Anyone A Fan of Texas?

[leeg]

Just sharing a little history as is my nature.

 

 

 

 

A coin I used to own

 

Following the four-year period in which no new issues were authorized, the Texas Centennial Coinage Act was the first of twenty-eight such Acts approved by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

 

The text of the Act follows closely that of previous Acts; and not until the Maryland authorization of 1934, does the new coinage text appear. Although the Texas Act was approved a year before the Maryland Act, the Maryland coins were released prior to those of Texas. The occasion of this souvenir issue was the centennial of the independence of Texas.

Colonel Davey Crockett

 

In 1835, Texas revolted against Mexico, and during the revolution the garrison at the Alamo was besieged, finally taken, and the defenders, including David Crockett and Colonel Bowie, massacred. The Mexicans under General Santa Anna were defeated at the battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, by the Texans under the leadership of General Sam Houston who, with a much smaller force, succeeded in capturing Santa Anna. Houston became the first president of the independent Texan Republic. In 1845, Texas was annexed to the United States, but in 1861 seceded to join the Confederacy. In 1870, Texas was readmitted to the Union.

 

Jim Bowie

 

Austin, whose portrait appears on the half-dollar along with Houston’s, was one of the founders of the State of Texas, having been active in attempting to secure for Texas admission into the Mexican Union in the early 1830’s. In 1835, he was appointed a commissioner to the United States to secure the recognition of the Texan Republic.

 

Stephen F. Austin

 

An authorization of 1,500,000 half-dollars was approved-the bill signed by President Roosevelt.

 

An orignnal brochure

 

Realizing the tremendous expenditures involved in a celebration of this nature and hoping to secure advance funds the Texas Commission requested an authorization for coins in 1933, so that some of the pieces might be sold prior to the opening of the Exposition in 1934. This procedure has since proven itself to be very popular, although the practice itself is questionable. Funds secured were also to be used in connection with the Texas Memorial Museum.

 

 

The models for this coin were prepared by Pompeo Coppini, a New York sculptor living in Texas. The 1934 issue, which was struck at Philadelphia, was distributed by the American Legion Texas Centennial Committee. Each of the later issues of 1935, 1936, 1937, and 1938 were coined at all three mints. The 1938 issue was distributed by the Texas Memorial Museum Centennial Coin Campaign.

 

Pompeo Coppini

 

Enjoy!

 

[RWB]

Nice example!

Personally, I feel the reverse is cluttered - a committee trying to cover all the bases...

[x2rider]

Nice post Lee.

 

BTW thats one nice looking coin

[123cents]

Beautiful coin and excellent write up. Thanks Lee!

[JOBESSI]

As a Texan, these are my obviously my favorite commemoratives. Here are couple more little known facts about Texas:

 

1. Texas is the only state in the union allowed to fly their flag higher than the US flag.

 

2. Texas was actually a flourishing country before annexation to the US with embassies all around the world.

 

3. Texas was the only state that secceeded from the union legally during the civil war.

 

4. Steven f. Austin was not an original supporter of the Texas Revolution. (He held a large quantity of Mexican land grants)

 

5. Houston immediately wanted to annex after the revolution, but the US wouldn't have it.

 

6. Texas extended as far north as Colorado before the annexation.

 

7. Texas is still the only state in the union allowed to secede any time they want.

 

I thought y'all might enjoy these tidbits.

[towards2112]

I live and work less than 3 miles from San Jacinto. I see the monument

when I step outback at work, and drive by daily. And I have stood on the

exact spot Gereralissimo Santa Anna was captured. For an old history

buff it is exhilerating.

[Bruceswar]

As a Texan, these are my obviously my favorite commemoratives. Here are couple more little known facts about Texas:

 

1. Texas is the only state in the union allowed to fly their flag higher than the US flag.

 

2. Texas was actually a flourishing country before annexation to the US with embassies all around the world.

 

3. Texas was the only state that secceeded from the union legally during the civil war.

 

4. Steven f. Austin was not an original supporter of the Texas Revolution. (He held a large quantity of Mexican land grants)

 

5. Houston immediately wanted to annex after the revolution, but the US wouldn't have it.

 

6. Texas extended as far north as Colorado before the annexation.

 

7. Texas is still the only state in the union allowed to secede any time they want.

 

I thought y'all might enjoy these tidbits.

 

 

 

A few of your facts are off...

 

2. Texas was actually a flourishing country before annexation to the US with embassies all around the world. <--- I would hardly call Texas flourishing. We were so broke we sold a ton of land to the USA. The only time ever Texans got a real tax refund. Putting that aside much of Texas at that time was not livable for many reasons.

 

5. Houston immediately wanted to annex after the revolution, but the US wouldn't have it. <----- Also not true.. Houston wanted to get freedom from Mexico first and foremost. He had no opinion right after the war ended as to weather Texas should join the Union or not. He was fine with staying solo. It just made more sense to join the Union than be single.

 

6. Texas extended as far north as Colorado before the annexation. <--- We were are far north going into Wyoming.

[Dudley the 1st]

I had owned a few pieces, but they are long since gone now. Say hi to Big D.

[bsshog40]

Thanks for the history lesson Lee. I was born and mostly raised in Calif. but I moved to Tx in 1980 and have loved it here ever since.

[JOBESSI]

 

 

 

A few of your facts are off...

 

2. Texas was actually a flourishing country before annexation to the US with embassies all around the world. <--- I would hardly call Texas flourishing. We were so broke we sold a ton of land to the USA. The only time ever Texans got a real tax refund. Putting that aside much of Texas at that time was not livable for many reasons.

 

5. Houston immediately wanted to annex after the revolution, but the US wouldn't have it. <----- Also not true.. Houston wanted to get freedom from Mexico first and foremost. He had no opinion right after the war ended as to weather Texas should join the Union or not. He was fine with staying solo. It just made more sense to join the Union than be single.

 

6. Texas extended as far north as Colorado before the annexation. <--- We were are far north going into Wyoming.

 

2. You can still visit the Texas embassy in London, and we even had our own Navy.

 

5. Houston actually petitioned to annex to the USA right after he became the 1st president. True, Independence was first on his mind, but after they gained their freedom, he wanted to annex.

 

Texas was not only livable, but there was an entire GTT: "Gone to Texas" movement on the east coast.

 

Here's another tidbit: Texas once had a president with the last name of Hogg, who aptly named his two daughters "Ima & Ura"

[Coindude]

Here's one for you... Texas has mountains that are over 1 mile high. Yep, very true believe it or not.... how I love my Texas! And, thanks for a great post Chris.

 

Here's my Texas Commem.

 

[okbustchaser]

As a Texan, these are my obviously my favorite commemoratives. Here are couple more little known facts about Texas:

 

1. Texas is the only state in the union allowed to fly their flag higher than the US flag.

 

2. Texas was actually a flourishing country before annexation to the US with embassies all around the world.

 

3. Texas was the only state that secceeded from the union legally during the civil war.

 

4. Steven f. Austin was not an original supporter of the Texas Revolution. (He held a large quantity of Mexican land grants)

 

5. Houston immediately wanted to annex after the revolution, but the US wouldn't have it.

 

6. Texas extended as far north as Colorado before the annexation.

 

7. Texas is still the only state in the union allowed to secede any time they want.

 

I thought y'all might enjoy these tidbits.

 

 

 

A few of your facts are off...

 

2. Texas was actually a flourishing country before annexation to the US with embassies all around the world. <--- I would hardly call Texas flourishing. We were so broke we sold a ton of land to the USA. The only time ever Texans got a real tax refund. Putting that aside much of Texas at that time was not livable for many reasons.

 

5. Houston immediately wanted to annex after the revolution, but the US wouldn't have it. <----- Also not true.. Houston wanted to get freedom from Mexico first and foremost. He had no opinion right after the war ended as to weather Texas should join the Union or not. He was fine with staying solo. It just made more sense to join the Union than be single.

 

6. Texas extended as far north as Colorado before the annexation. <--- We were are far north going into Wyoming.

 

Actually, a few more of your "facts" are also wrong.

 

1. Texas is the only state in the union allowed to fly their flag higher than the US flag.

Texas is not legally allowed to fly its state flag above the US flag. They are allowed to fly it at an equal height, however so can any other state. Traditionally, state flags are flown below the Stars and Stripes, but the only legal requirement is that no flag be flown above the US flag and that the US flag be on its own far right when flown at the same height as other flags.

 

3. Texas was the only state that secceeded from the union legally during the civil war.

No, Texas was not the only state to "legally seceed" from the Union. Contrary to folklore Texas did not specifically retain that right when first being admitted to the Union. Neither their original constution nor the federal enabling act which made them a state said anything at all about secession. President Lincoln did say that if any state had such a right it would have been Texas.

 

7. Texas is still the only state in the union allowed to secede any time they want.

No, regardless of anything Rick Perry might say Texas does not have any more legal right to seceed than any other state does. Your state constitution still says nothing whatsoever about secession.

 

And while I'm at it...one more Texas fairytale. No, Texas is not the only state which can be divided into 5 separate states. The readmission legislation that allowed Texas to rejoin the US left out that provision from the original 1845 enabling act.

[leeg]

Love the comments so far!

 

 

In a communication to the Dallas News of December 25, 1934, William A. Philpott, Jr., Secretary of the Texas Bankers' Association, a member of the Board of Governors of the ANA, and the Dallas Coin Club, wrties of the Texas Centennial half dollar as follows:

 

"The Texas Independence centennial half-dollar, released December 20, is being condemned generally by numismatists and medalists. The coin's design is distincly disappointing to numismatic students of Texas. It can be indicted on the following counts: The obverse, or head side, is much too crowded. The designer attempted to tell too much, and left the whole a mass of illegible lettering and indistinguishable faces, flagstaffs and figures. There is no field or smooth surface of the metal displayed (a numimatic basic requirement) and the lettering is crowded into the indistinct flange of the coin's milled edge. Because of lack of space the six flags (each representing a distinct period of Texas history) appear as staffs only. The dates 1836-1936 under the Alamo are microscopic. Unless a strong glass is used the medallions showing Houston and Austin are unidentified."

 

 

Early Plasters courtesy of The Commission of Fine Arts

[JOBESSI]

then they are teaching us state history all wrong

[RWB]

Thanks for correcting the Texas myths - every state has them. Texas just has bigger ones...

 

then they are teaching us state history all wrong

 

Texas and many other states are guilty of this. In an attempt to promote interest in their state, many school systems blindly adopt folklore, falsehood and plain old lies. It makes people feel "special." We do it nationally: consider the Parson Weems inventions about George Washington - total baloney.

 

[thebeav]

I always liked the way the state is shaped.

 

Paul

[Bruceswar]

then they are teaching us state history all wrong

 

That tends to happen Jo... Hence why we must all search further... Anyhow a good discussion.

[leeg]

then they are teaching us state history all wrong

 

That tends to happen Jo... Hence why we must all search further... Anyhow a good discussion.

 

(thumbs u

 

Let's keep the discussion rolling then:

 

 

 

 

Courtesy of the U. S. Commission of Fine Arts

Minutes of Meeting held in Washington, D.C., May 28, 1934.

The following members were present:

Mr. Moore, Chairman,

Mr. Swartwout,

Mr. Clarke,

Mr. Howells,

Mr. Lawrie,

Mr. Savage,

Mr. Coolidge

 

Also Mr. H. P. Caemmerer, Secretary and Executive Officer.

 

Texas Independence Coin: Mr. Moore brought to the attention of the Commission sketch models submitted by Mr. Pompeo Coppini for the Texas Independence Centennial half-dollar. Mr. Moore said Mr. Coppini left these here a few days ago when he called in company with Congressman W. D. MacFarlane. Mr. MacFarlane said the State Centennial Committee had approved the designs and they desired the advice of the Commission of Fine Arts in the matter. He also said that they had brought them to the attention of the Assistant Director of the Mint and that the sketches were regarded satisfactory by that office.

 

The models showed on the obverse an eagle superimposed on a large star, the star signifying the “Lone Star State”. On the reverse there was a figure of Liberty and in the background there were six flags and the heads of Houston and Austin, who figured in Texas history. Also there was an indication of the Alamo. The six flags represented the six Governments under which Texas existed, namely, Spain, France, Mexico, Independent, Confederate, and the United States. The celebration is to take place in 1936. The act of Congress which was approved June 15, 1933, provides for coining on and one-half million 50-cent pieces. Mr. MacFarlane said it is proposed to sell these at one dollar each and use the surplus for a memorial building.

 

The models were brought to the particular attention of Mr. Lawrie, who gave the models very careful attention and submitted a statement as follows:

 

Obverse: Suggest that the lettering be in relief instead of being incised; that the eagle be designed to have dignity and spirit and that the laurel branch have fewer and larger leaves.

 

Reverse: By far too complicated. Suggest that all the lettering except “Remember the Alamo” and the riband be in relief; that the star be omitted and the elements be limited to a representation of the Alamo building and the overlapping profiles of the two portraits with surrounding circle of lettering of “Texas Independence Centennial, etc.”

 

The commission concurred in the criticisms of Mr. Lawrie and informed Mr. Coppini accordingly as also Representative MacFarlane.

(Exhibits B, B-1, and B-2)