1936 Commemorative Coinage of the Philippines

FilamCoins

These two silver pesos were struck in 1936 by the Manila mint to celebrate the country's new status as a U.S. commonwealth (as opposed to a dependent territory which it had been considered since around 1898). Both coins feature the incoming president of the Philippines, Manuel L. Quezon. Together with Quezon on one of the coins is the well-known former U.S. president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. I believe this is the only American coin that depicts a living president?! The other coin portrays the lesser known Frank Murphy. Murphy was the outgoing governor at the time. After the country became a commonwealth, I believe Quezon only had U.S. "advisors." Each coin had a mintage of 10,000 and sold for around $1 each. When the Japanese invaded during WWII, many of these commems, together with a bunch of other coins, were dumped into the sea to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. Well, I guess silver and salt water don't mix, because the majority of this issue now looks like crap. I don't know how many mint state examples exist today, but I suspect only a few hundred. Here is a couple of gems that were put away and cared for by a Philippine collector. They are a nice matched pair, sequentially certified by ANACS.

shirohniichan

Very nice. My silver Wilson medal is one of those crappy sea-salvaged pieces. I thought the story behind it made it worth buying.

1jester

Awesome!

jamesfsm

Governor Frank Murphy later served as an associate justice of the US Supreme Court. Justice Murphy was the subject of several rumors during his court tenure that were largely unflattering.

21Walker

Very nice Mr. Pilam. I've got the 3 piece set (including the 50 centavo). However mine resemble that old TV show 'voyage to the bottom of the sea'. It would be nice if you could get (if you don't already) the 50 centavo piece (mintage 20,000) in the same condition to round out the set..........Happy New Year.....Rick

Preussen

coins. - Preussen

oldshep

Yep - Eye poppers allright!!
Shep

USAROK

FilamCoins: Very nice Pesos and write-up! I seem to be slowly accumulating the 1936 commemoratives. I started out with a nice NGC MS64 Murphy-Quezon peso and later added a NGC MS65 Murphy-Quezon 50 Centavos. Then at the San Francisco ANA I picked up a nice 3 coin set that is at NGC for grading right now. I also picked up a Murphy-Quezon sea salvage peso at the ANA show that I have as my pocket piece. It generates a lot of interest whenever I pull it out with my loose change at the store.

Clankeye

<< <i>FilamCoins: Very nice Pesos and write-up! >>

whohah

As far as 'living' president on an American coin, in 1926, Coolidge was on the Sesquicentennial Half Dollar with Washington.

Justhavingfun

<< FilamCoins: Very nice Pesos and write-up! >>

Yes ...




And, hi, USAROK. I think Mr. Filam's estimate of the number of survivors (a few hundred) is close to the real number. So your policy of putting aside the nice ones will likely pay nice dividends.

Now two questions for both of you:

(1) My experience is that the Murphy Quezon is a tad harder to find than the Murphy Roosevelt. Is your experience similar?

(2) My experience is that the 50-centavo is quite a bit harder to find nice than either of the Pesos. Yes, yes, I know .... the mintage for the 50 centavo (20,000) is double the mintage for the pesos. But they just don't seem to come nicely. And I'll often two-coin sets for sale, but rarely see the 50 centavo or a three coin set. What's your experience on the 50 centavo.

Warm regards,


Just Having Fun



But hardest of them all is the 1936 50 centavo. Even though that has twice the mintage, the 50 centavo coins just don't seem to have been saved as ardently as the pesos, and to me, they're clearly the hardest of the three to find. So salt them away too.

FilamCoins

Hey there Mr. Fun!



<< <i>(1) My experience is that the Murphy Quezon is a tad harder to find than the Murphy Roosevelt. Is your experience similar? >>



Certainly in terms of condition. More Roosies available in higher grades. I suspect that since he was a popular president, the coin was more readily saved.



<< <i>(2) My experience is that the 50-centavo is quite a bit harder to find nice than either of the Pesos. Yes, yes, I know .... the mintage for the 50 centavo (20,000) is double the mintage for the pesos. But they just don't seem to come nicely. And I'll often two-coin sets for sale, but rarely see the 50 centavo or a three coin set. What's your experience on the 50 centavo. >>



Yep, right again. I'm sure the minor wasn't nearly as popular as the two crowns. Also has Murphy on it rather than Roosevelt. I haven't been able to find higher than 64, and even that is a toned piece. I see quite a few 3-coin sets, but as you've said, the 50c just isn't as nice. I also bet it was more widely circulated (i.e. used in daily commerce) as compared to the Pesos


See you back in the badlands soon!

shirohniichan

Interesting...

I found the 50 centavos harder to find, and the one I kept for my collection is no better than MS63. It wasn't terribly expensive, though.