Monroe Doctrine 1923 Half Dollar, a Hollywood Production, Monroe Movie Tokens

WillieBoyd2 · November 28, 2016 7:14AM

The Monroe Doctrine Commemorative 1923 Half Dollar:

United States Half Dollar 1923-S - Monroe Doctrine Commemorative
Specs: Silver, 30mm, 12.55gm
Obverse:
Former presidents James Monroe and John Quincy Adams facing left.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / HALF DOLLAR / IN GOD WE TRUST
MONROE-ADAMS / 1923-S
Reverse:
Stylized figures of women on continents North and South America
MONROE DOCTRINE CENTENNIAL / LOS ANGELES / 1823-1923

These coins were manufactured to help fund the Los Angeles Monroe Doctrine Centennial Exposition which was to be held in 1923.

The "Monroe Doctrine" was contained in President James Monroe's annual message to Congress on December 2, 1823, which warned European nations against interfering with American or Western Hemisphere nations.

By 1922, the Hollywood film industry was making silent films and was beset with various scandals.

Film director William Desmond Taylor was shot and killed, he reported kept underwear belonging to his "conquests", two of whom, actresses Mabel Normand and teenage actress Mary Miles Minter became suspects in the shooting, along with Minter's mother.

Actor Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle was tried several times for rape and finally acquitted, and there were many other film personalities involved in sexual or drug scandals, including some who died from drug overdoses.

The film studios banded together to create an exposition or "world's fair" in Los Angeles, and had this commemorative coin issued to promote the exposition.

The exposition organizers picked the 100th anniversary of the Monroe Doctrine as the theme for the coin as the coin needed the authorization of the United States Congress and a celebration of the film industry would not get that.

The San Francisco Mint made 300,000 of these coins which were to be sold for $1.00 each.

Most were unsold and were then issued as circulation coins.
The coin's designer was accused of copying another artist's design.
The exposition was a financial failure.

President Monroe's image appeared on some dollar-size tokens at the same time, and these made appearances in films.

President James Monroe Token - Bird of Paradise
Specs: White metal, 35mm, 9.28gm
Obverse:
President James Monroe facing half left, no text
Reverse:
Bird of Paradise and man kneeling in temple surrounded by eight-pointed rounded star, no text
This token was supposedly made for film studio use.

This token appeared in the following films:

Atom Man vs. Superman (1950)

Gun Duel at Durango (1957)

This token references the Monroe Doctrine Centennial and was produced by the Los Angeles Rubber Stamp Company which, among other things, made film prop coins for studios.

President James Monroe Token - Los Angeles Rubber Stamp Company
Specs: Aluminum, 35mm, 3.87gm
Obverse:
President James Monroe facing half left
COMPLIMENTS OF / LOS ANGELES RUBBER STAMP CO.
Reverse:
Los Angeles city emblem with flag, bear, eagle, castle, lion
MONROE DOCTRONE (sic) CENTENNIAL 1923 (The token misspells "doctrine")
STADIUM, LOS ANGELES. CALIF.
CITY OF LOS ANGELES / FOUNDED 1781

This token appeared in the following films:

Kim (1950)