The New York herald., 1922-12-03
American Memorial Coins.


they are often called, souvenir, coins
have been comparatively few in the
United States. Within the last ten
years there have been eight Of these
coins, a greater number than in the
whole previous history Of the coun-
try. These recent issues. however,
attracted attention to degree which
would indicate that coinage COM
memorative of American events will
be more frequent than 1t has been In
the past.
The frst Of the memorial coins
appeared in conjunction with the
Columbian Exposition at Chicago in
1893 commemorating the 400th an
niversary of the discovery Of Amer
ica. Two silver coins were issued:
the Columbian half dollar. bearing
on the diverse portrait OF CoLuN-
BUS and on the reverse picture OF
three masted caravel, and the Isa-
bella quarter, with a bust Of Queen
isabella of Spain on the diverse
and a kneeling woman with distaf
and the inscription Board Of Lady
Managers ON the reverse.
The design OF these coins provoked
considerable adverse criticism, es7
pecially that of the half dollar. The
portrait OF CoLuABus might, accord
ing to the critics, be that OF DANIEL
WEBSTER, HENRY WARD BEEcHER or
SITTING BULL, and the picture of the
caravel resembled a boat on wheels
more than anything else. The plan
OF distribution OF these coins was
also adversely commented upon. Ap-
parently the original intention was
that they were to be preserved as
souvenirs and also used for admis-
sion to the exposition grounds.
The plan OF selling them for twice
their value grew out Of the need for
help In paying the cost OF the fair.
1.-THE precedent, good or bad, Of
charging at least double their face
value" says Rowland WooD in "The
Commemorative Coinage of the
United States" which has just been
published, was instituted with the
first commemorative coinage" The
Columbian pieces not only were the,
forerunners of our souvenir coins
but the plan Of their distribution was
that usually followed in all subse-
Quent issues.
\ The next memorial coin was the
Lafayette dollar. a silver coin bear
ing the portraits Of LAFAYETTE and
WASHINGTON and reproduction OF
PAUL BABTLErTs equestrian statue OF
LAFAYETTE In Paris. The issue was
for the purpose of obtaining funds to
complete this statue. The dollar was
interesting because on it for the first
time one of our Presidents was por-
trayed on q governmental coin. 1t
was followed by the Jefferson and
Mckinley dollar issued under date Of
1903 for the Louisiana Purchase Ex-
position, which was held In 1904,
and the Lewis and Clark dollar for
the Portland. Oregon. Exposition, in
1906. Then came the souvenir coins
Of the Panama-Paciic Exposition, a
silver half dollar. a gold dollar and
a quarter eagle and two fifty dollar
gold pieces. one OF which was octag-
onal In shape. recalling the eight
sided California "slugs" OF the gold
days.
The Mckinley memorial gold dol
lar was issued in 1917 to assist the
project OF building memorial to the
President at his birthplace, Niles,
Ohio. A centennial half dollar was
struck for Illinois in 1918, sommemo-
rating the anniversary OF the States
admission to the Union. IL was the
first souvenir piece for an incident
OF this kind. Names centenary was
commemorated In similar way in
1920. and those OF Missouri and Ala
bama IN 1921. The Alabama coin had
portrait Of Governor knBy, the
first instance OF the portrayal Of
living person on coin OF this coun-
try. Two other historic incidents
were commemorated by souvenir
coins. the tercentenarys OF the land
ing OF the Pilgrim Fathers and the
one hundredth anniversary OF the
birth OF GRANT.
Much OF the earlier criticism Of
these souvenir coins grew out OF a
Misunderstanding of the part which
the Government had in their produc-
tion. They we're not issued and put
into circulation as commemorative
postage stamps were. The Govern
ment had nothing to do with memo
rial coins beyond legalizing them by
act OF Congress and striking them at
It's mints. The organizations for
which these pieces were made were
not always successful in dIsposing OF
them. Mr.. Woop says that at the
close OF the Columbian Exposition