A few tidbits about the United States ("US") George Washington quarter Dollar...Tidbit #1While most collectors view the Washington Quarter as a regular (vs. commemorative) coin issue, I consider the 1932 issues as commemorative pieces.
My justification? The Bicentennial of George Washington's birth was the catalyst for the coin and transitioning to a regular issue in 1934 (there were no quarters struck in 1933) does not change/remove the original commemorative intent for the coin. I've posted about this before:
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1932 Washington QuarterTidbit #2Over 100 potential designs for the new coin were submitted from artists across the country.
Secretary of the Treasury Andrew W. Mellon was authorized to make the final selection, but Representative Sol Bloom (D-NY), Director of the George Washington Bicentennial Commission was to be consulted. (The Bicentennial Commission was created via a Joint Resolution of the US Congress in 1924. It was signed into law by US President Calvin Coolidge on December 2, 1924.)
Bloom provided the Treasury Department with a photograph of the Houdon bust of George Washington to use as a reference. The bust had been selected by the Portrait Committee of the Bicentennial Commission as being the best available likeness of the First President.
Tidbit #3Newspaper accounts (circa 1931-32) of the upcoming
Washington quarter dollar coin often made general reference to the various privately-struck Washington tokens of 1783. (Washington was against using his portrait on a US coin.)
The articles did so while touting the new coin as just the second regular issue US coin to feature a former US President; the 1909 one-cent piece depicting Abraham Lincoln being the first. As the 1900 Lafayette Memorial Dollar which included a depiction of George Washington (along with the Marquis de Lafayette) on its obverse was considered a commemorative issue (vs. regular issue) it was not included as part of the equation.
Tidbit #4Of the drivers behind the selection of the 25-cent piece for the Washington design, Secretary Mellon stated:
"The design of the current quarter dollar has been the subject of considerable criticism. It wears very badly and is a difficult coin to manufacture; the design is too elaborate for the small surface, and it is almost impossible to to bring the details into proper relief."Such issues were addressed on the George Washington coin via its large, and less elaborate, depictions of Washington (obverse) and bald eagle (reverse).
Mellon also noted the popularity of the Quarter Dollar as a factor - it offered maximum exposure opportunities for a design honoring Washington.
1932 (P) George Washington quarter Dollar
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including other Quick Bits stories and several 1932 Washington What If? stories, see:
Commems Collection 
Posted Today 47M ago
