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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;leeg, post: 3509107, member: 17073&quot;]In addition to what Roger wrote, I believe the failure of huge numbers of bills submitted also played a big part to their demise.</p><p><br /></p><p>“Abuses of commemorative coins came to the forefront under Grant’s tenure, and President Coolidge vowed not to approve any more in 1925. President Hoover approved some commemoratives, then became disenchanted with the ‘racket,’ and threatened to veto any commemorative coin legislation sent to him by Congress.<a href="https://www.cointalk.com/file:///C:/Users/LeeJGastJr/Desktop/Book_Project/Early%20Commems_Proposed_Not_Issued%20Final%2005%2002%202019.doc#_ftn1" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/file:///C:/Users/LeeJGastJr/Desktop/Book_Project/Early%20Commems_Proposed_Not_Issued%20Final%2005%2002%202019.doc#_ftn1">[1]</a> This eventually resulted in replacement of the Standing Liberty quarter with the Washington design in 1932.</p><p><br /></p><p>Although President Roosevelt initially approved of additional commemoratives, the entire matter got out of hand quickly. Secretary Morgenthau began to crack down on excessive commemorative coin legislation in mid-1936….(add quotes). Demand for normal coinage in 1936-1937 continued strong even through the severe recession. Superintendents of the Philadelphia and San Francisco Mints complained of insufficient equipment to balance output from the various departments. Although new facilities were provided in San Francisco, and both Denver and Philadelphia Mints were expanded, they continued to have difficulty in meeting production targets.</p><p><br /></p><p>By 1937 Treasury Secretary Morgenthau advised that new issues be stopped:</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; The commemorative coin abuse, which of last has grown to such proportions that President Roosevelt told the last Congress that &#039;it jeopardizes the integrity of our coins,&#039; would be curbed under a bill introduced by Senator Francis T. Mahoney of Connecticut.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; &#039;Many abuses seem to have crept into the commemorative coins field,&#039; said the New England senator, one of the most consistent opponents of the indiscriminate issuance of these coins, after asking that the President appoint a commission of five to pass on such requests with power to deny improper ones.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; …Last Congress there were 50 bills introduced with requests for special issues and 25 became law. Already in the few weeks of the present session a dozen requests for special issues have been presented by members of Congress.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; &#039;I think the practice of striking special coins in commemoration of historical events and permitting the sponsoring organization to sell them at a profit is a misuse of our coinage systems, which is assuming increasingly dangerous proportions,” President Roosevelt warned the last Congress….</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; All sorts of events and persons are sought to be honored by a special commemorative coins. For instance, last Congress, among the 25 authorized, were issues to commemorate the ‘50th anniversary of Cincinnati as a center of music and its contributions to the art of music for the past 50 years,’ the ‘300th anniversary of the landing of the Swedes in Delaware,’ the ‘100th anniversary of the incorporation of Bridgeport, Conn.,’ and a number honoring the sundry anniversaries of states, counties and cities.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; The requests introduced this Congress include…’the changing the name of Sawpit to Village of Port Chester, N.Y.,’ the ‘Construction of Fort Peck dam,’ the &#039;heroes of the Alamo,&#039; and the &#039;100th anniversary of the birth of Grover Cleveland.”<a href="https://www.cointalk.com/file:///C:/Users/LeeJGastJr/Desktop/Book_Project/Early%20Commems_Proposed_Not_Issued%20Final%2005%2002%202019.doc#_ftn2" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/file:///C:/Users/LeeJGastJr/Desktop/Book_Project/Early%20Commems_Proposed_Not_Issued%20Final%2005%2002%202019.doc#_ftn2">[2]</a></p><p><br /></p><p>But members of congress, addicted to easy money and local recognition, continued the onslaught of increasingly trivial commemorations. One particularly parochial proposal was for half dollar coins to celebrate the two hundredth anniversary of Bethesda Orphans’ Home in Savannah, Georgia. The President had enough, and like his predecessor vowed to veto every commemorative coin proposal to cross his desk.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; President Roosevelt vetoed today a bill for the coinage of 100,000 silver 50-cent pieces in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the exploration of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in what is now the Southwestern United States. According to a memorandum given out at the White House, however, he has offered to have commemorative medals struck off by the mint in place of the coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; Mr. Roosevelt said that new issues of commemorative coins have in recent years increased three-fold, often for local celebrations, and have jeopardized the integrity of regular coins as well as caused confusion.[3]</p><p><br /></p><p>In the words of Senator Alva B. Adams (D, Colorado), its time ‘…to take the racket out of these coins.’<a href="https://www.cointalk.com/file:///C:/Users/LeeJGastJr/Desktop/Book_Project/Early%20Commems_Proposed_Not_Issued%20Final%2005%2002%202019.doc#_ftn4" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/file:///C:/Users/LeeJGastJr/Desktop/Book_Project/Early%20Commems_Proposed_Not_Issued%20Final%2005%2002%202019.doc#_ftn4">[4]</a> Secretary Morgenthau had decided that additional work required of the mints and growing signs of financial abuse were not worth the extra revenue, and actively opposed all commemorative coin proposals.”<b>1</b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[1] Over the decades since Grant’s term, most of the responsibility for problems with commemoratives have been placed on the sponsoring organizations. However, director Grant appears to have contributed to the confusion. In a notable exchange of letters between Grant and Representative Ole Juulson Kvale concerning the Norse-American medals of 1925, Grant displays surprising ignorance of the minting process, alloys and production schedules.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.cointalk.com/file:///C:/Users/LeeJGastJr/Desktop/Book_Project/Early%20Commems_Proposed_Not_Issued%20Final%2005%2002%202019.doc#_ftnref2" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/file:///C:/Users/LeeJGastJr/Desktop/Book_Project/Early%20Commems_Proposed_Not_Issued%20Final%2005%2002%202019.doc#_ftnref2">[2]</a> “Check Proposed On U.S. Issue of Memorial Coins,” <i>Christian Science Monitor</i>, February 24, 1937. p.13.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.cointalk.com/file:///C:/Users/LeeJGastJr/Desktop/Book_Project/Early%20Commems_Proposed_Not_Issued%20Final%2005%2002%202019.doc#_ftnref3" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/file:///C:/Users/LeeJGastJr/Desktop/Book_Project/Early%20Commems_Proposed_Not_Issued%20Final%2005%2002%202019.doc#_ftnref3">[3]</a> “Vetoes Special Coin Bill,” <i>The New York Times</i>, July 3, 1938. p.6.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.cointalk.com/file:///C:/Users/LeeJGastJr/Desktop/Book_Project/Early%20Commems_Proposed_Not_Issued%20Final%2005%2002%202019.doc#_ftnref4" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/file:///C:/Users/LeeJGastJr/Desktop/Book_Project/Early%20Commems_Proposed_Not_Issued%20Final%2005%2002%202019.doc#_ftnref4">[4]</a> “Taking Speculation from Special Coins,” <i>Christian Science Monitor</i>, June 16, 1939. p.2.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>1Courtesy of Roger Burdette</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Much more to follow.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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