I often explore different avenues for collecting the US commemorative coin series, and have presented a number of topical subsets that might be of interest - Coins with Allegory, Coins with Ships, Coins with Horses, etc. Here's a mini-set with a Huguenot-inspired theme.
But first, a quick bit of history...
The Huguenots established the first
permanent settlements of New Amsterdam (present-day Manhattan / New York City). The Huguenots also created settlements on Staten Island (NY), New Paltz (NY) and New Rochelle (NY).
The Amsterdam settlements of 1624 were commemorated by the 1924 Huguenot-Walloon Tercentenary half dollar. Per its authorizing Act, the coin was struck to commemorate "the three hundredth anniversary of the settling of New Netherland, the Middle States, in 1624, by Walloons, French and Belgian Huguenots, under the Dutch West India Company."
The Huguenot settlers arrived in New Amsterdam in 1624 in the
Nieu Nederland (
New Netherland), a Dutch West India Company sailing ship. In 1626, Peter Minuit, a Walloon from Belgium and the then-current Director of the Dutch New Netherland Colony, negotiated the purchase of Manhattan Island from its local Native American inhabitants - the Lenape.
It was a simple start for what would become one of the United States' leading seaports and most populous and important cities, as well as one of the world's leading financial centers.
1924 Huguenot-Walloon Tercentenary Half Dollar
Decades later, in 1688, New Rochelle was founded by Huguenots (Protestants) from France. They came to the New World to escape religious persecution and purchased a tract of land of 6,000 acres along the Long Island Sound to settle. The land was purchased from John Pell, Lord of the Manor of Pelham, for "the sum of Sixteen hundred twenty & Five pounds sterling currant [sic] silver money of this province" and "...one fatt calfe on every fourer & twentieth day of June YEARLY & Every Years forever (if demanded)." The settlement was named New Rochelle after the Port of La Rochelle in France (a Huguenot stronghold).
Per its authorizing legislation, the 1938 New Rochelle, NY 250th Anniversary Half Dollar was struck "in commemoration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding and settlement of the city of New Rochelle, New York."
1938 New Rochelle, NY 250th Anniversary Half Dollar
So, for a very "short set" of Huguenot-themed US commemorative coins, all you need it the 1924 Huguenot-Walloon Tercentenary and 1938 New Rochelle, NY 250th Anniversary half dollars.
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including other Huguenot-Walloon and New Rochelle, NY half dollar stories, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 11/14/2023 1:48 pm
