I previously discussed the failed proposals for a Theodore Roosevelt Birth Centennial half dollar and briefly mentioned that a bill for a Roosevelt Centennial Medal was also introduced at the time. (You can read more about the commemorative coin effort here:
What If? 1956 Theodore Roosevelt Birth Centennial.)
The medal bill, introduced by Leo William O'Brien (D-NY), for the benefit of the Theodore Roosevelt Centennial Commission called for "the striking of medals in commemoration of the centennial anniversary of the birth of Theodore Roosevelt." The bill, however, appears to have called for an Award/Service Recognition medal vs. a collector commemorative, as the bill would have authorized just 50 bronze medals and
did not contain language authorizing the Centennial Commission to directly sell the medals. *The potential for duplicates to be sold by the Mint was referenced, however.)
Upon its introduction, the medal bill was referred to the House Committee on Banking and Currency, but was never reported out. Thus, as with the proposed coins, was not to be.
The Centennial Commission was created in 1955 via a Joint Resolution introduced in the Senate by Irving McNeil Ives (R-NY) and in the House by Joseph William Martin, Jr. (R-MA). (The House version was ultimately passed.)
The Commission was directed to:
1. To prepare a program for signalizing the 100th anniversary of the birth of Theodore Roosevelt and to take such steps as might be necessary to coordinate and correlate its plans with those prepared by State or civic bodies; and, if the participation of other nations were deemed desirable, to communicate to that end with the governments of such nations through the State Department.
2. To provide for the completion of the development of Theodore Roosevelt Island in the Potomac River.
3. To provide for the completion of the development of Theodore Roosevelt Memorial National Park in North Dakota.It is easy to imagine that the proposed medals could have been used to recognize those who excelled in helping the Centennial Commission achieve its objectives, and may have been similar to the medal designed/sculpted by
James Earle Fraser for the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Association circa 1920.
Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Association Medal
(Image Credit: Image courtesy of American Numismatic Society. Public Domain.)For other of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 05/13/2023 11:30 am
