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Message:: [QUOTE="leeg, post: 3510193, member: 17073"]This is a very, very long chapter. These are the failures that I have found. I know there are more. Please share here if you know of any failures that I don't mention. I will carry this all the the way to the 1950s. I'll get started now on the failures: 1912 <img src="https://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/leeg1957/Book%20Project%20Images/Commems%20Proposed%20but%20Failed/1912%20Dollar%20Design%20A.png" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> “It was thought to be especially fitting in 1912 to suggest that the United States Government-one hundred years after the War of 1812-issue a commemorative silver coin of the denomination of one dollar, the design of which will emphasize the wonderful growth of the country that range of time. For this commemorative dollar the above design is submitted, from which Walter E. Blyth, a young New York artist, has taken this suggestion for the above drawings:  The obverse bear in the center of the field a reproduction of Liberty, with cap and pole, as borne by the first representation of Liberty on the celebrated ‘Libertas Americana’ medal of Dupre, the French artist, issued in 1776, which was adopted as a medal by our mint engravers in 1793 to place upon the first cents struck at the United States Mint. It is suggested, however, that Liberty on the new dollar face to the right, instead of to the left, as on the original medal. Around the central device to be placed a complete circle of stars-forty-eight in number-representing the number of states now in the Union.  Around the border to be the legend ‘United States of America.’  At the bottom, the date, ‘1912,’ dividing the denomination ‘One’ and Dol.’ as, ONE  1912  DOL. The reverse design to show in the center of the field the coat of arms of a state; beneath in small letters the name of the state. I live in Virginia, Coat of Arms for Virginia (1876), below: <img src="https://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/leeg1957/Book%20Project%20Images/Commems%20Proposed%20but%20Failed/Coat_of_arms_of_Virginia_1876.png" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" />Virginia State Coat of Arms (1876). Courtesy of Wikipedia. Around this coat of arms to be a partial circle of nineteen stars, to represent the states of which the Union was composed in 1812—namely, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, New jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana and Missouri. Around the border to be inscribed, ‘1812 NINETEEN STATES, 1912 FORTY-EIGHT STATES.’In the edge of the coin, in incused, or sunken, letters, to be ‘HUNDRED CENTS, ONE DOLLAR, OR UNIT’ as borne by the first coin of the denomination issued at the United States Mint in 1794.   That all of these commemorative dollars be struck from a common United States obverse, as above described, to be combined with the same reverse design, but bearing in the center the coat of arms of the various states of the Union at the present time, after the style of the illustrations, which show New York and California.   The issue of a commemorative dollar coin is thought to be worthy of consideration for a number of reasons. One of these is that since 1894 this Government has ceased to coin a metallic representation of its currency unit, as the silver dollar was abandoned in that year, while in 1889 the coinage of the gold dollar was stopped.   It is felt that the issue of this coin along the suggested lines will have an educational value, as it will show the exact number of states now in the Union, a matter upon which a great many of our citizens are not correctly informed, and also will show the coat of arms of each state, which surely will be a matter of interest for nearly all generations of our citizens.   It is thought that the issue of this dollar will not entail any considerable expense, and indeed there may be even a margin of profit. Undoubtedly there will be orders for a vast number of these coins, and the seigniorage alone will probably warrant the issue.   It is recommended that the size, weight, and general coinage features of the silver dollar of 1894 be applied to the striking of this commemorative dollar, and that all the provisions of law relative to the coinage, legal tender quality, and redemption of the silver coins of the United States be made applicable to the commemorative piece.   It is also suggested that in order to permit these commemorative dollars to reach every part of the United States, that, when ordered in sums of $500 or more, the charge for transportation be borne by the Government.   Also that at least 1,000,000 of these pieces be struck, and that a sufficient number of silver dollars be withdrawn from the United States Treasury and recoined for the purpose. And also that the issue be increased if found advisable.   That the United States Mint authorities be authorized to strike a number of pieces from the dies bearing each state’s coat of arms in proof to meet the demands of collectors for cabinet specimens, and that the cost of these specimens be regulated by the rules at present governing the striking and sale by the Government of similar pieces, and that the commemorative dollar be struck at the parent and all the branch United States Mints. ”2 2 The Numismatist, 1912 Commemorative Dollar, by Edgar H. Adams, Vol. XXV, No. 1, January 1912, p. 1-2.[/QUOTE]

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