Commems Collection Classic: What If? 1951 United Confederate Veterans Reunion

The United Confederate Veterans (UCV), an organization of Confederate veterans of the US Civil War (CW), held their 61st and final reunion in 1951 - 86 years after the end of the CW. The UCV was organized in 1889 and held its first general meeting in 1890 (meetings were subsequently held annually).

At its organizational meeting, in New Orleans, LA, those assembled declared the UCV was to be formed for "benevolent, historical and social purposes...to do justice to our common country, care for our needy and disabled comrades in their declining years, and assist the needy widows and orphans of our comrades, in a spirit of mutual friendship, fraternity and good will." (Proceedings of the Convention for Organization, United Confederate Veterans, 1889)

The 61st UCV reunion was held in Norfolk, VA and took place from May 30 through June 3, 1951; just three veterans attended, though a few others were still alive; the last Confederate veteran died on December 31, 1951.

To help mark the occasion, companion bills were introduced in the House and Senate calling for 250,000 50-cent pieces. Following its introduction, each bill was referred to the appropriate Committee - in 1951, both chambers used the Committee on Banking and Currency.

The bill was sponsored by the Sons of Confederate Veterans; per the bill, the organization was the only group that was eligible to purchase the coins from the Mint. The bill specified that the net proceeds from the sale of the coins were to be used "for such purposes related to the observance of such reunion, or to the welfare or commemoration of such veterans, as the Sons of Confederate Veterans shall direct."

1951 was in the midst of a down period for the approval of new commemorative coins; the only one recently authorized - the George Washington Carver - Booker T. Washington half dollar - came about as an amendment to the Act that authorized the original Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial coins vs. an entirely new proposal. As a result, the UCV bill did not gain traction and was never reported out of Committee; no floor discussion took place in either chamber.

The United States Post Office Department did, however, issue a three-cent commemorative stamp for the event.

1951 United Confederate Veterans Reunion Stamp



If you are interested in reading about other failed Civil War-related coin proposals, check out:

- What If? 1938 Battle of Chickamauga


For other of my What If? posts about failed US commemorative coin proposals, and/or my posts on various commemorative coins and medals, check out: Commems Collection.