April 1929-Gadsden Purchase Half Dollar

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Editorial Comment - Numismatic News

The Numismatist, April 1929, Frank G. Duffield, Editor and Bus. Mgr

 

I think this may be another chapter in my book project. Commem's that didn't make the cut.

 

"The Gadsden Purchase made by President Pierce in 1853, named for James Gadsden who negotiated it, is a strip of land across the southern part of New Mexico and Arizona, bought from Mexico for $10,000,000 to "rectify" the international boundary. Five years earlier, following the Mexican War, the U. S. had taken all of California, Nevada, Utah, most of Arizona and New Mexico, paying only $15,000,000."

 

 

The Gadsden Purchase (shown in yellow with present-day state boundaries and cities) Northeastern boundary was the disputed U.S.-Mexico boundary; line shown is the unratified Bartlett-Conde compromise proposal which was preempted by the Gadsden Purchase.

 

Announcement is made that collectors will probably be able to add this year another half dollar to the extensive list of commemoratives now in their cabinets. The coin will be known as the Gadsden purchase half dollar and will commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of that event. The information comes to us from L.W. Hofer, of El Paso, Texas, a member of the ANA, and Chairman of the Gadsden Purchase Commission, who designed the coin and will have charge of its sale.

 

His letter is as follows:

Assurance that he will sponsor a bill in the coming session of Congress to secure the coining of a half-dollar to commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Gadsden Purchase has been given the Gasden Purchase Celebration Committee and the El Paso Chamber of Commerce by C.D. Hudspeth, Texas Congressman.

 

"The treaty under which the United States secured the strip of land beginning at El Paso and stretching west across New Mexico and Arizona was signed by Mexico on December 30, 1853. The United States Congress ratified it on June 28, 1854, and President Filmore signed it two days later. On July 5, 1854, possession was taken by the United States Army and the flag raised at Old Mesilla, 36 miles north of El Paso. A monument and bronze tablet is to be erected on the spot where the flag was first raised.

 

The obverse contains a bust of General James Gadsden, who consummated the treaty, with "United States of America" around the top, and "Half Dollar" around the bottom. The name, Gen. James Gadsden, is underneath the bust. "In God We Trust" is placed at one side.

 

The Reverse shows a map of the land purchased, with "New Mexico" and "Arizona" in small letters. El Paso is shown located at the right of the bottom of the map. At the top are the words, "Gadsden Purchase." At the top are the words, "Gadsden Purchase." At the bottom are the dates, "1854-1929."

 

The committee plans to issue 10,000 coins, to be sold for $1.50 each. It wishes to place them principally with collectors. The celebration takes place July 5, this year."

 

 

More to follow.