Dolly Madison silver dollar - a design by Tifany

BillJones

Maybe it’s a sign of dementia, but of late I’ve been having fun collecting some “modern commemorative junk silver dollars.” Most of these coins are dirt cheap given the almost uniformly high grades, and many do have a collector interest in one form or another.

One of my recent acquisitions is this Dolly Madison commemorative piece, which I find quite attractive. I was surprised to note that the venerable firm of Tiffany & Co. supplied the designs. Some might find the coin a bit flowery, but I think that it’s rather pleasing to the eye. The reverse, which depicts James Madison’s home, Montpelier, is definitely better than the “trolley car” design of the same house that appeared on the Bill of Rights commemorative silver dollar.

Dolly Madison is a very worthy subject for a U.S. commemorative coin. She and husband James were an odd couple. She was friendly, vivacious and outgoing and was the perfect White House hostess. It was said that she was so charming that she could “disarm envy itself.”

She was also a pretty gutsy lady as she showed during the War of 1812. Just before the British captured Washington, DC and burned the White House, Dolly saved a number of White House treasures, including a Gilbert Stewart painting of George Washington. James Madison was diminutive (the shortest president at 5 feet, 4 inches) quiet, withdrawn, cerebral, nervous and sickly.

Some people have commented to me that Dolly Madison was an unattractive lady, but I think that they were basing that upon some photos that were taken of her late in life. During that period she was widowed and living in gentile poverty. In her younger days, judging from the paintings, she was an attractive lady.

At any rate here is my Dolly Madison dollar and the pictures of Montpelier that appear on the Dolly Madison and Bill of Rights coins.

dwssws

I like them!

fivecents

She also makes some killer snack cakes.

Bobk

I like the way LIBERTY is done.

CoinResource

Thanks for sharing some history too!!! Nice coins! -cm

DorkGirl

It can't be dementia, you are having fun And that is what this hobby is all about. Interesting read, thanks!!

JrGMan2004

Here's some pictures of my favorite modern commemoratives

1995 Civil War 50C Proof



1984 Olympic S$1 Proof (I like the Rev mostly )



1986 Statue of Liberty $5 Proof



1988 Olympic $5 Proof



1997 Jackie Robinson $5 Proof




There's a few others that I really like too, but these are just the pictures I could find while sorting through online pictures

fc

am I the only one who thinks the designs on those coins was rushed?

The dolly madison appears to have been thought out a lot more than the
ones below it though.

Is that a cannon on the barren moon? (civil war coin).

I guess that happens when the design is given to a contest for high school kids
to draw up. ;-)

flaminio

<< <i> >>

My, what a contrast, seeing these two reverses side by side. In one view it shows everything that is wrong with the modern commemorative program, and what it could be if bureaucrats and committees would get out of the way and let artists go. The reverses depict exactly the same motif, but the Bill of Rights rendering looks like *I* could have drawn it (and that is decidedly not a Good Thing), while the Tiffany designed Dolley reverse is lovely and enchanting, almost drawing you into that stately home.

FatMan

A respected board member asked me recently while she was my house guest what some of my favorite coins were. I mentioned about 8 coins, one of which was the Dolley Dollar. She laughed and thought I was kidding. But I was serious. I think it is one of nicest coins ever produced by the US Mint. I think the satin MS dollar is even nicer than the proof. Go ahead....laugh away.

fc

fatman,

you like it because it shows some bust.

be honest.

Conder101

Traditionally it is said that buildings do not make good coin designs and the Bill of Rights coin shows why. That straight on view of the building is what you tend to get from government designers (See lincoln cent, Jefferson nickel, Bicentennial half dollar, McKinley dollar, Sesquicentennial quarter eagle, Delaware half, Iowa half, Booker T Washington, White House dollar, etc.) (if you didn't know what they were I doubt if you could tell which building was which on the Jefferson nickel, McKinley dollar, and White House dollar, heck throw the Bill or rights dollar in their too. But when you show an oblique view you suddenly get depth, a better representation of the building design, and just a visually more stimulating image. As seen on the Dolly Madison, Washington sesquicentennial, Eisenhower centennial, Jefferson dollar, Women in military service memorial, etc.

dizzyfoxx

That Dolly Madison is a very pretty coin.