On March 11, 1936, a small subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Banking and Currency held a Hearing to consider, amazingly, 12 commemorative coin/medal bills/resolutions plus one regular-issue circulation coin bill.
Senator Alva Blanchard Adams (D-CO), as Chairman of the Subcommittee, presided over the Hearing and had entered into the record the titles of bills/resolutions to be considered:
1. Landing of the Swedes in Delaware 300th Anniversary
2. Long Island, NY Settlement 300th Anniversary - House Bill
3. Long Island, NY Settlement 300th Anniversary - Senate Bill
4. Bridgeport, CT 100th Anniversary
5. Wisconsin Territorial 100th Anniversary (mistakenly referenced as Statehood anniversary)
6, Texas Independence 100th Anniversary
7. New Rochelle, NY 250th Anniversary
8. General Robert E. Lee medal
9. Jefferson Davis medal
10. Public Service of William Henry Harrison
11. Providence, RI 300th Anniversary
12. Striking of medals vs. coins
13. Coining of a three-cent nickel (regular circulation issue)
Except for the William Henry Harrison proposal, all of the commemorative coin bills were ultimately approved and corresponding coins were issued. In contrast, none of the medal-related bills was passed.
After all of the bills/resolutions had been introduced, a bit of friendly banter ensued. Senator Adams inquired of the Clerk, "Are there any other bills or resolutions before the Committee?"
To which the Clerk responded, "I think they are all we have, at least at the present time."
Senator Francis Thomas Maloney (D-CT) then offered, "Probably you will have to look at today's mail in order to be sure."
The Clerk responded, "Yes, that may be true."
Who says Congress has no sense of humor or that it wasn't aware of the ridiculous level to which commemorative coin proposals had risen in 1936?
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more than 100 other Quick Bits, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 07/21/2023 12:11 pm
