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Message:: [QUOTE="leeg, post: 3367355, member: 17073"]First coin I'll share some history about is the Booker T. Washington.  Share your's if you have one. <img src="https://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/leeg1957/Book%20Project%20Images/BTW/NGC%2064PL%20BTW.png" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" />Designed by Isaac Scott Hathaway and distributed by Dr. S. J. Phillips, President of the Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial Commission. A coin in my collection (64PL), image by Bob Campbell. Design: Obverse: Portrayed is the bust of America’s foremost black educator, Booker Taliaferro Washington. (1858-1915). He is facing three quarters to the right. His name is placed in the lower border, while the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA are located around the upper border. BTW appears to be looking at the inscription E PLURIBUS UNUM in two lines in the right field. Situated in the left field are the words HALF DOLLAR. Appearing above the denomination is the date of issue. This can be 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, or 1951. Reverse: Depicted is the Hall of Fame, a structure which is composed of a series of columns that are set at regular intervals, which support the base of observed roof structure. This colonnade, located at New York University, or ‘NYU’ as it is known among city residents, houses many busts and tablets honoring famous Americans. Located above the legend LIBERTY in the lower border is the unfortunate residence of Booker T. Washington—a slave cabin. Mintmark (D or S) appears below. In the left field are the words Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST is located in the lower left field. This issue was created by a black designer Isaac Scott Hathaway, who also created the Booker T. Washington—George Washington Carver commemorative half dollars. <img src="https://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/leeg1957/Book%20Project%20Images/BTW/BTW%20at%20Tuskegee.png" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" />From stereoview of Booker T. Washington at the historic Tuskegee Industrial School in Alabama. Caption: ‘Booker T. Washington, President of the Negro Industrial School, Tuskegee, Alabama. Copyright 1899 by Strohmeyer & Wyman.’ Published by Underwood & Underwood, 1899. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Courtesy of the U. S. Commission of Fine ArtsMinutes of Meeting held in Washington, D. C., October 4, 1946. The following members were present: Mr. Clarke, Chairman, Mr. Finley, Vice Chairman, Mr. Aldrich, Mr. Reinhard, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Lawrie, Also Mr. H. P. Caemmerer, Secretary and Executive Officer. Also, by invitation, Mr. Henry R. Shepley. Booker T. Washington Memorial Coin: Under date of October 1, 1946, Mr. Howard submitted models for this coin, with letter as follows: Dear Mr. Clarke:   Forwarded herewith are the models for the Booker T. Washington half dollar which was prepared by Mr. Charles Keck of New York City.   It is the opinion of this Bureau that the background on the obverse will have to be raised in order to meet the requirements of our coinage presses. Very truly yours, Leland Howard, Acting Director of the Mint,   Also, on October 4th, Mr. Howard sent another set of models for this coin, with letter as follows: Dear Mr. Caemmerer:   Mr. Phillips of the Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial Association called me on the phone yesterday and said that he was flying to Washington with new models of the Booker T. Washington commemorative coin. Mr. Phillips delivered the models to this office in damaged condition and without review I am sending them to you so that your Commission can consider them at its meeting today.   I think I should explain to you the Mint’s position on commemorative coins. We oppose the issuance of commemorative coins but after a bill is enacted authorizing the minting of a coin we do not attempt to take the responsibility for the design and other details except that we insist that the relief be of such nature that we can manufacture a coin that will stack properly. Therefore, when we submit models to you for your comments upon the artistic merits of the design, we do not want you to think we are in any way responsible for the design. We assume that the act authorizing the coins rests that responsibility with the committee appointed by the officials handling the event that is being commemorated.   I understand that Mr. Phillips has talked to you relative to these models. Very truly yours, Leland Howard, Acting Director of the Mint,   The Commission inspected the models. They felt that the head of Booker T. Washington on the obverse of the set submitted by Mr. Phillips was better than that on Mr. Keck’s model, at least so far as likeness is concerned. The models submitted by Mr. Phillips were quite flat. It was understood they were made by an instructor of sculptor at Tuskegee Institute.   The reverse of the two sets of models was quite similar as to design, portraying some lettering, the cabin in which Booker T. Washington was born as a salve and the Hall of Fame, New York City, where he is commemorated.   The commission felt it would make a better coin to omit the two buildings as portrayed, since the model reduced to half-dollar size would practically wipe out the design of the building. However, Mr. Phillips said his Association is most anxious to show the buildings, since it illustrates the great opportunities there are in the United States for poor people to reach distinction. It was thereupon suggested that the two buildings in stylized form might appear satisfactory, and a sketch to illustrate this was given to Mr. Phillips. A new model for the reverse is to be made accordingly. A report was sent to the Acting Director of the Mint. (Exhibit D). Exhibit D October 7, 1946. Dear Mr. Howard:   The Commission of Fine Arts, at their meeting on October 4, considered the models by Charles Keck, sculptor, which you submitted with your letter of October 1st. for the Booker T. Washington half dollar.   Also the Commission considered the models for this coin presented to you by Mr. Phillips of the Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial Association, and submitted to the Commission with your letter of October 4th.   The Commission feels that the likeness of Booker T. Washington as shown on the model presented by Mr. Phillips is better than that on the model by Mr. Keck; therefore the Commission approves it for the obverse of that commemorative coin.   For the reverse Mr. Philips will submit a revised model embodying suggestions by the Committee of fine Arts. It appears that the Association is anxious to portray both the cabin in which Booker t. Washington was born as a slave and the hall of fame, where he is commemorated. The Commission gave Mr. Phillips a sketch showing how this may be done in stylized form. The lettering on the models appears somewhat flat, perhaps too much so for minting purposes. Both sets of models are herewith returned: Sincerely yours, Gilmore D. Clarke, Chairman. Mr. Leland Howard, Acting Director of the Mint, Treasury Department, Washington, D. C.[/QUOTE]

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