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Classic Commemoratives: History Lesson #7
LeeG
Posts: 12,162 ✭
This weeks lesson will be a brief overview of Silver Commemoratives. Next week I'll start going into information about each type of Classic commemorative.
The World's Columbian Exposition, intended to be held in Chicago in 1892 to observe the 400th anniversary of Columbus' landing in America, furnished the opportunity for the first United States commemorative coin, the 1892 Columbian half dollar. As it turned out, the Exposition was not completed in time, and the gates of the fair were not thrown open to the public until a year later in 1893. Additional Columbian half dollars with the 1893 date were produced. In the same year a small number of 1893 Isabella quarter dollars were issued at the Exposition, and were the first and only commemoratives of this denomination.
The next silver commemorative coin is the 1900-dated Lafayette silver dollar, all of which were struck in a single day on December 14, 1899, the 100th anniversary of George Washington's death. Conjoined portraits of Lafayette and Washington appear on the obverse of the coin. Next is the 1915-S half dollar issued for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco in 1915, followed by the 1918 Illinois Centennial, 1920 Maine Centennial, and 1920 and 1921 Pilgrim Tercentenary half dollars.
Production of commemorative half dollars continued through 1954, with the year 1936 being particularly memorable with the issuance of a dozen new designs. At the time, commemoratives were a nationwide fad, prices jumped virtually overnight, and thousands of new buyers jumped on the bandwagon. Soon a peak was reached, followed by a market decline. However, commemoratives were here to stay, and from that time onward they have been a foundation stone in American numismatics.
Congressional criticism of commemorative half dollars resulted in the suspension of issues after 1954. It was not until 1982 that production was resumed, this time with more equitable marketing and pricing programs, with distribution handled by the U. S. Mint. Earlier, many coins had been distributed by private commissions and individuals, not all of whom acted fairly.
Wheras many early issues were made to commemorate events of strictly local interest, commemoratives of 1982 to date, produced in quantities vastly greater than those of 1892-1954, have for the most part observed anniversaries and events of nationwide interest. Collectors everywhere hope that future years will see many new commemoratives of interest and importance.
Signing off till next week
Links To Previous Lessons:
Lesson #1
Lesson #2
Lesson #3
Lesson #4
Lesson #5
Lesson #6
The World's Columbian Exposition, intended to be held in Chicago in 1892 to observe the 400th anniversary of Columbus' landing in America, furnished the opportunity for the first United States commemorative coin, the 1892 Columbian half dollar. As it turned out, the Exposition was not completed in time, and the gates of the fair were not thrown open to the public until a year later in 1893. Additional Columbian half dollars with the 1893 date were produced. In the same year a small number of 1893 Isabella quarter dollars were issued at the Exposition, and were the first and only commemoratives of this denomination.
The next silver commemorative coin is the 1900-dated Lafayette silver dollar, all of which were struck in a single day on December 14, 1899, the 100th anniversary of George Washington's death. Conjoined portraits of Lafayette and Washington appear on the obverse of the coin. Next is the 1915-S half dollar issued for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco in 1915, followed by the 1918 Illinois Centennial, 1920 Maine Centennial, and 1920 and 1921 Pilgrim Tercentenary half dollars.
Production of commemorative half dollars continued through 1954, with the year 1936 being particularly memorable with the issuance of a dozen new designs. At the time, commemoratives were a nationwide fad, prices jumped virtually overnight, and thousands of new buyers jumped on the bandwagon. Soon a peak was reached, followed by a market decline. However, commemoratives were here to stay, and from that time onward they have been a foundation stone in American numismatics.
Congressional criticism of commemorative half dollars resulted in the suspension of issues after 1954. It was not until 1982 that production was resumed, this time with more equitable marketing and pricing programs, with distribution handled by the U. S. Mint. Earlier, many coins had been distributed by private commissions and individuals, not all of whom acted fairly.
Wheras many early issues were made to commemorate events of strictly local interest, commemoratives of 1982 to date, produced in quantities vastly greater than those of 1892-1954, have for the most part observed anniversaries and events of nationwide interest. Collectors everywhere hope that future years will see many new commemoratives of interest and importance.
Signing off till next week
Links To Previous Lessons:
Lesson #1
Lesson #2
Lesson #3
Lesson #4
Lesson #5
Lesson #6
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Comments
Coin's for sale/trade.
Tom Pilitowski
US Rare Coin Investments
800-624-1870
In the same year a small number of 1893 Isabella quarter dollars were issued at the Exposition, and were the first and only commemoratives of this denomination.
<< <i>I enjoy your lessons, but is this statement accurate in light of the state quarter program?
In the same year a small number of 1893 Isabella quarter dollars were issued at the Exposition, and were the <STRONG>first and only commemoratives of this denomination.
</STRONG> >>
The key word in the phrase is "were", and of course they "were" the only at the time.
<< <i>state quarter program >>
I may be wrong, but are State Quarters considered Commemorative coins? The info posted above was originaly printed in 91/92.
Heres a link to the U.S. Mint Commemorative Coin Program:
U.S. Mint Commemorative Coin Program