Commems Collection Classic: What If? 1938 Three-Cent Coppers

In 1938, a proposal was introduced in the House of Representatives by Alfred Florian Beiter (D-NY) for a circulating three-cent copper coin to be struck of "standard troy weight, composition, and size." Such a specification is a bit open to interpretation considering that the US did not have standard specification for a three-cent, full-copper coin at the time - the US had never struck such a coin. Two possibilities come to mind, however: 1) the intent might have been to match the composition of the circulating Lincoln Cent (i.e., 95% copper, 5% tin/zinc), with triple the weight and a resultant appropriate size, or 2) use the 0.750 copper / 0.250 nickel composition, size and weight used on the three-cent coins of 1865 to 1889.

The coin was introduced for the "convenience of commerce" but also in support of an unusual purpose: "in order to emphasize the seriousness of the situation with respect to traffic fatalities which in the year 1937 destroyed the lives of forty thousand persons, and serious traffic injuries which were sustained by thousands of other persons, and to indicate the interest of the government of the United States in an experiment which should serve to arouse public opinion for reform in traffic conduct." Such a purpose makes me envision the coins being introduced alongside a heavy public relations campaign almost as if the coins themselves were to function as a sort of public service announcement (PSA).

Note: The web site of the National Safety Council (NSC) reports, "The population motor-vehicle death rate reached its peak in 1937 with 30.8 deaths per 100,000 population." The rate of deaths per 100 million miles driven was 14.68. The total number of deaths was 39,543. In comparison, the NSC reports that in 2020, the motor vehicle death rate was just 12.9 deaths per 100,000 population; the total number of deaths was 42,388. The rate of deaths per 100 million miles driven in 2020 was just 1.46. Clearly, the impact of such things as seat belts, air bags, improved vehicle parts and assembly, vehicle inspections, electronic warning systems, etc. have paid huge dividends in reducing vehicle accident death rates. The NSC was a vigilant promoter of Traffic Safety at the time of the bill - it continues to be so today.

The three-cent coins were to be struck at any/all Mint facilities, with designs to be determined by the Director of the Mint with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury. The quantity to be struck was to be set by the Secretary of the Treasury; the coins were to be released into circulation at face value.

Though traffic fatalities were clearly an issue in the US, Congress did not consider a new coin to be a useful tool to help lower the death rates. The coin bill was not reported out of the House Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures to which it had been referred, nor was it ever considered by the full House.

There would be no three-cent coin in 1938 or in the years to follow.


For my topics on commemorative coins and medals, including many What If? stories, see: Commems Collection.