1959 Oregon Statehood Centennial So-Called Dollars

Zoins

Various statehood anniversaries fascinate me because a common design is used on many medals. The 1959 Oregon Statehood Centennial is one such event.

So-CalledDollars.com has the following info:

OREGON STATEHOOD CENTENNIAL
1959
Purpose: To celebrate 100th anniversary of Statehood.

Organization: Centennial Commission created by 1955 Legislature with $2,600,000 grant; Members appointed by Governor. Commission directly staged "Exposition and International Trade Fair," Portland; elsewhere assisted local committees in presenting multitude of celebrations and commemorative events.

Site, Dates, Attendance: Exposition held at Pacific International Livestock Building and grounds, 65 acres, North Portland, June 10 to Sept. 17, 1959 (symbolically, 100 days); attendance almost 1,500,000. Of numerous other state-wide events, some were special Centennial affairs, others were of annual nature, e.g. famous Pendleton Round-Up, but with added touches for 1959, all attracting "millions of additional visitors."

Participants: At Governor's request, with Congressional Resolution, President Eisenhower on Feb. 14, 1958, called for observance of centennial by American people, invited all states and territories to participate. At exposition, Alaska, Arizona and Washington took major parts with others exhibiting "their products and crafts"; many Federal displays but no Mint Exhibit.

Comment: Centennial year officially opened with "Statehood Banquet," Feb. 14 (exact anniversary), Portland. Exposition opening concurred with that of famous annual Rose Festival's 51st year; claimed to be largest Fair in west since 1939 Golden Gate Exposition. Forestry Building, originally erected for 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition and "world's largest log cabin," was "centerpiece"--lumbering being state's leading industry and production greatest in United States. During exposition, wagon train traveled old Oregon Train from Independence, Missouri to Independence Oregon, requiring four months for trip. Here, too, was first U.S. showing of multimillion dollar Atomic Energy Exhibit from Brussels Fair.

Medals: There was no "national medal" nor any Official Medal sponsored by Centennial Commission. There was an Official Emblem or Seal which appears on many of following private issues.

Here's a medal from CoinFacts:

1959 Buchanan-Eisenhower Dollar - HK-553

ricko

That is a nice medal. 1959 a good year - I graduated High School and joined the Navy. Cheers, RickO

Zoins

Coin shows, like merchant store cards, aren't cataloged as So-Called Dollars so this one isn't listed, but it is a "mule" in that one side is related to a SCD die, which happens to be a Official Emblem of the event. I wonder if the exact die can be matched to a SCD?

Fairlaneman

My favorite.
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Ken

coinsarefun

In 1959 Oregon had so many different ones. Each county and area had there own.

These are my favorites.

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34mm 1959 OR AR/BRASS (silvered brass) GRANTS PASS, OREGON STATEHOOD CENTENNIAL NGC MS 65
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34mm 1959 OR BRASS GRANTS PASS, OREGON STATEHOOD CENTENNIAL NGC MS 67

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Zoins

@coinsarefun The Oregon Caveman Good for Tokens are great ones! Do you know who designed and struck them?