Commems Collection: What If? Phantom 1948/1949/1950 California Gold Centennials

Gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill in Caloma, California by James Marshall on January 24, 1848; Sutter's Mill was a sawmill owned/being constructed by John Sutter - James Marshall was a worker who was building the sawmill. The gold discovery triggered a mass migration of prospectors ("Forty-Niners") to California in 1849 (they went in search of 'golden' riches).

In 1946, the California State Legislature created the California Centennials Commission ("Commission"). The Commission was directed to plan, support and promote events and exhibits that celebrated the California centennial anniversaries that were to occur in 1948, 1949 and 1950 (gold discovery, Forty-Niners' migration and California Statehood, respectively). The Commission's remit included statewide and local celebrations, including presentations, historical re-enactments and parades.

The State Legislature also considered requesting the striking of a commemorative gold coin by the United States ("US") Mint. In March 1947, Lester Davis, a California Assemblyman from Portola, California, introduced a Joint Resolution in the California Legislature that proposed such a request.

The Resolution read:

"Whereas, the years 1948, 1949 and 1950 have been officially designated as California's Gold Discovery Centennial, Gold Rush Centennial Year, and California Centennial and World's Fair Year, respectively; and

"Whereas, These centennials commemorate the historical discovery of gold in California in 1848, the dramatic gold rush of 1849 which brought to this State the hosts of people who in the span of months made possible the admission of the State of California to the Union in 1850, and

"Whereas, this discovery and mining of gold have helped shape the destiny of California and of the United States, and

"Whereas, these centennials come as peace replaces years of bitter conflict, and it is fitting and proper that people pause and pay homage to those who in 1848, 1849, and 1850 did much to make possible one hundred years of prosperity for California and the United States, and

"Whereas, Since gold has played so important a part in California history, it is the opinion of this legislative body that a commemorative gold coin not over five dollars should be issued, and authority be granted for its distribution in the state by 1948, or in the alternative. to authorize the manufacture from gold of suitable commemorative souvenirs;

"Now therefore, be it

"Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the legislature of the State of California repectfully memorializes the President, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Congress of the United States to take whatever action is necessary to issue a suitable commemorative gold coin of a denomination not to exceed five dollars, commemorating the centennial of gold discovery in California, and to authorize its sale and distribution in California by 1948, and, be it further

"Resolved, If the federal government deems it inadvisable to issue and authorize the sale and distribution of such gold coins, that the Legislature of the State of California respectfully memorializes the President, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Congress of the United States to take whatever action is necessary to authorize the manufacture from gold, and sale to the public by 1948, of suitable commemorative souvenirs."

Note: The term "memorializes" can be read as "petitions" or "requests" via formal submission of same.

My read of the Resolution suggests:

1. The gold to be used for the commemorative pieces did not necessarily have to be gold that was mined in California.

2. If the Resolution had been successful, and a gold Half Eagle struck, it would have been the first $5.00 gold US commemorative coin (and only such coin/denomination in the classic-era series).

3. The issue of the Gold Reserve Act of 1934 would have needed to been addressed (repealed?) as it mandated that no US gold coins could be struck and that no gold coins could be paid out by the US - it was the then-current "law of the land."

4. The suggested coin alternative - "Commemorative souvenirs" - could be interpreted as "commemorative medals" (the US Treasury's preference at the time). The Gold Reserve Act would still have been a factor for the issue of gold medals, however.

Though it is plausible that the Resolution was discussed with one or more of California's US Senators and/or Representatives and/or US Treasury Department officials, I have not yet found any movement on it within the US Congress - it remains a What If?


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