If I was asked to name my favorite "Founding Father," I would answer "Benjamin Franklin." No disrespect to the others, it's just that I've had a fascination with the multi-talented Franklin since I was a kid and first learned about his many and varied accomplishments. While he is likely most remembered for his political and diplomatic roles in the American Revolution and for his direct involvement in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, Franklin was also a prolific author, a successful printer, a scientist, the first Postmaster of the United States and organizer of the first fire company in Philadelphia (among other things).
Being a long-term Benjamin Franklin fan has meant that from time to time I've added a Franklin-themed coin or medal to my collection. My collection of such pieces is small, but I'm happy to have each one. The classic US commemorative series does not include a Franklin-themed coin, but this oversight was rectified in 2006 with a pair of silver dollars that marked the 300th anniversary of Franklin's birth. Thing is, these coins weren't the first modern Franklin commemorative coins to be proposed.
On 23 May 1991, Pennsylvania Representative Curt Weldon (R) introduced into the House a bill to "provide for the minting of coins in commemoration of Benjamin Franklin and to enact a fire service bill of rights." The bill had an impressive 290 co-sponsors. In July, a similar bill was introduced into the Senate by Joseph Biden (D) of Delaware. (That name sounds familiar for some reason...
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The bill directed the Secretary of the Treasury to strike up to 250,000 gold half-eagles and up to 4,000,000 silver dollars. The designs of the gold coin were to be "emblematic of Benjamin Franklin's contributions to the advancement of science." The silver dollar designs were to be representative "of Benjamin Franklin's contributions to the American Fire Service."
The House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs received the proposed bill and referred it to its Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs and Coinage. Within the Subcommittee, the bill was debated and amended before being returned to the full House. The amended bill was dramatically different from the original bill.
Removed was all language authorizing legal tender commemorative coins, gold and silver. In its place was language providing for up to 1,500,000 silver medals with designs featuring "suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions in commemoration of Benjamin Franklin's contributions to the American Fire Service." The medals were to be struck on 0.999 fine one-ounce silver planchets of a diameter slightly larger than a US silver dollar (1.598 inches in diameter vs. 1.50 inches); proof and uncirculated versions were struck. A surcharge of $15.00 was to be collected on each medal sold.
So, while we missed out on what could have been two terrific commemorative coins that celebrated the achievements of one of America's Founding Fathers, we did at least get an attractive and historically important National Commemorative Medal out of Representative Weldon's efforts.
Enjoy!
1993 Benjamin Franklin National Memorial Commemorative Medal - Obverse
1993 Benjamin Franklin National Memorial Commemorative Medal - Reverse
Posted 01/25/2013 11:48 pm
