity dropped precipitously after the coins were received from the Mint (i.e., nearly everyone who wanted one had already placed their order), or the early order volume was overstated for the press to encourage quick action by collectors and souvenir seekers. Any other thoughts?


1936 Wisconsin Territorial Centennial



For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more stories about the Wisconsin half dollar, see: Commems Collection

For a related - but unsuccessful - Wisconsin commemorative coin attempt, see:

- What If? 1948 Wisconsin Statehood Centennial