Missouri Commemorative Coin

[leeg]

Found this while doing some research for my book and wanted to share:

 

 

Courtesy of the ANA

 

 

An illustration of the coin in the advertisement of the Centennial Committee of the Sedalia Chamber of Commerce shows an entirely different reverse. This is explained by Mr. M.V. Carroll, secretary of the committee, in the following letter:

“The artist who designed the coin sent us a proof of his drawing as soon as completed, and we had the cut made. Later, and unknown to us, the Mint committee having jurisdiction over these matters changed the design by eliminating the Missouri coat of arms and substituting therefore the figures of a white man and an Indian as typifying the pioneer status of the State. We were not aware of this change until the first sample coin arrived here, and then did not have time to have new cuts made.”

 

 

The Great Seal of Missouri

 

Regarding the reverse of the coins previously illustrated in the advertisement of the Sedalia Chamber of Commerce Mr. Aitken writes as follows:

“The illustration that you published was made from one of several drawings which I submitted to the Federal Art Commission. The Missouri committee was informed that I would work along these lines, though I was given full latitude for any change I might advise. The seal of the State did not work out well, so I developed the reverse with the two standing figures, which met with the instant approval of the Commission in Washington.”

 

 

[ldhair]

Very nice Lee. The reverse change adds some cool history to this issue. I have never seen that ad before. I bet the Centennial Committee had a fit over all this. What's the ETA on your book Lee? I know it's going to be great.

 

[BillJones]

That is very interesting. For once the powers at be made a change in a coin design for the better IMO.

 

Early drawings for the Vermont commemorative half dollar had a view of the Catamount tavern on the reverse. Unfortunately the finial design had a catamount cat on the reverse instead. The symbolism for the tavern went over everyone’s head, including modern collectors.

 

There was also a slightly different reverse depicted for the Delaware commemorative half dollar in the program book for the tercentenary event. In the booklet version the cloud above the church has the date, 1936, in it. On the finished coin the date is below “In God we trust.”

 

 

[bsshog40]

Pretty cool story Lee. Of course, having to deliver info by horseback probably messed up a lot of things in the day waiting for answers.

[leeg]

Thanks for the comments so far. (thumbs u

 

Larry, I'm hoping for sometime in Summer 2011 for the book to be ready. A lot of things have to fall into place for this to happen though. I work full time and time is at a premium. But I do work on it just about every day.

 

Bill, nice info on the Delaware design.

 

Got that right bsshog40.