The one-cent denomination was never a "go to" denomination for classic-era US commemorative coins. One attempt to use the denomination took place in 1926 when it was proposed for use with a Henry Wadsworth Longfellow coin; I posted about it here: What If? 1926 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 1939 saw another one-cent proposal...In the midst of growing international tensions that were largely due to the rise and expansion of Nazi Germany in Europe, James John Davis (R-PA) introduced a Joint Resolution in the Senate designed to authorize "the coinage of one-cent pieces to symbolize peace." The Resolution was introduced in January 1939, approximately nine months prior to the formal start of World War II which began on September 3, 1939 when Great Britain and France declared war on Germany as a result of Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1.
Britain's formal war declaration automatically brought members of the British Commonwealth (e.g., Australia, Canada and India) into the War and immediately expanded the War beyond Europe. With each passing day, the US was drawn closer and closer to entering the conflict as its friends and historical allies did battle against Germany and its allies. Debates raged in many sectors of the country between those for and against the US becoming an active participant in the War. Using the cent to symbolize "Peace" would have communicated a strong daily message/reminder of its desirability to many Americans.
The Director of the Mint was tasked with selecting the designs to be used for the coin; the selected designs were to be reviewed and approved by the President (Franklin Delano Roosevelt). The bill's language regarding the designs included "from models submitted by any person for that purpose." This left open the possibility for artists outside of the Mint's staff to be engaged for the new coin.
The Resolution also included design specifications for the models:
"Upon the obverse shall be an impression emblematic of liberty with an inscription of the words "Liberty" and "In God We Trust" and the year of the coinage, and upon the reverse shall be an impression emblematic of peace with the inscriptions "Peace", "United States of America", and "E. Pluribus Unum", and a designation of the value of the coin."
The bill's language appears to have assumed that the standard specifications for the one-cent denomination were to be used and that the Abraham Lincoln design was to be replaced. Considering the Lincoln design had been in use for 30 years, it could have been replaced by the Mint/Treasury Department without Congress' approval - US coin designs were to be used for a minimum of 25 years per the Coinage Act of 1890. The Treasury had switched from the
Morgan dollar design to the
Peace dollar design in 1921 under the 25-year rule.
The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Banking and Currency upon its introduction. It was never, however, reported out for further consideration in Congress and, as a result, "Honest Abe" continued on the US cent.
Had the bill been authorized and approved, the US would have had two circulating denominations with a "Peace" theme: the Peace Silver Dollar and the Peace Bronze Cent. Such would not have been enough to keep the US out of the War, but it would have given many Americans a worthwhile daily reminder of an ideal worthy of pursuit.
For other of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, including many more What If? stories, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 02/04/2023 08:16 am
