1935 Hudson, NY Sesquicentennial Half Dollar

@leeg

It would behoove many novice collectors to read accounts such as this to get an idea of some of the requirements that may be necessary to produce coins by the Mint.

Thank you!
Chris

 

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I brewed up 5 gals. of Mead back in the 90s...it takes a year of brewing but was well worth the effort...also saw Mermaids.

 

I was able to get one fairly reasonably priced in a PCGS MS65 holder. I have never seen, or seen images of one with a fully struck head of Poseidon. I don't know if such a thing exists.
It has always been one of the most expensive commems. Prices are down, so a good time to act. But be patient and get one without problems.

 

Here's mine at PCGS '64.........

 

According to the Flynn book, of the 10,008 coins that were struck which were supposed to be offered for $1.00 per coin, 7,500 were bought by New York coin dealer, Julius Guttag, for 95c per coin and another 1,000 coins were sold to St. Augustine, Florida coin dealer Hubert Carcaba. These coins were resold for $4-$7 each. Few of the collectors who paid the original $1 for them ever received the coins and were refunded their money.

Chris

 

Thanks Chris......... I knew that almost the whole offering was bought up by two guys, but I couldn't remember who they were............

 

I'll flip through the Flynn book and try to find the story about B. Max Mehl. I know he did buy up one of the Classic Commem issues. I just can't remember which one. If I find it, I'll be sure to "tag" you.

Chris

 

Hudson, NY front of city seal. Taxay p. 163.



Adopted models by Chester Beach. Courtesy of the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA).



Hudson half dollar Distribution Letter. The files of Walter P. Nichols contain extensive correspondence from virtually every issuer of commemorative half dollars in the 1930s. The above is simply a notice concerning the Hudson sesquicentennial half dollar scheduled for distribution in June 1935. The marginal note indicates that Nichols ordered ten pieces, remitting $10.33 for them. An Inside View of the Coin Hobby in the 1930s, Edited by Q. David Bowers, Bowers and Merena Galleries, Inc., p. 50. A book in my Numismatic Library.


“CITY OF HUDSON, N.Y.

Sesquicentennial

[About July 1935]

Dear Sir:

The bill authorizing the Hudson commemorative half dollars called for an issue not to exceed 10,000 pieces. The demand was so great that our entire 10,000 has been exhausted and there are no more available except through a few dealers who purchased them. The coins were distributed and offered to the public at $1.00 each.

Reservations for these coins have been accepted since the first part of May. The coins were received from the mint on June 28th, and on July 2nd the supply was depleted.


Very truly yours,

John R. Evans

For the Committee


ROBERT W. CARCABA

182 Magnolia Ave.

St. Augustine, Florida

July 25, 1935

Dear Mr. Nichols:

Your kind letter of the 21st received today. I have been fortunate enough to secure some of the Hudson issue but most of them have already been sold. I can supply you with them at the present price of $21.00 each limited to 100 coins. Have a line on 200 more but haven’t as yet received an answer from the holder.

Some of the New York Houses have bought of me at the above price. 100 were being shipped tomorrow to another dealer.

Let me know your wants soon as the present stock won’t last long and prices will be higher on any new ones purchased.

I buy lots of coins when the price is low enough for me to make a margin of profit. Sometime when you have duplicates to dispose of send a package along on approval. Mr. White of Newton will no doubt vouch for my honesty etc.

Will be glad to hear from you again.


Very truly yours,

Hubert W. Carcaba”3


“The Hudson (N.Y.) commemorative half dollar, issued in connection with the Sesqui-Centennial celebration of the incorporation of Hudson, is expected to be ready for distribution July 1. This issue is limited to 10,000. The designs are by Chester Beach, sculptor. The obverse shows the ship of Hendrik Hudson, the Half Moon, and the reverse the seal of Hudson, a spouting whale and two great gods of the sea. The coins will be distributed by the Hudson Sesqui-Centennial Committee. The price is $1 each, with postage and registration amounting to 18 cents on one coin and 5 cents addition for each other coin.”4

3 An Inside View of the Coin Hobby in the 1930s: The Walter P. Nichols File, Edited by Q. David Bowers, Bowers and Merena Galleries, Inc., Copyright 1984 by Bowers and Merena Galleries, Inc., p. 53.

4 The Numismatist, The Hudson (N.Y.) Half Dollar To Be Ready Shortly, July 1935, p. 444.

 

Part of a collection of coins, tokens, paper money, etc., received from President Roosevelt on May 29, 1941, from Frank W. Wise, Mayor of Hudson, New York. Courtesy bequest of Franklin D. Roosevelt, FDR Library MO 1941.40.4.13.

“Antihudson, New York, December 15, 1935.

In looking over the index of the 1935 Numismatists it was noted that no description of the Hudson half dollar had been given, and I hasten to fill this gap in numismatic literature. So far as known, this piece is the first ever dedicated to the coin collector. Everything about it shows the purpose for which it was issued.

Behold, on the obverse, the ship of Hudson homeward bound in all its triumph. Is it not laden, oh, my friends, with the catch of a most profitable expedition to the Sea of Suckers, where the proverbial one is born every minute? Obviously enough, the ship is none other than the ‘Half Moon,’ but why it was so christened has never been revealed until now. It seems that the success of such voyages is so dependent upon the influence of the moon that they are conducted entirely under her soothing rays. Indeed, great importance is even attached to the proper naming of the ship to more speedily reduce the suckers to the sate of subjugation required to land them. What more convincing proof need there be than the idiotic grinning of Luna on the coin itself? (please insert cuts of obverse and reverse of coin.)

Editor’s Note – The editor has no cut of the Hudson half dollar. And he has no Hudson half dollar from which to make a cut. In the circumstances, he reserved the right to decline to purchase one at the price asked.)

But, ah! The reverse – can it really be the devil himself? Be still, my troubled heart, ‘tis only the captain of the great Half Moon jauntily sporting his workaday clothes! Caught, too, in the very act of administering the coup-de-grace to the poor sucker that was snared into his trap. Another unsuspecting sucker may be seen nearby awaiting his turn and blowing his trumpet in anticipation of what he believes to be his great moment. Above may be seen the motto we all hope may come to pass. May the distributors of the coin reap both the honor and the reward (et decus et pretium) demanded by their righteous action (recti).

1. A. SHORNLAMB.”7

7The Numismatist, Description of Hudson Half Dollar, February, 1936, p. 109.

“As a native of Hudson, NY, back in the '80's, I tried to track down some of the locals who were involved with the distribution and get the ‘real’ story. Needless to say, many of the Sesquicentennial Committee members had passed on by then but a few were still around.

The short version is that after the Committee ordered the 10,000 half’s, they started to get cold feet (after all, it was the Great Depression, you know) and were worried about getting stuck with many of the coins. They even started to require Hudson City and Columbia County employees to take some of the coins as part of their paychecks.

(This fact was verified by several retired employees that I spoke with) Then the Guttag Bros. of NYC came along - now I was never able to determine who approached who first (the Guttag's or the Committee) but the bottom line is that the Committee agreed to sell 7,500 of the coins to the Guttag's at a discount just to get rid of them. Then, when the orders from the public poured in, many had to be returned with a ‘sold out’ notice. The rest, as they say, is history.”8

8 Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) Coin Forum Member '2nd Charter’ from a post on the PCGS Coin Forum dated 02/01/11.

 

Pretty colorful description of the coin.

"The captain administering the coup de grace to one sucker while another waits it's turn?"

"The Half Moon returning home laden with it's catch from the Sea of Suckers???"

What is this guy seeing, and who are all these "suckers" he keeps talking about?

 

Must be sucker fish caught in the net.