Theodore Roosevelt's 1914 trip to Brazil and a numismatic gold coin mystery

Theodore Roosevelt's 1914 trip to Brazil and a numismatic gold coin mystery

In 1912 former United States president Theodore Roosevelt lost his re-election campaign and was looking for something to do.

Usually former American presidents who have lost elections retire to write their memoirs but not Theodore Roosevelt.

In 1913 he was invited to give speeches in various South America countries.

He received an interesting invitation from Brazil's minister of foreign affairs to explore an "unknown river", the "River of Doubt". Theodore's son Kermit was working in South America and joined the expedition, which was led by Colonel Candido Rondon, Brazil's famed Amazon jungle explorer. There were fifteen Brazilian porters (camaradas) along on the expedition who did most of the work.

The trip is described in the 2005 book The River of Doubt - Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey by Candice Millard.

The expedition lasted from February to April 1914 and was a real jungle horror story with actual cannibals, deadly snakes, insects, diseases, infections, deaths, a murder, and starvation. When they were able to exit the river Theodore Roosevelt was taken to a hospital in Manaus to recover and then boarded a steamship for the trip back to the United States.

The book noted that Theodore Roosevelt gave two gold coins to each of the members of the expedition.

But what were the gold coins? Could they have been some of the American gold coins which, as president, Theodore Roosevelt had a part in designing?

Well, the gold coin question has been answered in another book.

The book is the recent (2023) book Into the Amazon: The Life of Candido Rondon by Larry Rohter.

Then Rondon and the other Brazilians came on board the steamship Aidan to say goodbye. Roosevelt shook hands with every camarada, gave each two gold sovereigns and made a speech, which Kermit translated into Portuguese. "You are all heroes," he told them, adding that they were "a fine set-brave, patient, obedient and enduring." Nor was Simplicio (a camarada who died) forgotten: Roosevelt directed that his gold coins be sent to his mother.

British gold sovereigns were an international currency then. They were used all over the world, including in South America.

A British gold sovereign, minted too late for Theodore Roosevelt's purposes:


Great Britain King George V Sovereign 1915

 

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Nice, thanks for posting the story. T. Roosevelt to me is one of the most interesting people in American history.

 

History. That's why I stay interested in collecting and learning about coins.

Thank you for the post, I enjoyed it.

Can you image if an ex-president took a trip like that now-a-days? Twenty-seven Secret Serice men/women. Personal doctor, Personal Chef, and a butler. LOL

 

I agree.

 

I'm imagining various ex-Presidents undertaking a jungle river expedition. No comment about which one(s) caused me to chuckle.

 

Wow. Wasn't TR shot in an assassination attempt in 2012?
I'm surprised he was in shape for this sort of thing a couple years later.
I guess the wound healed and he wasn't worried about infection or reopening it.
I haven't bought gold coins in many years, but here's a sovereign from back when
I could get one for about $100. UK, Victoria, 1 Sovereign, 1900

 

Edit: I am an idiot. I meant to type 1912 and typed 2012 out of habit. I guess I've finally adjusted to living in the 21st Century.

 

If you ever get the chance visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park in Medora ND. Beautiful scenery and the visitor center is awesome.

 

The River of Doubt is on my bookshelf. Interesting note.

 

I just finished looking online at the park and visitor center. You are right all looked beautiful. I would advise anyone else reading here to also go online and take a look.

 

Another interesting TR place is his NY home Sagamore Hill. There is a mulberry tree in the front yard and when the NY kids saw me eating them, they went nuts that you could pick and eat something.
https://www.nps.gov/sahi/index.htm

 

I did check out Sagamore Hiil watching two or three of the videos, and will watch more later. Thanks for posting.