Commems Collection Modern: What If? 1997 Thomas Edison Birth Sesquicentennial

I've written before about how the bill that ultimately led to the approval of the 2004 Thomas Edison Silver Dollar, began as a bill that called for a larger-scale program: a Silver Dollar, a Silver Half Dollar and a possible Copper-Nickel (CuNi) Clad Circulating Half Dollar.

You can read more here:

- 2004 Thomas Alva Edison - 125th Anniversary Of Light Bulb

This time out, however, I'd like to go back and review the Edison coin activities seen in an earlier Congresses - beginning with the 103rd in 1994.

Thomas Alva Edison, Circa 1915-1920


David E. Bonior (D-MI) introduced an Edison coin bill in the House of Representatives during October 1994 (103rd Congress). The bill called for the striking of up to 750,000 Silver Dollars (SDs) "in commemoration of the sesquicentennial of the birth of Thomas Alva Edison." The coins were to be issued in calendar year 1997 and were to be dual-dated "1847-1997" in recognition of the Edison birth sesquicentennial.

The SDs were to carry a surcharge of $10 per coin, with the first $7 million of collected funds split evenly seven ways among the following beneficiaries associated with Edison (i.e., up to $1 million each):

(1) The Edison Birthplace Association, Incorporated, in Milan, Ohio
(2) The Museum of Arts and History, in the city of Port Huron, Michigan
(3) The National Park Service (for Edison's "Invention Factory"' in West Orange, New Jersey)
(4) The Edison Plaza Museum in Beaumont, Texas
(5) The Edison Winter Home and Museum in Fort Myers, Florida
(6) The Edison Memorial Tower in Edison, New Jersey
(7) Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan

Collected surcharge funds in excess of $7 million were to be paid to the National Museum of American History, Washington, D.C. to support the National Numismatic Collection (NNC) held by the museum. (Note: In order for the NNC to receive surcharge funds, the coin would have had to sell >93% of its authorized limit. All things considered, with such a sales level requirement, a funds distribution to the NNC would not have been likely.)

The bill was referred to the House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs, with a further referral to the Subcommittee on Consumer Credit and Insurance. That's where the journey for Bonior's bill ended, however, as it was not reported out or considered further.

The cause was taken up again in the 104th Congress. First, by Paul E. Gillmor (R-OH) in the House of Representatives in February 1995, and then by Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) in the Senate in October 1995.

The bills of the 104th Congress were clearly derived from Bonior's bill introduced in the 103rd Congress. They included the same design specifications for the SD, the same surcharge amount for each SD sold and a surcharge distribution model that mirrored the earlier specifications. The bills included a few noteworthy changes, however:

(1) A silver Half Dollar was added to the proposed Edison program (with a mintage of up to 350,000 coins and a surcharge of $7 per coin);
(2) The mintage of the Silver Dollar was reduced to 350,000 (from the previous 750,000);
(3) A circulating 1997-dated Half Dollar was added to the bills; it was to feature a depiction of Thomas A. Edison (replacing that of John F. Kennedy).

Upon its introduction, the House bill was referred to the House Committee on Banking and Financial Services, with a further referral to the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy. The Senate bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Banking.

Neither bill progressed, which paved the way for the actions seen in the 105th Congress that I discussed previously:

- 2004 Thomas Alva Edison - 125th Anniversary Of Light Bulb


For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more Modern US commemorative coin stories, see: Commems Collection.