commems's Last 20 Posts
| Commems Collection: 1936 San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge - Ship In The Bay?
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commems
Pillar of the Community
United States
9136 Posts |
 Posted Today 9H 27M ago
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Over the years, I've wondered about the large ocean-going passenger ship under steam power that is depicted arriving in San Francisco Bay and about to pass under the new bridge; the smaller ship seen is a local ferry.
Was the ship purely a generic/composite depiction of a contemporary passenger liner or was it based on an actual/named passenger ship that frequented San Francisco? Was it coming home following a cruise in the Pacific Ocean or following a trip in the Atlantic Ocean and a transit of the Panama Canal? What ship(s) inspired Jacques Schnier (the coin's designer) to include such as part of the coin's reverse design?
I decided to look into the ship a bit more recently and believe I can make a case for Schneir's design inspiration coming from the Matson Lines' four passenger ships that made up its "White Fleet" of ocean-going passenger liners of the time; the nickname was derived from the use of white paint to cover the hull of each ship.
Exhibit A
The Matson Lines "White Fleet" routinely traveled between the US West Coast and Hawaii, Australia and/or Asia. It was comprised of the SS Malolo, the SS Mariposa, the SS Monterey and the SS Lurline. San Francisco was a port called upon by each of the ships, so would have been familiar ro Schneir.
Exhibit B
The four ships were designed by William Francis Gibbs, were physically similar and shared profiles. They were two-stack ocean-going passenger liners that used steam propulsion The first ship built, the SS Malolo, in 1927, was 582 feet in length, the other three, completed between 1931 and 1932, were each 632 feet in length. Their shared features would have made it easy for Schneir to combine them into a representative/composite visual for the coin.
Exhibit C
The SS Malolo and the SS Lurline provided regular express service between San Francisco and Hawaii. The SS Mariposa and the SS Monterey also sailed to Hawaii, but regularly stopped at multiple ports on the US West Coast (including San Francisco), as well as ports in Australia and Asia. As they all visited San Francisco, local artist Schneir would likely have witnessed an "arrival scene" similar to the one he depicted on the coin on multiple occasions - though the completed bridge would not always have been part of the scene. Based on their regular SF-Hawaii route assignment, it seems Schneir would most likely have observed the SS Malolo and the SS Lurline with the greatest frequency.
Exhibit D
While a two-engine, two-stack design was certainly not unique to Matson, it was a match for the company's California-based "White Fleet" passenger liners of the day and would have represented a common site for Schneir. I was able to rule out some other two-stack ships of the day - for example, the SS Manhattan - due to scheduled routes of such ships not including San Francisco (or even California) in their regular seagoing itineraries.
So, though I can't say with 100% certainty that the passenger liner on the coin is a Matson Lines ship, I am fairly confident that such ships were a significant source of inspiration for Schneir!
SS Malolo Off San Pedro, CA - 1927
(Image Credit: U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Public Domain.)
1936 Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge Opening Half Dollar
 
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more on the Bay Bridge Opening half dollars, see: Commems Collection.
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| | Forum: US Commemoratives and Non-Circulating Coinage (NCLT) Including Grading, Varieties, and Errors |
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| Post Your Coins/Tokens/Medals With A Bell
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commems
Pillar of the Community
United States
9136 Posts |
Posted Yesterday 7:47 pm
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I'll get things going with a US commemorative half dollar from 1926. The coin was issued to mark the 150th anniversary of American Independence via the Declaration of Independence that was formally proclaimed on July 4, 1776.
The coin features the US Liberty Bell on its reverse. The Liberty Bell is one of the most iconic symbols of freedom in the United States. Images of the Liberty Bell have appeared on US coins, medals, tokens, savings bonds, stamps, philatelic covers, postcards and hundreds (thousands?) of other souvenir items.
The Sesquicentennial Half Dollar was designed by John Frederick Lewis and modeled by US Mint Chief Sculptor-Engraver John Sinnock. The coin features conjoined portraits of the US' First President - George Washington- and the President at the time of the Sesquicentennial - Calvin Coolidge. The coin was struck in low-relief and is often found with "rough" surfaces (especially on the portraits) and a lack of details.
 
For a nice overview of the Liberty Bell and its history, check out this page on the National Park Service's web site for Independence National Historic Park, the Bell's home:
- The Liberty Bell
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| | Forum: "Post Your..." Gallery Topics |
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| Post Your Coins/Tokens/Medals With A Bell
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commems
Pillar of the Community
United States
9136 Posts |
Posted Yesterday 7:44 pm
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Here's a thematic area we appear to have missed so far - bells! Bells appear on coins and medals from countries around the world so it seems like an area that could drive participation by folks with varied collecting interests.
Post your coins/tokens/medals that include a bell in their design (PLEASE! Refrain from posting items with a bell tower that does not have a visible bell! Thanks!).
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| Commems Collection: 1927 Battle Of Bennington - Vermont Independence Sesquicentennial - Location?
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commems
Pillar of the Community
United States
9136 Posts |
Posted Yesterday 07:08 am
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It may come as a surprise to the casual observer/collector, but the Battle of Bennington commemorated on the 1927 Battle of Bennington - Vermont Independence Sesquicentennial Half Dollar was not fought in Vermont. The Battle of Bennington was actually fought in a field in Walloomsac, New York, which is about 5 to 10 miles northwest of Bennington, VT (different references cite different separating distances!).
Bennington, VT factored into event as the British, advancing under the overall command of General John Burgoyne and in need of replenishing stores and supplies, learned of stores being held in Bennington that would meet its needs. The town thus became a target location for two of Burgoyne's units, under the commands of Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Baum and Lieutenant Colonel Heinrich von Breymann.
Upon learning of the British intentions regarding Bennington, the Vermont Council of Safety requested help from New Hampshire. The request was granted, and retired Continental Army Colonel, John Stark, was given the rank of Brigadier General along with the command of the forces that were to defend Bennington. Rather than wait for the British to attack Bennington, Stark led his troops out to face the British and met them in the fields of Wallomsac Heights in New York State. The battle, though its advantage wavered back and forth during its conduct, resulted in a decisive American victory.
The American victory at the Battle of Bennington, meant that the American supplies at Bennington were preserved and the British were denied a much needed resupply. It also stopped Burgoyne's march to Albany and the British attempt to isolate the New England colonies from the more southern colonies in an attempt to gain an upper hand in the War. Historians also believe Burgoyne's diminished troops, stores and supplies, as a result of the failure at Bennington, led to his failure at the Battle of Saratoga two months later - a turning point in the American Revolution for the Americans.
On the morning of August 16, 1927, the 150th anniversary of the Battle was commemorated in Walloomsac, NY via a joint program of the State of New York and the State of Vermont. Historical Markers were dedicated on the battlefield in Waloomsac, NY (including a relief map of the battlefield that featured indications of troop movements during the battle). In the afternoon, a parade and exercises were conducted in Bennington, VT along with an historical pageant presented in the evening.
Souvenir Program Cover - Battle of Bennington - 150th Anniversary - 1927
Souvenir Program - Battle of Bennington - 150th Anniversary - 1927 - Relief Map Marker
The 306-foot tall Bennington Battle Monument (located in Bennington, VT at the site of the 1777 supplies depot) was constructed as a memorial to the Battle and those who fought in it; the monument's cornerstone was laid in 1887 and the monument was completed and dedicated in 1891 - the Centennial Year of Vermont's Statehood.
Official Program - Vermont Statehood Centennial / Battle of Bennington Monument Dedication - 1891
Battle of Bennington - Vermont Independence Sesquicentennial Half Dollar
 
The Battle of Bennington - Vermont Independence Sesquicentennial Half Dollar was sponsored by the Vermont Sesquicentennial Commission, so its strong connection to Vermont is not a surprise. I've long wondered, however, if the folks in New York were also thinking about a commemorative coin and were simply beaten to the punch, or if they never even considered it?
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more on the Bennington-Vermont half dollar, see: Commems Collection.
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| | Forum: US Commemoratives and Non-Circulating Coinage (NCLT) Including Grading, Varieties, and Errors |
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| Commems Collection: Into The Melting Pot #06 - 1926 American Independence Sesquicentennial Coins
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commems
Pillar of the Community
United States
9136 Posts |
Posted 06/04/2023 07:43 am
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The subjects celebrated by the classic-era US commemorative coin series range from seminal events in US history to minor local events that likely did not merit the issue of a legal tender US coin. Of all of them, one stands out for me in terms of disappointing sales. I refer to the 1926 American Independence Sesquicentennial Gold Quarter Eagle and Silver Half Dollar. Greater than 75% of the authorized (and struck) mintage for each went unsold and was returned to the Mint to be melted - this for coins that commemorated American Independence and the birth of the United States via the Declaration of Independence!
As I note at the start of each of these "Melting Pot" posts, I've written multiple times about the subject coin(s) - this time the American Independence Sesquicentennial coins - and prefer not to repeat too much of those previous posts here, so check out the links below for my previous posts on the topic coin(s) which provide more detail about the Sesquicentennial, the coins themselves and the involvement of the US Congress that brought about their creation.
The coin program for the American Independence Sesquicentennial was a two-coin program: a Gold Quarter Eagle ($2.50) and a Silver Half Dollar. The Public Law that authorized the coins specified a limit of 200,000 Gold Quarter Eagles and 1,000,000 Silver Half Dollars; the sponsor/beneficiary of the coins was the Sesquicentennial Exhibition Association ("Association"). The Association was given the flexibillty, per the coins' authorizing legislation, to order its coins "in such numbers and at such times as they shall request" - no defined ordering period, no defined minimum orders!
The entire authorization of 1,000,000 Half Dollars (plus 528 coins for assay) was struck between May (514,274) and June (486,254) 1926; also, in May, the Mint struck 16,022 Gold Eagles, followed by a June mintage of 184,204 (226 assay coins). The Sesquicentennial Exposition opened in Philadelphia on May 31, 1926 and remained open through November 30, 1926. Considering these dates, it's clear that the Mint struck the coins in time for them to be available for sale at the Exposition during most of its run (in contrast to what happened with the 1920 Maine Statehood Centennial Half Dollar, for example).
The Association priced the Half Dollar at $1.00 per coin and the Gold Quarter Eagle at $4.00 each. Sales did not go as well as the Association had hoped - they could, in fact, be described as poor! This resulted in >75% of each denomination being returned to the Mint to be melted: 859,408 of the Half Dollar were returned/melted (85.9%), along with 154,207 (77.0%) of the Gold Quarter Eagles. It's hard to believe that coins marking the 150th anniversary of the nation's birth did not sell better! (Net mintage figures: Half Dollar: 141,120; Gold Quarter Eagle: 46,019.)
Trying to make sense of the sales results for the coins...
In the "Positives" column, the issue price for each coin was not outrageous vs. its face value or out of line with previous US commemorative coin programs, and the designs on each - while not remarkable - were certainly not bad, IMO. It would seem these attributes would support coin sales.
On the "Negatives" side of the ledger, the Exposition's poor attendance - partly due to it not being complete when opened on May 31st (which helped generate bad publicity for the Exposition which kept visitors away), partly due to the poor/rainy weather in Philadelphia that Summer - limited the potential of the on-site audience for coin sales.
All things considered, however, I would have expected better!
While it's true that ~141,000 Half Dollars sold along with ~46,000 Gold Quarter Eagles are decent-to-good sales totals within the context of the overall classic-era series - e.g., the Quarter Eagles sales total exceeded the total of all other classic-era gold commemorative coins and the Half Dollar sales total ranks within the Top 10 of all classic silver commemorative coin programs - the extremely high melt percentages point to the fact that a better sales volume was anticipated.
Though large numbers were melted, the net availability of each denomination in the marketplace appears adequate to meet current collector demand, with coins of each available at reasonable prices for all but true Gem condition (and above) coins.
1926 American Independence Sesquicentennial Half Dollar
1926 American Independence Sesquicentennial Gold Quarter Eagle
 
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more on the American Independence Sesquicentennial coins, see: Commems Collection.
For a list of posts specifically about the Design Details of the 1926 American Independence Sesquicentennial, see:
- Design Discussions - 1926 American Independence Sesquicentennial - Half Dollar
- Design Discussions - 1926 American Independence Sesquicentennial - Gold Quarter Eagle
To compare with the coin delivery experience of the 1920 Maine Statehood Centennial Half Dollar, see:
- 1920 Maine Statehood Centennial - Late for the Show!
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| | Forum: US Commemoratives and Non-Circulating Coinage (NCLT) Including Grading, Varieties, and Errors |
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| Commems Collection: 1920 Maine Statehood Centennial - Late For The Show!
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commems
Pillar of the Community
United States
9136 Posts |
Posted 06/03/2023 7:09 pm
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Quote:
I wonder why the approval came so late - did the Maine congressional delegation not submit their proposal on time?
The "lateness" of the Maine proposal was more tied to sponsor action vs. Congress' actions.
At the time, commemorative coins were still a fairly new and developing concept in the US and weren't automatically included on Day 1 in all commemoration plans organized by committees/commissions. The idea to request a commemorative half dollar for the Maine Centennial was not the first action of the Maine Centennial Commission - it followed fairly late in the process and resulted in a bill being introduced in February 1920. It only took about four months to get the bill through the legislative process and approved by the President. Not the shortest journey on record, but not nearly the longest for a commemorative coin either.
Quote:
...and what's with "Mardi Gras Night"? Mardi Gras was on Feb. 17 in 1920.
The Maine Centennial Exposition was not trying for a direct tie-in to the festivities in New Orleans. It was just an evocative name for a street party in Portland, ME! "Fancy costumes" were encouraged.
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| | Forum: US Commemoratives and Non-Circulating Coinage (NCLT) Including Grading, Varieties, and Errors |
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| Commems Collection: 1920 Maine Statehood Centennial - Late For The Show!
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commems
Pillar of the Community
United States
9136 Posts |
Posted 06/03/2023 08:41 am
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Maine marked the 100th Anniversary of its Statehood with the Maine Centennial Exposition, a celebration in Portland, Maine from June 26, 1920 to July 5, 1920. The Exposition was held, primarily, in the Portland Exposition Building.
Per the Official Program for the celebration, the Exposition's purpose was to "show goods made and sold in the State of Maine; to foster unity of purpose among business men; to build up, strengthen and aid the industrial and agricultural interests, as well as develop Maine's wonderful resources." The Exposition was sponsored by the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and Agricultural League.
The Exposition featured themed days throughout its run, including "Historical Day," "Music Festival Day," "Exposition Day," "Civic Parade Day," "State of Maine Day," "Maine Women's Day," "Mardi Gras Night," "Veteran Fireman's Day," "Church Services Day" and "Independence Day."
The week-long celebration included multiple parades, a variety of music concerts/performances, fireworks, luncheons, historical programs, sporting events, visiting warships, visiting airplanes, an Art Exhibit and a special "State of Maine" movie. A highlight of the event was the "Indian Village" which was a temporary encampment of Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Native Americans at Deering Oaks (a park in Portland; the park remains to the present day). The Exposition was definitely a smaller, more low-key affair vs. the Louisiana Purchase Exposition or the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.
The enabling legislation for the Maine Statehood coin was signed into law on May 10, 1920 by US President Woodrow Wilson; the bill calling for the coin was introduced in the House of Representatives on February 11, 1920. The less than two months time between when the coin was signed into law and the start of the Maine Centennial Exposition did not allow for the coin to go through the full process of coinage (i.e., design development, design approval, model preparation, die creation, coin striking) and be delivered to the Exposition organizers before the Exposition.
The Mint struck 50,028 (including 28 assay coins) of the authorized 100,000 coins in the late August/September time frame. Initial sales at $1.00 per coin were robust - approximately 30,000 were sold - even though the Centennial Exposition had closed, but then slowed dramatically soon after; the balance of the authorization was not requested. The Office of Maine's State Treasurer continued to have half dollars available for years after the Centennial (vs. returning coins to the Mint to be melted).
Would the Maine Half Dollar have enjoyed greater sales if it had been available in time for the Centennial Exposition? It seems likely, but difficult to say to what extent. 10% more? 20% more? Casual souvenir purchases by Exposition visitors would almost assuredly have bumped up sales. Strong sales at the Exposition might even have spurred a request for the balance of the coin's authorized mintage - creating 100,000 coins vs. 50,000 in the marketplace. But that is all mere speculation and collectors must make themselves content with the 50,000 examples available.
1920 Maine Statehood Centennial Half Dollar
 
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more on the Maine Centennial coins, see: Commems Collection.
Of specific relation to the current post:
- 1920 Maine Statehood Centennial - Revisited
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| Commems Collection Modern: What If? 1984 Louisiana World Exposition Silver Dollars
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commems
Pillar of the Community
United States
9136 Posts |
Posted 06/02/2023 06:51 am
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I pulled out my notes regarding this proposed 1984 Silver Dollar to prepare a response in a different thread, and figured that as long as I had the materials out...
In March 1983, during the 96th Congress, Representative Robert "Bob" Linlithgow Livingston, Jr. (R-LA) introduced a commemorative coin bill in support of the Louisiana World Exposition that was to be held in New Orleans, LA. Upon its introduction, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs. The bill was co-sponsored by several fellow Louisiana Representatives: Corine Claiborne "Lindy" Boggs (D-LA), John Berlinger Breaux (D-LA), Thomas Jerald "Jerry" Huckabee (D-LA), William Henson Moore III (R-LA) and Wilbert Joseph "Billy" Tauzin (D-LA).
1984 Louisiana World Exposition Logo
(image Credit: Louisiana World Exposition, Inc. (Dissolved.) Fair use, education.)
The Exposition was held from May 12, 1984 through November 11, 1984 on an 82-acre site on the banks of the Mississippi River in New Orleans, LA; the site was an old railroad yard. The official theme of the Exposition was "The World of Rivers -- Fresh Water as a Source of Life" with an objective of increasing public awareness of water usage and the valuable role of fresh water (vs. salt water) within American industry.
The coins were intended to financially support the Exposition, and were to be struck for the benefit of Louisiana World Exposition, Incorporated ("Company"). The coins were to be the standard size and composition for a US silver dollar, with a maximum authorized mintage of one million.
The Mint was to handle sales/distribution of the dollars, with the issue price specified to be the coin's face Value ($1) plus all production costs (e,g,, design development, dies, striking, packaging, etc.) and added surcharge. The Company was to receive $10 per coin via the included surcharge. (Side Note: The Exposition definitely could have used any surcharge funds collected for the coins, as it suffered lower-than-forecast attendance which contributed to serious financial hardships - the Exposition actually went bankrupt while it was still open to the public.)
The bill did not gain the needed support (the Los Angeles Olympic coin program was getting most of the attention at the time) and was not reported out of Committee for further consideration.
Later in the year, companion bills were introduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate that called for up to 750,000 commemorative medals for the same sponsor. The House version of the bill completed its journey through Congress and became Public Law 98-136. The medal story has some interesting twists and turns - I'll cover them in a separate medal-focused post.
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including many more What IF? commemorative coin stories, see: Commems Collection.
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| | Forum: US Commemoratives and Non-Circulating Coinage (NCLT) Including Grading, Varieties, and Errors |
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| Commems Collection: Classic Commemorative Coin Dates Can Be Misleading
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commems
Pillar of the Community
United States
9136 Posts |
Posted 06/02/2023 06:30 am
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I've written before about how the classic-era US commemorative coin series, almost from its start, played a bit loose with the dates that appear on the coins. It all began with the "dateless" Lafayette dollar that was struck in 1899 but is, technically, per the US Mint, "undated." (See below for a Lafayette date discussion.)
But the Lafayette was certainly not the last commemorative coin to feature a date that did not accurately reflect when the coin was minted. I compiled a list of these date mismatch coins and present it here:
Coin Year Event
Issue Date Struck Year Notes
Lafayette Memorial 1900 1899 1900 1
Alabama Statehood Centennial 1921 1921 1919 2
Oregon Trail Memorial 1926-39 1926-39 ? ? ? 3
Danial Boone Birth Bicentennial 1935-38 1935-38 1934 4
Arkansas Statehood Centennial 1935-38 1935-38 1936 5
Texas Independence Centennial 1934-38 1934-38 1936 6
Elgin, IL Centennial 1936 1936 1935 7
Delaware Tercentenary 1936 1937 1938 8
Battle of Gettysburg 1936 1937 1938 9
Norfolk, VA Bicentennial/
Tricentennial 1936 1937 1936 10
New Rochelle, NY 250th
Anniversary 1938 1937 1938 11
Notes:
1. All examples of the Lafayette dollar were struck on December 14, 1899 (the 100th anniversary of George Washington's death). The Lafayette Memorial Commission desired a "1900" dated coin - the year the US' Lafayette statue was to be presented to France - but the US Mint was not authorized to strike coins with a date that differed from the year in which they were struck, As a compromise, the Mint included "1900" as part of the inscription on the reverse as the date of the Paris Exposition; the coin does not feature a standard date.
Per the US Mint, the "1900" is not the coin's date, but rather the date of the Paris Exposition. Technically, the coin does not feature a date - as noted above, the coins were struck in December 1899.
2. Alabama marked the 100th anniversary of its admission into the Union in 1919. It was not until late February 1920, however, that a commemorative coin proposal was introduced in Congress. Though the proposal was passed in May 1920, the Mint did not strike the Alabama Statehood Centennial half dollar until fairly late in 1921. As the coin's enabling Act did not specify a date for it, the Mint followed its standard procedure and dated the coins for the year they were struck - 1921.
3. The Oregon Trail Memorial half dollar has one of the more unusual date stories. The first year of issue for the coin was 1926 - a year for which no Oregon Trail milestone anniversary date was celebrated. The coin was also struck (and dated) in 1928 and annually from 1934 through 1939; in addition to strikes by the Philadelphia Mint, some years also saw coins struck in Denver and/or San Francisco. Some years, the coins were marketed as being associated with trail-related anniversaries or events. (See link below for more.)
4. The 200th anniversary of Daniel Boone's birth occurred in 1934; commemorative half dollars were struck and dated "1934" - as would be expected. The problem occurs in 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1938 - the US Mint stated it was required to place the year of striking on the coins. By doing so, the dates were no longer bicentennial years. The Boone Commission succeeded in 1935 in getting their original coin legislation amended so as to have a small "1934" added to the coin's design so that the bicentennial year would continue to be recalled on later strikes/issues.
5. Arkansas marked the 100th anniversary of its statehood in 1936. It got a jump start on the celebrations, however, with a 1935-dated half dollar. The Arkansas Centennial Commission then followed the formal anniversary year with additional releases in 1937, 1938 and 1939. (At least funds raised by the coins supported public projects vs. solely private profits.)
6. Texas celebrated the 100th anniversary of its independence from Mexico in 1936. To aid in the construction of the Texas State Museum, coins were issued beginning in 1934, and continued through 1938 - another case of pre- and post-anniversary coin issues! There's nothing like getting a two-year head start on things!
7. The City of Elgin, IL was founded in 1835 and celebrated its centennial with various events in 1935. The Act authorizing the commemorative half dollar stipulated a date of "1936." While the coin, ostensibly, had the objective of marking the 100th anniversary of Elgin's founding (an event that had already occurred), it was more directly intended as a fundraiser in support of the Pioneer Memorial statue already in process by sculptor Trygve Rovelstad. Not enough funds were raised to complete the Memorial, however, and it was mothballed for decades. (You can read more about it via the link below.)
8. The Delaware Tercentenary half dollar was authorized in May 1936 and included the specification that struck coins were to feature a "1936" date; the designs for the coin were not approved by the Commission of Fine Arts until December, 1936. The Delaware Tercentenary coins were struck in 1937 and delivered to the sponsor; sales of the coin began. Delaware's actual 300th anniversary took place in 1938, and it is in that year that it held its official tercentenary celebrations. The coin features the dual commemorative dates "1638-1938" to mark the tercentenary.
9. The Battle of Gettysburg half dollar was "penalized" for proper planning and calendar management. The coin was proposed early enough for it to be authorized in 1936 even though its targeted 75th anniversary event was not to be commemorated until 1938 (the battle took place July 1 - July 3, 1863 and the 75th Anniversary Reunion was to take place in 1938). Unfortunately, the authorizing legislation specified a "1936" date for the coins. On the up side, the coins were struck in 1937 and available for sale ahead of the anniversary and corresponding Blue and Gray Reunion of 1938.
10. The Norfolk half dollar was not authorized until late June 1937, but its authorizing legislation stipulated that the coins must be dated "1936" regardless of when they were struck; production at the Mint in Philadelphia took place in September, 1937. Regardless of production date requirements, the coin marked anniversaries connected to 1636 - 1936 was the true anniversary year and so it makes sense for the coin to bear the "1936" date (especially since the coin was a one-year issue).
11. The New Rochelle half dollar was authorized in May 1936, but its authorizing legislation stipulated that the coins must be dated "1938" regardless of when they were struck; the Mint struck the coins in 1937 with a "1938" date. The 250th anniversary of New Rochelle's settling occurred in 1938. IMO, this is how the dating on commemorative coins should be - they should feature the anniversary date of the who/what they commemorate vs. other dates that just add confusion.
For more on the Elgin Pioneer Memorial Statue:
- 1936 Elgin, IL Centennial Vs. City Of Elgin
For more on the Oregon Trail Memorial Anniversary Coins, see:
- 1926-39 Oregon Trail Memorial - 1934 Oregon Trail Centennials
For some related prior posts, see:
- Quick Bits #63 - Single-Year Issues With Non-Matching Dates
- Quick Bits #64 - Fictitious Anniversaries
- Quick Bits #65 - Dates That Shouldn't Be Believed
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more on each of the coins referenced here, see: Commems Collection.
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