This early commemorative has been on my want list for quite some time. They are certainly not hard to find, but I wanted one with some character as the title to this thread states. Most MS examples of the 1936-S San Francisco - Oakland Bay Bridge Half Dollar look like this - Now, don't get me wrong, this is a superb example and I love a coin with blast white blazing luster. The problem I have with this coin is that the bear is just a big lifeless blob on the coin. I refer to him as the "Stay Puft Marshmallow Bear" whenever I see one of these MS examples. Before I get to the piece that I have added to my collection, I'd like to tell a short story. Catherine and I were married in Las Vegas, at The Stratosphere (now known as the STRAT) in the chapel 103 stories high. The day after our nuptials, we hopped into a rented convertible and headed to San Francisco. What a long drive! At one point, driving through death valley, the temp on the dash called out 115 degrees fahrenheit. The top is down and we're having a blast. Getting toward evening and it's time to stop for a bite to eat. I finally take off my sunglasses in the restaurant and Catherine starts laughing. I ask her what the deal is, and she replies "nothing, Rocky Raccoon!". I got absolutely cooked! Back on the road and we finally get to a point where I've had enough driving. Catherine takes over and says she'll bring us the rest of the way. I might have taken a small nap but am awake as we're getting close. Even though it's dark, I'm looking out my window at the very densely populated landscape. We come to a bridge, ah, it's the Bay Bridge. I look over to Catherine to tell her how nice it is to finally be at our destination. Have you guys seen National Lampoon's Vacation? Yep, the part where the whole family is sleeping in the car, and even the driver Clark. There's my beautiful new wife, head tilted back, sawing logs, as we're crossing the bridge. You can bet we still laugh about that moment today. This coin will be forever cherished in my collection. Not only for the non-Stay Puft Marshmallow Bear, but also for our memory of Mrs. Griswold driving us over the Bay Bridge. Enjoy and share your own if you'd like! p.s. I overpaid for this coin, but I don't care!
Very nice! I have one too, a AU55 that has a lot of character as well. I would post it but it is currently inaccessible (SDB). Growing up in the East Bay I have travelled over the Bay Bridge 40 to 50 times and every time is special. My wife and I honeymooned in San Francisco in 1973, we will celebrate our 52nd anniversary next month. Visits there are always memorable. Congrats to you and your wife…Spark
Nice story! You certainly took the long, hot (but scenic!) route from LV to SF. The bear is a California grizzly bear, which was exterminated by the 1920s. How different it was genetically from other grizzlies is a matter of dispute. It’s been proposed to bring grizzlies back to California, a proposal which is hotly debated. Grizzlies have the bad habit of eating livestock and people. Cal
PCGS MS-64+ with a CAC green bean. Not a white blob here either. I agre with OP, these are often best with some toning. The blast white examples I saw also didn't do much for me.
