1920 Maine Centennial

[leeg]

Most of you know I'm a big fan of the history behind our coins. Here is a little bit of that for you:

 

 

[PUBLIC—NO. 199—66TH CONGRESS.]

 

[H. R. 12460.]

 

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. 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 coin, for the prevention of debasement or counterfeiting, for security of the coins, or for any other purpose, whether said laws are penal or otherwise, shall, so far as applicable, apply to the coinage hereby authorized: Provided, That the Government shall not be subject to the expense of making the necessary dies and other preparations for this coinage.

 

Approved, May 10, 1920.

 

 

A Coin I Used To Own

 

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 modeling of the piece was placed in the hands of Harry H. Cochrane (Thanks Roger Burdette for your research), of Maine. 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 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.

 

 

 

 

The Maine issue was the first commemorative coin on which a Latin word appeared in addition to the “E Pluribus Unum.” “Dirigo” means: I direct.

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy.

[lcoopie]

That's a sweet coin.

What are your current interests Lee?

[johnny9434]

I got one as well Lee minus the paper work there. Its reall a beauty of a coin Thanks for sharing

[leeg]

That's a sweet coin.

What are your current interests Lee?

Lester, working on a Classic Commem set and a Type Set. I slso have some raw commems in a wayte raymond album and also a 5050 set going.

 

Thanks johnny9434.

[lcoopie]

I have a few more commems to complete my set

But they are all the more costly ones

 

 

mine