Let's Try This Again

Didn't have much luck with my last trivia questions, so I've decided to make these a little easier.

1) What was the first authorized coin to bear the poitrait of one of our presidents? (Hint: Keyword is "authorized")

2) Why was there a suspension of silver dollar coinage from 1905 through 1920?

3) When did the motto "In God We Trust" first appear on the nickel?

Good luck!

 

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Guessing before doing any research:

1 Authorized by Congress? Washington quarter?

2 Pittman Act?

3 Shield nickel, 1st year was 1866?

 

1) lincoln, unless he was supposed to be a 1-yr only coin...same goes for washington...roosevelt?

2) lack of bullion

3)1866 on the shield nickel


will i get kicked out of the hobby if i'm wrong? i'm going on memory...

 

Here is what my research turned up

Question 1: What was the first authorized coin to bear the poitrait of one of our presidents? (Hint: Keyword is "authorized")

My Guess: Well Lincoln Penny was the First in 1909 to contain a portrait but not so sure it was what you are calling authorized. My guess is the Washington Quarter. Seems fitting since he provided raw material for coinage.

Question 2: Why was there a suspension of silver dollar coinage from 1905 through 1920?

Answer: No Morgan dollars were minted from 1905 through 1920 due to a shortage of silver bullion.

Question 3: When did the motto "In God We Trust" first appear on the nickel?

Answer : 1866 and disappeared in in 1883, and did not reappear until production of the Jefferson nickel began in 1938. . Since 1938, all United States coins bear the inscription. Later, the motto was found missing from the new design of the double-eagle gold coin and the eagle gold coin shortly after they appeared in 1907. In response to a general demand, Congress ordered it restored, and the Act of May 18, 1908, made it mandatory on all coins upon which it had previously appeared. IN GOD WE TRUST was not mandatory on the one-cent coin and five-cent coin. It could be placed on them by the Secretary or the Mint Director with the Secretary's approval.

 

We have the answers to #2 and #3.

2) Coinage of silver dollars was suspended in 1904 because the supply of bullion for it's minting, which was supplied under the provisions of the Sherman Act and war revenue bill, was exhausted.
Coining of the dollar was resumed in 1921 under the provisions of the Pittman Act of 1918.

3) The Shield nickel of 1866, which was the first 5 cent nickel, was also the first nickel to bear the nation's motto.

Now, who will be the first to answer question #1?

 

Would it be Calvin Coolidge 1926 half dollar? He was the first President whose portrait appeared on a coin struck during his lifetime.

 

Nope. Not Calvin Coolidge.
Another hint. The answer is in the Red Book.

 

Dint see it in the redbook, will read more. Last guess today for me Kennedy Half Dollar - 1964

 

Nope, not Kennedy.
Another hint: It was before the 1909 Lincoln cent.

 

I believe it was the 1792 Eagle with Stars (3 known) pg 60 2004 Red Book

According to my research in the Red Book on March 3 1791 Congress passed a resolution to start the mint and the bill passed on April 2 1792.

 

I'll try without looking in the Redbook.

If I recall correctly, a coin with Washington was authorized in the 1780s or 1790s, but Washington, of course, did not want it because he did not want to be looked upon as a monarch.

 

Wow, I didn't think this would be so hard.
Still no correct answer.
I will check back in a few days, and if no one has found the answer, I will give it out.

 

Hmmm the Lafayette dollar found reference on the mint then looked it up in Redbook. 1900 Issue Year , 36,026 Minted. Prepared by C.E. Barber. Layfayette Memorial Commission charged $2.00 for each coin.

Pg 251 red Book or US Mint has Info on it.
I tell you this, as a newbie in the hobby I learned a lot about coin history today chasing this 1 answer down on the web and the RedBook!!!!

 

I have been reading my redbook here at work and I feel it is one of the 1790 era coins.

Pages 60-61 of the redbook have a few coins minted in 1792 with Washington on them and since the mint was authotized in that year it should be one of those coins, correct

Now there is not any population of how many cents were struck but there is a reference of a Getz pattern 1729 Lg Eagle Silver from the garrett Sale in 1981 that sold for $16.5k .

These are not described as tokens but the dies/coins were struck and submitted for approval as coins half dollars and cents.

Other than that ther is the 1903 Louisiana Purchase gold. These have both Jefferson and Mckinley (pg 252).

 

Noobgw. Take a look at pg 251 and read about the Lafayette dollar Jody 526 stated Keyword is "authorized". That leads me to feel its the Lafayette dollar.

 

BTW, through reading my Red Book, I would offer a clarification to #2.

Silver dollars were not minted from 1904 to 1921 due to lack of demand. The 'buzzard' dollar was like locusts, and were so plentiful it was lunacy to mint more until the Pittman act wiped out a good number of them.

 

The only problem with Lafayette is, he was not a President of the USA.

 

The Lafayette dollar also has Washington on the coin. It is the first president portrait authorized on a US coin.


Kudos to Jody for such a good trivia.

 

Thanks for the trivia, I learned quite a bit on that one

 

Good job.

Look, there i go jumping to conclusions again.