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The McKinley Memorial Gold Dollars
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This commemorative coin was issued to help defray the cost of erecting and endowing a memorial building at Niles, Ohio, the birthplace of President William McKinley. Congress aided this undertaking only to the extent of allowing the coins to be struck and delivered to the National McKinley Birthplace Memorial Association, to be sold at a profit, The Association paid for both the dies and the coins.
At first, a silver dollar was projected, but this was later changed to a gold dollar. The Act of Congress creating this coinage reads as follows:
(Public—No. 20—64th Congress]
An Act FOR the coinage of a McKinley souvenir gold dollar, in commemoration of the erection of a memorial to William McKinley, late President of the United States.
Beit enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That for the purpose of aiding in defraying the cost of completing in a suitable manner the work of erecting a memorial in the city of Niles, Ohio, to William McKinley, late President of the United States of America, the Secretary of the Treasury shall be, and is hereby, authorized to purchase in the market so much gold bullion as may be necessary for the purpose herein provided for, from which there shall be coined at the United States Mint, Philadelphia, standard gold dollars of the legal weight and fineness, to the number of not exceeding one hundred thousand pieces, to be known as the McKinley souvenir dollar, struck in commemoration of the erection of a memorial to William McKinley, late President of the United States of America, in the city of Niles, Ohio, his birthplace, the devices and designs upon which coins shall be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury; and all provisions of law relative to the coinage and legal-tender quality of the standard gold dollar shall be applicable to the coins issued under this Act, and when so coined said souvenir dollars shall be delivered, in suitable parcels, at par, and without cost to the United States, to the National McKinley Birthplace Memorial Association and the dies shall be destroyed.
Approved, February 23, 1916.
Although the bill permitted 100,000 pieces, only 30,000 were struck at the Philadelphia Mint. They bear the dates 1916 and 1917, respectively. During August and October, 20,026 were struck dated 1916, and 10,014 dated 1917 were struck in February. The obverse was made by C. E. Barber, and the reverse by G. T. Morgan, the engravers of the Mint. The portrait of McKinley can in no way compare with the portrait on the Louisiana Purchase dollar. These coins were sold at three dollars each although it previously had been planned to ask but two dollars. There were returned to the Mint to be melted down 10,023 pieces—about 5,000 of each date.
Obv. Head of McKinley to left; around top border: united•STATES•Of AMERICA Around lower border:•McKINLEY Dollar•
Rev.Façade of McKinley Memorial Building. Above: McKINLEY BIRTHPLACE around border. Paralleled within in smaller letters: NILES—OHIO. In exergue, in two lines, 1916 and memorial curved at lower border.
Edge.Reeded.141/2 mm. Gold.
Roman.
Same as above, but dated 1917 on reverse.
The main inscription on the reverse, MCKINLBY BIRTHPLACE, NILES OHIO, is unusual in that it has no direct relation to the main type, which is the McKinley Memorial Building.
The Act authorizing this coinage is the only one to date, in which a striking at the Philadelphia Mint is specified by Congress, No other Act mentions any Mint by name, excepting that of the Panama-Pacific, which authorized the coinage at the San Francisco Mint. This Act also provides for the purchase of the necessary gold in the market. Its final provision for the destruction of the dies is a specification incorporated in no other issue.
McKinley was the first person to have his portrait appear on two separate issues of the United States commemorative coinage; he was portrayed both on this issue and that for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.
THE ILLINOIS CENTENNIAL HALF-DOLLAR
On December 3, 1818, the State of Illinois was admitted to the Union, and the Centennial of this event was celebrated throughout the State. A commemorative half-dollar was struck for the occasion, the first souvenir piece for such an event. This set a precedent which has been followed by numerous other States upon significant anniversaries in their history.
The Act of Congress authorizing this coinage reads as follows:
[PUBLIC—No. 163—65TH CONGRESS]
AN ACT To authorize the coinage of fifty-cent pieces in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the admission of the State of Illinois into the Union.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That as soon as practicable, and in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the admission of the State of Illinois into the Union as a State, there shall be coined at the mints of the United States, silver fifty-cent pieces to the number of one hundred thousand, such fifty-cent pieces to be of the standard troy weight, composition, diameter, device, and design, as shall be fixed by the Director of the Mint, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, and said fifty-cent pieces shall be legal tender in any payment to the amount of their face value.
SEC. 2. That all laws now in force relating to the subsidiary silver coins of the United States and the coining or striking of the same, regulating and guarding the process of coinage, providing; for the purchase of material, and for the transportation, distribution, and redemption of the coins, for the prevention of debasement or counterfeiting, for security of the coin, or for any other purpose, whether said laws are penal or otherwise, shall, so far as applicable, apply to the coinage herein authorized: Provided, That the Government shall not be subject to the expense of making the necessary dies and other preparations for this coinage.
Approved, June 1, 1918.
This coin is excellent in execution and design, and has been generally praised. The obverse was designed by G. T. Morgan, and the reverse by J. R. Sinnock, both employees of the Mint. The head of Lincoln was taken from the heroic statue by Andrew O’Connor, unveiled at Springfield, Illinois, in August, 1918. The reverse is an adaptation of the Seal of the State of Illinois. The Philadelphia Mint struck 100,058 of these pieces, representing the entire authorization, in August, 1918. They were placed on the market in Illinois at one dollar each. None of these half-dollars were returned to the Mint for redemption but the Commission disposed of a quantity at face value.
Obv. Bust of Lincoln to right; around edge, in ROMAN LETTERS: CENTENNIAL•OF•THE•STATE•OF•ILLINOIS Below bust, 1918 In field, behind head, in small Gothic letters: In / God / We / Trust In front; LIBERTY ALL within dot and dash border.
Rev. Eagle to left, with upraised wings, standing with left foot on rock and right on the United States shield; in beak of eagle a ribbon with motto incused in small Gothic letters, reading vertically; STATE / SOVEREIGNTY / NATIONAL / Union In left field, rising sun, above in small Gothic letters; E / PLURIBUS / UNUM AROUND TOP BORDER: UNITED•STATES•OF•AMERICA AT BOTTOM:•HALF DOLLAR * All within dot and dash border. Border inscriptions in Roman lettering.
Edge.Reeded.30 mm. Silver.
Lincoln was the first President to have his portrait upon a commemorative issue as well as upon the standard issue of the period.
THE MAINE CENTENNIAL HALF-DOLLAR
On the centenary of the admission of the State of Maine to the Union in 1820, the Governor and Council of the State requested the Government to issue a commemorative half-dollar. The authorization for this piece was provided by Act of Congress, approved as follows:
[PUBLIC–NO. 199-66TH CONGRESS]
An Act To authorize the coinage of 50-cent pieces in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the admission of the State of Maine into the Union.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, as soon as practicable, and in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the admission of the State of Maine into the Union as a State, there shall be coined at the mints of the United States silver 50-cent pieces to the number of one hundred thousand, such 50-cent pieces to be of the standard troy weight, composition, diameter, device, and design as shall be fixed by the Director of the Mint, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, and said 50-cent pieces shall be legal tender in any payment to the amount of their face value.
SEC. 2. (Same as Illinois issue, Section 2, page 38.) Approved, May 10, 1920.
The modelling of the piece was placed in the hands of Anthony de Francisci, of New York, who later won the competition for the design of the Peace Dollar. That the piece is commonplace in design is due to no fault of the artist, as the specifications were furnished him.
Late in the summer of 1920, the Philadelphia Mint struck 50,028 of these pieces and they were distributed from the office of the State Treasurer at one dollar each. The original intention was to have these pieces placed on sale at the Centennial Celebration at Portland, Maine, but they were received too late to do so. At least 30,000 sold fairly promptly, and the remainder was gradually sold by the State Treasurer until the supply was exhausted.
17,Obv, Arms of State of Maine; a pine tree with moose lying at base (countersunk), supported by two male figures representing agriculture (the scythe), and commerce (the anchor) ; above, a star with five short rays and DIRIGO in small letters, on a curved scroll; below, on a second scroll: Maine, between two rosettes. In larger letters, around upper border: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and HALF DOLLAR at lower border.
Within wreath of pine needles and cones: MAINE / CENTENNIAL / 1820-1920 At upper border, in small letters: E Pluribus Unum and between tips of wreath in larger letters: LIBERTY At lower border, divided by ribbon of wreath: In▲God—We▲A TRUSTA▲
Reeded.30 mm. Silver.
Lettering, Gothic.
The Maine issue was the first commemorative coin on which a Latin word appeared in addition to the motto “E Pluribus Unum.” “Dirigo” means: I direct.
At first, a silver dollar was projected, but this was later changed to a gold dollar. The Act of Congress creating this coinage reads as follows:
(Public—No. 20—64th Congress]
An Act FOR the coinage of a McKinley souvenir gold dollar, in commemoration of the erection of a memorial to William McKinley, late President of the United States.
Beit enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That for the purpose of aiding in defraying the cost of completing in a suitable manner the work of erecting a memorial in the city of Niles, Ohio, to William McKinley, late President of the United States of America, the Secretary of the Treasury shall be, and is hereby, authorized to purchase in the market so much gold bullion as may be necessary for the purpose herein provided for, from which there shall be coined at the United States Mint, Philadelphia, standard gold dollars of the legal weight and fineness, to the number of not exceeding one hundred thousand pieces, to be known as the McKinley souvenir dollar, struck in commemoration of the erection of a memorial to William McKinley, late President of the United States of America, in the city of Niles, Ohio, his birthplace, the devices and designs upon which coins shall be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury; and all provisions of law relative to the coinage and legal-tender quality of the standard gold dollar shall be applicable to the coins issued under this Act, and when so coined said souvenir dollars shall be delivered, in suitable parcels, at par, and without cost to the United States, to the National McKinley Birthplace Memorial Association and the dies shall be destroyed.
Approved, February 23, 1916.
Although the bill permitted 100,000 pieces, only 30,000 were struck at the Philadelphia Mint. They bear the dates 1916 and 1917, respectively. During August and October, 20,026 were struck dated 1916, and 10,014 dated 1917 were struck in February. The obverse was made by C. E. Barber, and the reverse by G. T. Morgan, the engravers of the Mint. The portrait of McKinley can in no way compare with the portrait on the Louisiana Purchase dollar. These coins were sold at three dollars each although it previously had been planned to ask but two dollars. There were returned to the Mint to be melted down 10,023 pieces—about 5,000 of each date.
Obv. Head of McKinley to left; around top border: united•STATES•Of AMERICA Around lower border:•McKINLEY Dollar•
Rev.Façade of McKinley Memorial Building. Above: McKINLEY BIRTHPLACE around border. Paralleled within in smaller letters: NILES—OHIO. In exergue, in two lines, 1916 and memorial curved at lower border.
Edge.Reeded.141/2 mm. Gold.
Roman.
Same as above, but dated 1917 on reverse.
The main inscription on the reverse, MCKINLBY BIRTHPLACE, NILES OHIO, is unusual in that it has no direct relation to the main type, which is the McKinley Memorial Building.
The Act authorizing this coinage is the only one to date, in which a striking at the Philadelphia Mint is specified by Congress, No other Act mentions any Mint by name, excepting that of the Panama-Pacific, which authorized the coinage at the San Francisco Mint. This Act also provides for the purchase of the necessary gold in the market. Its final provision for the destruction of the dies is a specification incorporated in no other issue.
McKinley was the first person to have his portrait appear on two separate issues of the United States commemorative coinage; he was portrayed both on this issue and that for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.
THE ILLINOIS CENTENNIAL HALF-DOLLAR
On December 3, 1818, the State of Illinois was admitted to the Union, and the Centennial of this event was celebrated throughout the State. A commemorative half-dollar was struck for the occasion, the first souvenir piece for such an event. This set a precedent which has been followed by numerous other States upon significant anniversaries in their history.
The Act of Congress authorizing this coinage reads as follows:
[PUBLIC—No. 163—65TH CONGRESS]
AN ACT To authorize the coinage of fifty-cent pieces in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the admission of the State of Illinois into the Union.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That as soon as practicable, and in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the admission of the State of Illinois into the Union as a State, there shall be coined at the mints of the United States, silver fifty-cent pieces to the number of one hundred thousand, such fifty-cent pieces to be of the standard troy weight, composition, diameter, device, and design, as shall be fixed by the Director of the Mint, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, and said fifty-cent pieces shall be legal tender in any payment to the amount of their face value.
SEC. 2. That all laws now in force relating to the subsidiary silver coins of the United States and the coining or striking of the same, regulating and guarding the process of coinage, providing; for the purchase of material, and for the transportation, distribution, and redemption of the coins, for the prevention of debasement or counterfeiting, for security of the coin, or for any other purpose, whether said laws are penal or otherwise, shall, so far as applicable, apply to the coinage herein authorized: Provided, That the Government shall not be subject to the expense of making the necessary dies and other preparations for this coinage.
Approved, June 1, 1918.
This coin is excellent in execution and design, and has been generally praised. The obverse was designed by G. T. Morgan, and the reverse by J. R. Sinnock, both employees of the Mint. The head of Lincoln was taken from the heroic statue by Andrew O’Connor, unveiled at Springfield, Illinois, in August, 1918. The reverse is an adaptation of the Seal of the State of Illinois. The Philadelphia Mint struck 100,058 of these pieces, representing the entire authorization, in August, 1918. They were placed on the market in Illinois at one dollar each. None of these half-dollars were returned to the Mint for redemption but the Commission disposed of a quantity at face value.
Obv. Bust of Lincoln to right; around edge, in ROMAN LETTERS: CENTENNIAL•OF•THE•STATE•OF•ILLINOIS Below bust, 1918 In field, behind head, in small Gothic letters: In / God / We / Trust In front; LIBERTY ALL within dot and dash border.
Rev. Eagle to left, with upraised wings, standing with left foot on rock and right on the United States shield; in beak of eagle a ribbon with motto incused in small Gothic letters, reading vertically; STATE / SOVEREIGNTY / NATIONAL / Union In left field, rising sun, above in small Gothic letters; E / PLURIBUS / UNUM AROUND TOP BORDER: UNITED•STATES•OF•AMERICA AT BOTTOM:•HALF DOLLAR * All within dot and dash border. Border inscriptions in Roman lettering.
Edge.Reeded.30 mm. Silver.
Lincoln was the first President to have his portrait upon a commemorative issue as well as upon the standard issue of the period.
THE MAINE CENTENNIAL HALF-DOLLAR
On the centenary of the admission of the State of Maine to the Union in 1820, the Governor and Council of the State requested the Government to issue a commemorative half-dollar. The authorization for this piece was provided by Act of Congress, approved as follows:
[PUBLIC–NO. 199-66TH CONGRESS]
An Act To authorize the coinage of 50-cent pieces in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the admission of the State of Maine into the Union.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, as soon as practicable, and in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the admission of the State of Maine into the Union as a State, there shall be coined at the mints of the United States silver 50-cent pieces to the number of one hundred thousand, such 50-cent pieces to be of the standard troy weight, composition, diameter, device, and design as shall be fixed by the Director of the Mint, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, and said 50-cent pieces shall be legal tender in any payment to the amount of their face value.
SEC. 2. (Same as Illinois issue, Section 2, page 38.) Approved, May 10, 1920.
The modelling of the piece was placed in the hands of Anthony de Francisci, of New York, who later won the competition for the design of the Peace Dollar. That the piece is commonplace in design is due to no fault of the artist, as the specifications were furnished him.
Late in the summer of 1920, the Philadelphia Mint struck 50,028 of these pieces and they were distributed from the office of the State Treasurer at one dollar each. The original intention was to have these pieces placed on sale at the Centennial Celebration at Portland, Maine, but they were received too late to do so. At least 30,000 sold fairly promptly, and the remainder was gradually sold by the State Treasurer until the supply was exhausted.
17,Obv, Arms of State of Maine; a pine tree with moose lying at base (countersunk), supported by two male figures representing agriculture (the scythe), and commerce (the anchor) ; above, a star with five short rays and DIRIGO in small letters, on a curved scroll; below, on a second scroll: Maine, between two rosettes. In larger letters, around upper border: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and HALF DOLLAR at lower border.
Within wreath of pine needles and cones: MAINE / CENTENNIAL / 1820-1920 At upper border, in small letters: E Pluribus Unum and between tips of wreath in larger letters: LIBERTY At lower border, divided by ribbon of wreath: In▲God—We▲A TRUSTA▲
Reeded.30 mm. Silver.
Lettering, Gothic.
The Maine issue was the first commemorative coin on which a Latin word appeared in addition to the motto “E Pluribus Unum.” “Dirigo” means: I direct.