Log in or Sign up
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
US Coins Forum
>
An Incredibly Rare Prooflike Cincinnati Commemorative
>
Reply to Thread
Message:
<p>[QUOTE="leeg, post: 4024747, member: 17073"]Sold my PL Commems a couple months ago.</p><p><br /></p><p>Did ok.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>A little something about the Cincinnati:</p><p><br /></p><p>Approved by Congress on March 31, 1936 and issued in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of Cincinnati, Ohio, as a center of music, and its contribution to the art of music for the past fifty years.</p><p><br /></p><p>Design:</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Obverse:</b> Bust of Stephen Foster to right; below in small letters STEPHEN FOSTER, AMERICA’S TROUBADOUR; around upper border in large letters UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; around lower border, HALF DOLLAR; in left field, in direct line with the U in UNITED and nape of neck, the engraver’s initials C.O. in monogram.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Reverse:</b> Draped form of a woman playing a lyre; in upper left field, 1936; in exergue in three lines, IN GOD WE TRUST – E PLURIBUS UNUM – LIBERTY; around border in large letters, CINCINNATI. A. MUSIC. CENTER. OF. AMERICA.</p><p><br /></p><p><b> </b>Designed by Miss Constance Ortmayer of Washington, D.C. and distributed by Thomas G. Melish, president of the Cincinnati Musical Center Commemorative Coin Association. During July, 1936, the entire authorized issue of 15,000 Cincinnati, Ohio, Musical Center half-dollars were coined at the three mints as follows: Philadelphia 5,005; Denver 5,005; San Francisco 5,006.</p><p><br /></p><p> In 1926, a commemorative issue for Stephen Foster had been suggested by Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, to commemorate the centennial of his birth in 1826 in that city. He was the composer of ‘Old Folks at Home,’ ‘Oh Susannah,’ ‘Old Kentucky Home,’ Nelly was a Lady,’ etc.</p><p><br /></p><p> Due to the limited coinage authorized and the fact that the commemorative half-dollar wave was at its peak, the entire issue was over-subscribed prior to the release of the first set. These pieces were sold in sets only, in printed cards. The price per set was established at seven dollars and seventy-five cents-a new high level for the initial cost of a new type. A number of sets were released with special numbers signifying the order in which they were coined.</p><p><br /></p><p> The Cincinnati Musical Center issue is extraordinary in that the anniversary celebrated bears no relation to the portrait of Foster on the obverse, as Foster died in 1864, twenty-two years prior to the founding of the Liederkrantz Musical Society in 1886.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1058290[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><b>Part of a collection of coins, tokens, paper money, etc., received from President Roosevelt on May 29, 1941. Courtesy bequest of Franklin D. Roosevelt, FDR Library MO 1941.40.4.4.</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> As on the Bridgeport issue, the three phrases required by law to appear upon the coinage are relegated to an unimportant position and are seen in small letters.</p><p><br /></p><p> It is interesting to observe that despite the very limited authorization of only 15,000 half-dollars, the phrase ‘at the Mints’ was inserted. At this period, the authorizing Acts read: ‘to be coined by the Director of the Mint---the Cincinnati issue was the very last Act authorizing a coinage of souvenir half-dollars with the specific provision that the pieces shall be coined ‘at the mints.’</p><p><br /></p><p> “We have received from the Cincinnati Musical Center Commemorative Coin Association the following details of the coins which will be struck for it:</p><p><br /></p><p> ‘The bill has passed both the Senate and House and was signed by President Roosevelt on April 1. The design of the coin has been made by Miss Constance Ortmayer, an artist and sculptress of Washington, D.C., who has a national reputation. The obverse shows the head of Stephen Foster, who, as you know, wrote such outstanding ballads as ‘Suwannee River,’ ‘My Old Kentucky Home,’ ‘Oh, Suzanna,’ ‘Nellie Was a Lady,’ and many others.</p><p><br /></p><p> ‘There are many details to be arranged before the coins will be issued. It takes almost a month to cut the master die. The coins will be struck at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco mints. As the issue is limited, and quite a quantity will have to be reserved for the musical enthusiasts all over the country, the number for numismatists will be exceedingly limited. We believe, however, there will be enough to go around.’<b>”1</b></p><p><br /></p><p><b>1 <i>The Numismatist</i>, Editorial Comment – Numismatic News, Commemorative Coins, May, 1936, p. 359.</b>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="leeg, post: 4024747, member: 17073"]Sold my PL Commems a couple months ago. Did ok. A little something about the Cincinnati: Approved by Congress on March 31, 1936 and issued in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of Cincinnati, Ohio, as a center of music, and its contribution to the art of music for the past fifty years. Design: [B]Obverse:[/B] Bust of Stephen Foster to right; below in small letters STEPHEN FOSTER, AMERICA’S TROUBADOUR; around upper border in large letters UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; around lower border, HALF DOLLAR; in left field, in direct line with the U in UNITED and nape of neck, the engraver’s initials C.O. in monogram. [B]Reverse:[/B] Draped form of a woman playing a lyre; in upper left field, 1936; in exergue in three lines, IN GOD WE TRUST – E PLURIBUS UNUM – LIBERTY; around border in large letters, CINCINNATI. A. MUSIC. CENTER. OF. AMERICA. [B] [/B]Designed by Miss Constance Ortmayer of Washington, D.C. and distributed by Thomas G. Melish, president of the Cincinnati Musical Center Commemorative Coin Association. During July, 1936, the entire authorized issue of 15,000 Cincinnati, Ohio, Musical Center half-dollars were coined at the three mints as follows: Philadelphia 5,005; Denver 5,005; San Francisco 5,006. In 1926, a commemorative issue for Stephen Foster had been suggested by Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, to commemorate the centennial of his birth in 1826 in that city. He was the composer of ‘Old Folks at Home,’ ‘Oh Susannah,’ ‘Old Kentucky Home,’ Nelly was a Lady,’ etc. Due to the limited coinage authorized and the fact that the commemorative half-dollar wave was at its peak, the entire issue was over-subscribed prior to the release of the first set. These pieces were sold in sets only, in printed cards. The price per set was established at seven dollars and seventy-five cents-a new high level for the initial cost of a new type. A number of sets were released with special numbers signifying the order in which they were coined. The Cincinnati Musical Center issue is extraordinary in that the anniversary celebrated bears no relation to the portrait of Foster on the obverse, as Foster died in 1864, twenty-two years prior to the founding of the Liederkrantz Musical Society in 1886. [ATTACH=full]1058290[/ATTACH] [B]Part of a collection of coins, tokens, paper money, etc., received from President Roosevelt on May 29, 1941. Courtesy bequest of Franklin D. Roosevelt, FDR Library MO 1941.40.4.4.[/B] As on the Bridgeport issue, the three phrases required by law to appear upon the coinage are relegated to an unimportant position and are seen in small letters. It is interesting to observe that despite the very limited authorization of only 15,000 half-dollars, the phrase ‘at the Mints’ was inserted. At this period, the authorizing Acts read: ‘to be coined by the Director of the Mint---the Cincinnati issue was the very last Act authorizing a coinage of souvenir half-dollars with the specific provision that the pieces shall be coined ‘at the mints.’ “We have received from the Cincinnati Musical Center Commemorative Coin Association the following details of the coins which will be struck for it: ‘The bill has passed both the Senate and House and was signed by President Roosevelt on April 1. The design of the coin has been made by Miss Constance Ortmayer, an artist and sculptress of Washington, D.C., who has a national reputation. The obverse shows the head of Stephen Foster, who, as you know, wrote such outstanding ballads as ‘Suwannee River,’ ‘My Old Kentucky Home,’ ‘Oh, Suzanna,’ ‘Nellie Was a Lady,’ and many others. ‘There are many details to be arranged before the coins will be issued. It takes almost a month to cut the master die. The coins will be struck at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco mints. As the issue is limited, and quite a quantity will have to be reserved for the musical enthusiasts all over the country, the number for numismatists will be exceedingly limited. We believe, however, there will be enough to go around.’[B]”1[/B] [B]1 [I]The Numismatist[/I], Editorial Comment – Numismatic News, Commemorative Coins, May, 1936, p. 359.[/B][/QUOTE]
Your name or email address:
Do you already have an account?
No, create an account now.
Yes, my password is:
Forgot your password?
Stay logged in
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
US Coins Forum
>
An Incredibly Rare Prooflike Cincinnati Commemorative
>
Home
Home
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Activity
Recent Posts
Forums
Forums
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Posts
Competitions
Competitions
Quick Links
Competition Index
Rules, Terms & Conditions
Gallery
Gallery
Quick Links
Search Media
New Media
Showcase
Showcase
Quick Links
Search Items
Most Active Members
New Items
Directory
Directory
Quick Links
Directory Home
New Listings
Members
Members
Quick Links
Notable Members
Current Visitors
Recent Activity
New Profile Posts
Sponsors
Menu
Search
Search titles only
Posted by Member:
Separate names with a comma.
Newer Than:
Search this thread only
Search this forum only
Display results as threads
Useful Searches
Recent Posts
More...