Early Commemorative History: 1936 Elgin Half Dollar 0

[leeg]

Hi all,

Just wanted to share.

All of my research will be going to the ANA at some time in the future.

I'm will be available to all collectors who are interested in the series. That's better than a book, right. It's free.

 

[Fenntucky Mike]

On 12/7/2023 at 10:37 AM, leeg said:

Hi all,

Just wanted to share.

All of my research will be going to the ANA at some time in the future.

I'm will be available to all collectors who are interested in the series. That's better than a book, right. It's free.

I'd rather have the book myself. Regardless, it's fantastic that you've made arrangements so that your research can be accessed by all collectors free of charge. 

I've greatly enjoyed your posts on U.S. commemoratives over the last handful of years. 

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

Please post a link when it's public.  I would love to read it.  Thanks for the effort.

[RWB]

I still wish the book could become a reality. There is so much new and interesting (and accurate) material in there....

Also, if you are making a donation, consider having NNP digitize everything before turning it over to ANA. That will ensure access and long-term preservation.

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by RWB

[leeg]

Thanks for all your thoughts guy's.  Means a lot!

Mintage of 20,015 - 15 examples for assay, 5,000 returned for melting. Designed and modeled by Trygve A. Rovelstad and distributed by the Elgin Centennial Monumental Committee through L.W. Hoffeker of El Paso, Texas, at $1.50 each. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

Authorized by Congress on June 16, 1936 and issued to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of the city of Elgin, Illinois, and the of a heroic Pioneer Memorial. 

Design:

Obverse: The obverse of this issue depicts the head of a bearded pioneer wearing a fur cap, facing left. Widely spaced in the upper border is the word “PIONEER.” Trygve Andor Rovelstad, the designer of this issue has his monogrammed initials (TAR) placed in the field below the beard, while in the lower field is the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST”.

    Below the pioneer is located the commemorative dates 1673 1936 separated by a star. Elgin, a city located on the Fox River approximately 29 miles northwest of Chicago, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1935. Therefore, the dates which appear on this issue have no connection with Elgin, Ill. These dates refer to the year in which the French explorers Joliet and Marquette first entered the territory, a section of which today is Illinois. The date 1936 refers to the date of striking, since the centennial of the city was 1935. 

Reverse: This is the first issue to depict a “suggested” infant on our coinage. It’s faceless and you almost do not realize what the woman pioneer is holding. That’s why mint designers label it suggested. The first defined infant appears on the 1937 Roanoke half dollar, while the first “implied” baby appears within a Conestoga wagon on the 1926 Oregon Trail issues.

    The reverse of this issue depicts a group of five pioneers. At the left we note a pioneer holding a rifle in a horizontal position. It is his head, by the way, which is depicted on the coin’s obverse just described and was designed from the Pioneer Memorial Statue. We also observe a standing boy who is holding a stick and another male in the background. The baby being held in the mother’s arms is the fifth pioneer.

    Around the upper border is “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.” Directly below is the legend “LIBERTY” (barely visible). In the lower field appears “E PLURIBUS UNUM” and the coin’s denomination. Located in the left field is the inscription “PIONEER MEMORIAL” while in the right field we note the inscription “ELGIN ILLINOIS”.

The image above is of a Specimen graded by NGC

This is the Heritage Auctions Description:

Description: 1936 Elgin Half Dollar, SP67; The Only Elgin So Designated by NGC.

1936 50C Elgin SP67 NGC. The Elgin commemorative half dollar is another mid-1930s issue that had mixed-up historical facts, but in this case the outcome was as intended. The 1936 date does indeed refer to the year the coin was issued, but it was not the year of the centennial of the city (which was 1935). The 1673 date refers to the year Joliet and Marquette explored the area, but they seem to have no connection with the coin or Elgin, Illinois. The profits were to have been directed to the completion of the statue, Pioneer Memorial, whose base was erected in 1934, but the statue was not completed until 2001, eleven years after the sculptor's death. Unlike other commemorative halves, though, much of the proceeds went toward a tangible commemorative, rather than lining a contemporary coin dealer's pockets. 

The surfaces of this piece are an interesting numismatic case study. They have a mild matte-like appearance. Anthony Swiatek, in his 2012 commemorative reference, mentions a coin specially treated by Chief Engraver John Sinnock in the Mint. The pickled surface Sinnock imparted to the coin Swiatek mentions would not technically be a matte proof, as matte proofs are sprayed with a fine stream of grit which imparts a granular, sandblast surfaces to the coin. The Sinnock coin would resemble a matte (technically a "sandblast") proof. Perhaps this is the reason this piece is designated a specimen striking rather than a proof.

The surfaces show this unusual "pickled" appearance throughout. The highest portion of the design elements show a few shallow scrapes, but bear in mind these are barely perceptible and in concert with the numeric grade assigned and the remainder of the coin is remarkably free from abrasions. Pale gray patina evenly covers each side.

Specimen and proof commemorative half dollars were produced on an occasional basis, and rarely enter the marketplace. A comparable occurrence was the SP64 Lincoln half dollar in our 2015 Central States Auction. That coin had not been seen in the marketplace since 1999, and it realized $70,500.(Registry values: N1793)

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by leeg

[RWB]

Sinnock had sample commemorative halves sandblasted so they would look more medallic than "coiny." These were used for administrative approval of mint/Treasury officers and sometimes sponsors. The difference between sandblasting and acid pickling can be seen easily with 50x magnification. A sandblast piece has sharp, angular grains and tiny mirror-like grain faces (unless it has been dipped). The grains on a acid treated coin will always be slightly rounded and lack sharp angles. Acid attacks copper alloy first, then silver. (If a TPG fails to mention this in their "specimen" designation, they are saying that their designation is a guess without technical basis -- i.e., "bologna." The same applies to calling one of these a "proof" or something else.)

[PS: Back in the 1920-30, real silica sand was used. Since the late 1940s the "sand" has really been uniform class beads. The beaded product makes a more acid-like finish.]

Edited December 8, 2023 by RWB

[leeg]

Good stuff Roger. Thanks.

 

Pioneer Family Memorial Sculpture. Dedicated on November 11, 2001, the project was overseen by the Pioneer Memorial Foundation and created by artist Trygve Rovelstad. It is composed of bronze. The statue is composed of four main figures and an infant. One of the main figures was modeled after Elgin’s founder, James T. Gifford. This sculpture is a tribute to the original pioneers who settled in Elgin. Courtesy of the Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin.

    Designs for this issue were prepared by Trygve Rovelstad, who adapted both the obverse and reverse from his sketch’s of the Pioneer Memorial Statue. It was for the purpose of financing the heroic Memorial that the issue of half-dollars was authorized, as noted in the Act.  During October, 1936, a total of 25,015 pieces were struck at the Philadelphia Mint and released to the Elgin Centennial Monumental Committee of Elgin, Illinois, which distributed them at one dollar and fifty cents each through Mr. L.W. Hofer of El Paso, Texas.

 

Courtesy of the U. S. Commission of Fine Arts 

Minutes of Meeting held in New York City, July 17, 1936. 

The following members were present:

Mr. Moore, Chairman

Mr. Clarke

Mr. Lawrie

Mr. Savage

Mr. Borie

Mr. Shepley

 

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

Elgin, Illinois Memorial Coin: under date of July 15, 1936, the following letter was received from the Acting Director of the Mint, submitting sketches for the Elgin Illinois, memorial coin: 

July 15, 1936. 

Hon. Charles Moore, Chairman,

Commission of Fine Arts,

Navy Department Building,

Washington, D.C. 

Dear Sir,

    I am submitting sketches of a model for the coin authorized by Congress to be issued in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of the city of Elgin, Illinois, and the of a heroic Pioneer Memorial.

    The sketches are submitted for your consideration as to their artistic merits, and with the understanding that the plaster model will be presented before final approval is attached by the Secretary of the Treasury.

 

Very truly yours, 

(Signed) M.M. O’Reilly,

Acting Director of the Mint.

 

    The sketches were inspected by Mr. Lawrie in particular. The obverse represented a head of one of the founders of the city and the reverse a group from the Pioneer Memorial. Mr. Lawrie advised that the head on the obverse should be shown in profile and with this criticism the sketches were approved and a report was made to the Acting Director of the Mint accordingly, it being understood that models of the sketches will be submitted later. (Exhibit C) 

EXHIBIT C 

July 17, 1936.

Dear Miss O’Reilly:

    Your letter of July 15, with which you submitted sketches of a design for the Elgin, Illinois, memorial coin, has been received. The Commission of Fine Arts considered the sketches at their meeting held today in New York City and approved the sketches. The head of the obverse should be shown in profile.

    For the Commission of Fine Arts:

 

Very truly yours,

 

(Signed) Charles Moore,

Chairman. 

Hon. M. M. O’Reilly

Acting Director of the Mint,

Washington, D. C.

 

[leeg]

Courtesy The Commemorative Trail, The Journal of the Society for U.S. Commemorative Coins, Fall 2000, p. 35.

 

[RWB]

Very interesting insider letter on profiteering from commemorative coins.