History: Grant Memorial Coinages
LeeG
Posts: 12,162 ✭
This is my thoughts on how this chapter looks in my book. None of the Publishers I contacted wanted it, so I'm self-publishing using Lulu. Let me know what you think, positive or negative. 
1922 Mintage of 5,000, 10 for assay, all sold
1922 Mintage of 5,000, 6 for assay, all sold
The centenary of the birth of Ulysses S. Grant (April 2, 1822) brought forth another souvenir coinage.
The chief celebrations were held in Ohio, the State in which General Grant was born. In 1921, an organization was incorporated in that State under the name of “The Ulysses S. Grant Centenary Memorial Association,” to conduct appropriate celebrations in Clermont County, Ohio. It was also determined to erect memorial buildings in Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio, where Grant lived as a boy and from which place he was named as a West Point cadet; and at Bethel, Clermont County, where he resided for a short while after his graduation.
1922 Mintage of 95,000, 49 for assay, 27,650 returned for melting
1922 Mintage of 5000, 6 for assay, 750 returned for melting
To help defray the costs of these various undertakings, including the construction of a highway, as noted in the Act, a bill was introduced in Congress directing the Government to mint gold dollars to be sold at a premium by the Committee. After a number of vicissitudes and amendments, the bill passed Congress.
The original bill called for 200,000 gold dollars, but it met with decided objections on the grounds that too much gold would be drawn away from more useful purposes. Therefore, 10,000 gold dollars were authorized, and 250,000 silver half-dollars were added. Also the word “memorial” was substituted in the bill for “souvenir,” in describing the coins.
The design, which is the same for both the gold dollar and the silver half-dollar, was the work of Laura Gardin Fraser, who had previously designed the Alabama issue. The initial for her maiden name, Gardin, appears on the Grant issue.
General Grant at his Headquarters in Cold Harbor, Virginia in 1864.
The models for the half-dollar were prepared prior to those for the gold dollar. During March, 1922, the Mint at Philadelphia struck 10,016 gold dollars, the first 5,000 of which bore in the obverse right field a small incused star which was subsequently removed for the second half of the coinage. Later, there were also struck 100,055 of the silver half-dollars. The first 5,006 of this coinage also had the incused star. The coins were put on sale during the month of April, two months after the bill’s passage. The half-dollars were sold at one dollar each, and the gold dollars at three dollars each for the plain issue, and at three and one-half dollars for the variety with the star.
The entire issue of the gold coins was sold by the Commission; but of the silver half-dollars, 750 of the type with the star and 27,650 of the plain variety were returned to the Mint.
In the case of the Alabama and Missouri coins, there was some meaning to the added symbols, but in this case there was apparently no significance. Had four stars been placed on the coin, they would at least have shown the rank of Grant as General. The placing of the star upon the half-dollar was not originally contemplated. It was brought about by the request for two varieties of the half-dollar when the gold dollars were ordered. This commemorative gold dollar was the only issue to carry any of the mottoes.
General Grant, Lt. Col Bowers, and General Rawlins at Grants headquarters in 1864.
The letter G between the dates on the obverse of this series was placed there by the Mint, as was the case with the Columbian and the Pilgrim issues. The artist’s monogram or initials are usually in relief when placed there by the artist. The Mint, on the other hand, usually inserts an incused single letter to designate the artist.
The inscriptions on the Grant series make no direct reference to the purpose for which the coins were struck. The practice of artificially creating a variety of a commemorative coin by additions of a device, or change in date or mint-mark, is open to criticism. Notwithstanding that, numismatists have considered the varieties superfluous, the fact that they are limited issues makes them readily marketable. Since this issue was minted with the limited number struck, and advance in price, of the Grant half-dollar with the star, there have been numerous half-dollars of the plain variety with the star fraudulently punched in.
Grant’s Log Cabin near Kirkwood, St. Louis County, Missouri in 1891.
In connection with the spuriously added star of the Grant issue, it might be well to mention here that in 1935 many of the rarer issues were counterfeited. Fortunately, the pieces were recognized before the market was flooded, and the counterfeiter was apprehended.
At one time it was believed that the genuine Grant pieces with star could be recognized by certain flaws in the obverse field which were rectified when the star was removed from the original hub, preparatory to the coinage of the plain issue. A special study of these pieces by Howland Wood, revealed the fact that a number of die combinations had been used in striking the Grant issue, but no record was kept as to which dies struck the star variety. Minute examination of the coins reveals a number of characteristics by which the dies may be noted, such as the outlined initial “G” in GRANT, and the period on the reverse following the “I” of PLURIBUS. From this study it was found that the genuine star in the Grant half-dollar must be recognized on its own merits rather than by the accompanying characteristics, although the majority of coins with the star appear to have been struck from the dies having the flaws.
54 years old in 1876
The records show that eight obverse and six reverse dies were used in the total coinage of the half-dollars. The strikings per die, however, show that more coins were struck than are actually accounted for in the Mint Reports, since the combined total for the obverse and reverse dies was 117,685 pieces. The Mint Report gives 100,061 as the total coinage, leaving wastage of over 17,000 pieces.
1922 Mintage of 5,000, 10 for assay, all sold
1922 Mintage of 5,000, 6 for assay, all sold
The centenary of the birth of Ulysses S. Grant (April 2, 1822) brought forth another souvenir coinage.
The chief celebrations were held in Ohio, the State in which General Grant was born. In 1921, an organization was incorporated in that State under the name of “The Ulysses S. Grant Centenary Memorial Association,” to conduct appropriate celebrations in Clermont County, Ohio. It was also determined to erect memorial buildings in Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio, where Grant lived as a boy and from which place he was named as a West Point cadet; and at Bethel, Clermont County, where he resided for a short while after his graduation.
1922 Mintage of 95,000, 49 for assay, 27,650 returned for melting
1922 Mintage of 5000, 6 for assay, 750 returned for melting
To help defray the costs of these various undertakings, including the construction of a highway, as noted in the Act, a bill was introduced in Congress directing the Government to mint gold dollars to be sold at a premium by the Committee. After a number of vicissitudes and amendments, the bill passed Congress.
The original bill called for 200,000 gold dollars, but it met with decided objections on the grounds that too much gold would be drawn away from more useful purposes. Therefore, 10,000 gold dollars were authorized, and 250,000 silver half-dollars were added. Also the word “memorial” was substituted in the bill for “souvenir,” in describing the coins.
The design, which is the same for both the gold dollar and the silver half-dollar, was the work of Laura Gardin Fraser, who had previously designed the Alabama issue. The initial for her maiden name, Gardin, appears on the Grant issue.
General Grant at his Headquarters in Cold Harbor, Virginia in 1864.
The models for the half-dollar were prepared prior to those for the gold dollar. During March, 1922, the Mint at Philadelphia struck 10,016 gold dollars, the first 5,000 of which bore in the obverse right field a small incused star which was subsequently removed for the second half of the coinage. Later, there were also struck 100,055 of the silver half-dollars. The first 5,006 of this coinage also had the incused star. The coins were put on sale during the month of April, two months after the bill’s passage. The half-dollars were sold at one dollar each, and the gold dollars at three dollars each for the plain issue, and at three and one-half dollars for the variety with the star.
The entire issue of the gold coins was sold by the Commission; but of the silver half-dollars, 750 of the type with the star and 27,650 of the plain variety were returned to the Mint.
In the case of the Alabama and Missouri coins, there was some meaning to the added symbols, but in this case there was apparently no significance. Had four stars been placed on the coin, they would at least have shown the rank of Grant as General. The placing of the star upon the half-dollar was not originally contemplated. It was brought about by the request for two varieties of the half-dollar when the gold dollars were ordered. This commemorative gold dollar was the only issue to carry any of the mottoes.
General Grant, Lt. Col Bowers, and General Rawlins at Grants headquarters in 1864.
The letter G between the dates on the obverse of this series was placed there by the Mint, as was the case with the Columbian and the Pilgrim issues. The artist’s monogram or initials are usually in relief when placed there by the artist. The Mint, on the other hand, usually inserts an incused single letter to designate the artist.
The inscriptions on the Grant series make no direct reference to the purpose for which the coins were struck. The practice of artificially creating a variety of a commemorative coin by additions of a device, or change in date or mint-mark, is open to criticism. Notwithstanding that, numismatists have considered the varieties superfluous, the fact that they are limited issues makes them readily marketable. Since this issue was minted with the limited number struck, and advance in price, of the Grant half-dollar with the star, there have been numerous half-dollars of the plain variety with the star fraudulently punched in.
Grant’s Log Cabin near Kirkwood, St. Louis County, Missouri in 1891.
In connection with the spuriously added star of the Grant issue, it might be well to mention here that in 1935 many of the rarer issues were counterfeited. Fortunately, the pieces were recognized before the market was flooded, and the counterfeiter was apprehended.
At one time it was believed that the genuine Grant pieces with star could be recognized by certain flaws in the obverse field which were rectified when the star was removed from the original hub, preparatory to the coinage of the plain issue. A special study of these pieces by Howland Wood, revealed the fact that a number of die combinations had been used in striking the Grant issue, but no record was kept as to which dies struck the star variety. Minute examination of the coins reveals a number of characteristics by which the dies may be noted, such as the outlined initial “G” in GRANT, and the period on the reverse following the “I” of PLURIBUS. From this study it was found that the genuine star in the Grant half-dollar must be recognized on its own merits rather than by the accompanying characteristics, although the majority of coins with the star appear to have been struck from the dies having the flaws.
54 years old in 1876
The records show that eight obverse and six reverse dies were used in the total coinage of the half-dollars. The strikings per die, however, show that more coins were struck than are actually accounted for in the Mint Reports, since the combined total for the obverse and reverse dies was 117,685 pieces. The Mint Report gives 100,061 as the total coinage, leaving wastage of over 17,000 pieces.
0
Comments
GREAT
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
<< <i>I would buy the no star 50c >>
Keep an eye on the BST here , thats where i got mine in UNC.
<< <i>This is my thoughts on how this chapter looks in my book. None of the Publishers I contacted wanted it, so I'm self-publishing using Lulu. Let me know what you think, positive or negative. >>
So is Lulu for publishing a E-Book that's only viewable or downloaded from the web
The more history the better as that is a major interest for many commem collectors.
<< <i>put me down for a copy
The more history the better as that is a major interest for many commem collectors. >>
Great post thanks, I would like to own one also. I currently have two Civil War books going, and maps in my office and on my bedside table. Grant remains a fascinating character in American history.
The format will be much different in the book, better actually.
Lulu can be used to make printed copies of books. Many different format's and types. Depends on what you want to spend.
Getting this book done is a very slow process. Factual information, permissions for images, and coins, and putting it all together on paper so it makes sense is tough. I don't have a date yet when it will be ready.
Lee, your OP is fantastic!!!
Here's my Scarface with Star!!!!!!