The bill that resulted in the 1934 Founding of the Province of Maryland 300th Anniversary Half Dollar began its journey in Congress via the Senate in March 1934 - its bill was co-introduced by Senators Phillips Lee Goldsborough (R-MD) and Millard Evelyn Tydings (D-MD).
The bill was quickly passed in the Senate without debate/objection and sent to the House of Representatives ("House") for concurrence. In the House, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures.
Due to the tight timelines associated with the coin bill (Maryland was marking its 300th Anniversary in 1934!), an abbreviated Hearing/Committee meeting on the bill was quickly scheduled by the House Coinage Committee. Representative Stephen Warfield Gambrill (D-MD), the bill's advocate in the House, attended in support of the measure. He was supported by members of the Maryland Tercentenary Commission, including William L. Marbury, Maryland Tercentenary Commission Chairman and R. Bennett Darnall, Chairman of the Commission's Executive Committee. The Commission members were present to discuss the proposed coin's objectives with the Coinage Committee.
Discussions with the US Treasury Department led to the coin's proposed mintage being adjusted from 10,000 coins to 25,000 coins. Language was also recommended to ensure the Federal Government would not be liable for costs associated with "making the master dies or other preparations for this coinage."
Following the Hearing/meeting, the Coinage Committee provided a Report to the House that incorporated the Treasury's suggested changes and recommended that the bill pass as amended. It did and soon was presented to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt for approval - he signed the bill into Law. The entire process took just two months (March 6, 1934 - May 9, 1934)!
For more details regarding the House's consideration of the amended bill, see:
1934 Maryland Tercentenary - Congress.
1934 Founding of Maryland Province Tercentary Half Dollar
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more Maryland half dollar stories, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 09/16/2025 2:00 pm
