The Hudson, New York, Sesquicentennial half dollar, sometimes called the Hudson Sesquicentennial half dollar, is a
commemorative
A commemorative is an object made to memorialize something.
Commemorative may refer to:
* Commemorative coin, coins that issued to commemorate something
* Commemorative medal, a medal to commemorate something
* Commemorative plaque, a plate typic ...
fifty-cent piece struck by the
United States Bureau of the Mint
The United States Mint is a bureau of the United States Department of the Treasury, Department of the Treasury responsible for producing currency, coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce, as well as controlling the movemen ...
in 1935. The coin was designed by
Chester Beach
Chester A. Beach (May 23, 1881 – August 6, 1956) was an American sculptor who was known for his busts and medallic art.
Early life
Beach was born in San Francisco, California. He studied initially at the California School of Mechanical Arts ...
. Its
obverse depicts the ''
Half Moon'', flagship of
Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson ( 1565 – disappeared 23 June 1611) was an English sea explorer and navigator during the early 17th century, best known for his explorations of present-day Canada and parts of the northeastern United States.
In 1607 and 160 ...
, after whom the city of
Hudson, New York
Hudson is a city and the county seat of Columbia County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 5,894. Located on the east side of the Hudson River and 120 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, it was named for the rive ...
is named. In addition to showing the ship, the coin displays a version of the Hudson city seal, with
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun and the farthest known planet in the Solar System. It is the fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 times ...
riding a whale, a design that has drawn commentary over the years.
Although the city of Hudson was a relatively small municipality, legislation to issue a coin in honor of its 150th anniversary went through Congress without opposition and was signed by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
, becoming the Act of May 2, 1935. In June 1935, 10,000 Hudson half dollars were distributed to civic authorities for sale to the public.
Most of the coins were likely bought by coin dealers, leaving few for collectors, with the result that prices spiked from the $1 cost at the time of issue. This caused anger among coin collectors at the time, but the coin's value has increased steadily since then.
Background and legislation
Hudson, New York
Hudson is a city and the county seat of Columbia County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 5,894. Located on the east side of the Hudson River and 120 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, it was named for the rive ...
, the
seat
A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but also headquarters in a wider sense.
Types of seat
The following are examples of different kinds of seat:
* Armchair (furniture), ...
of
Columbia County, lies on the east bank of the
Hudson River
The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...
, some south of
Albany. It was founded in 1662 under the name Claverack Landing. Originally a trading post for the
Rensselaer family, it saw considerable expansion in the early 1780s and was incorporated under the name Hudson in 1785. During the 1930s, it had about 14,000 residents.
In 1935, commemorative coins were not sold by the government—Congress, in authorizing legislation, usually designated an organization which had the exclusive right to purchase them at face value and vend them to the public at a premium. In the case of the Hudson half dollar, the responsible official or group was to be designated by the Mayor of Hudson.
A bill for a half dollar to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the incorporation of Hudson was introduced in the House of Representatives by New York Congressman
Philip A. Goodwin
Philip Arnold Goodwin (January 20, 1882 – June 6, 1937) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.
Goodwin was born in Athens, New York. He was in the steel bridge construction business in Albany, New ...
on March 6, 1935, and provided for 6,000 pieces. It was referred to the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures.
Goodwin was the longtime president of the
Greene County Historical Society, and introduced the bill as a favor for friends in nearby Hudson. A report was issued by Missouri's
John J. Cochran
John Joseph Cochran (August 11, 1880 – March 6, 1947) was a U.S. Representative from Missouri.
Cochran was born in Webster Groves, Missouri; his father and maternal grandparents were Irish immigrants. He attended the public schools in Webster ...
, acting chairman of the committee, on April 2, 1935, recommending that the bill pass with an amendment increasing the mintage to 10,000, and noting that Goodwin had appeared before the committee to pledge that the entire quantity struck would be taken up by the city authorities, and thus there would be no coins left on the Mint's hands. On April 3, immediately after the House passed a bill for the
Old Spanish Trail half dollar
The Old Spanish Trail half dollar is a commemorative coin struck by the United States Bureau of the Mint in 1935. The coin was designed by L. W. Hoffecker, a coin dealer, who also was in charge of its distribution.
In 1930, President Herber ...
, it passed the bill for the Hudson piece on Cochran's motion, without debate or opposition. The Missouri congressman also included his report in the ''
Congressional Record
The ''Congressional Record'' is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress, published by the United States Government Publishing Office and issued when Congress is in session. The Congressional Record Inde ...
''.
The bill thus passed to the Senate, where it was referred to the Committee on Banking and Currency. On April 11, 1935, New York Senator
Robert F. Wagner
Robert Ferdinand Wagner I (June 8, 1877May 4, 1953) was an American politician. He was a Democratic U.S. Senator from New York from 1927 to 1949.
Born in Prussia, Wagner migrated with his family to the United States in 1885. After graduating ...
issued a report, recommending that the bill pass unamended. When the bill was considered in the Senate on April 15, Rhode Island's
Jesse H. Metcalf
Jesse Houghton Metcalf (November 16, 1860October 9, 1942) was an American politician, he served as a United States senator from Rhode Island.
Early life
Born in Providence, Metcalf was educated in private schools there, studied textile manu ...
moved to amend it so the bill would also provide for the issuance of a
Rhode Island Tercentenary half dollar
The Rhode Island Tercentenary half dollar (sometimes called the Providence, Rhode Island, Tercentenary half dollar) is a commemorative fifty-cent piece struck by the United States Bureau of the Mint in 1936. The coin was designed by John Howar ...
. There was no objection or debate concerning either the amendment or the bill as a whole, and it passed the Senate.
Because the two chambers of Congress had passed different versions of the bill, it returned to the House of Representatives. There, on April 18, on motion of Cochran, the House agreed to the Senate amendments,
[ ] and it was enacted on May2 by the signature of President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
. Anthony Swiatek and
Walter Breen, in their 1988 volume on commemoratives, suggested that the bill passed because of "probably the usual 'you vote for my bill and I'll vote for yours' arrangement".
Preparation
On the day Roosevelt signed the legislation, Congressman Goodwin wrote to
Charles Moore, chairman of the
Commission of Fine Arts, requesting the names of suitable artists to design the coin. The commission was charged by a 1921
executive order by President
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party, he was one of the most popular sitting U.S. presidents. A ...
with rendering advisory opinions regarding public artworks, including coins. Moore suggested
Laura Gardin Fraser as standing in the first rank of medallists, with other possibilities to include Mint Chief Engraver
John R. Sinnock
John Ray Sinnock (July 8, 1888 – May 14, 1947) was the eighth Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1925 to 1947.
History
Sinnock was the designer of the Roosevelt dime and Franklin half dollar, among other U.S. coins. His initials ca ...
,
Paul Manship
Paul Howard Manship (December 24, 1885 – January 28, 1966) was an American sculptor. He consistently created mythological pieces in a classical style, and was a major force in the Art Deco movement. He is well known for his large public com ...
, Francis H. Packer and
Chester Beach
Chester A. Beach (May 23, 1881 – August 6, 1956) was an American sculptor who was known for his busts and medallic art.
Early life
Beach was born in San Francisco, California. He studied initially at the California School of Mechanical Arts ...
. Mayor Frank Wise of Hudson asked if
John Flanagan John Flanagan or Jack Flanagan may refer to:
Sportspeople
* Jack Flanagan (footballer) (1902–1989), English footballer
* John Flanagan (hammer thrower) (1868–1938), Irish-American three-time Olympic champion in athletics
* John Flanagan (Limeri ...
, who had recently designed the
Washington quarter
The Washington quarter is the present quarter dollar or 25-cent piece issued by the United States Mint. The coin was first struck in 1932; the original version was designed by sculptor John Flanagan.
As the United States prepared to celebrate t ...
, would do; Moore agreed by telegram. However, the commission went to Beach for $1,000; the sculptor also agreed to guide the city through the coin approval process.
Wise and his officials had tentatively decided to have a head of
Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson ( 1565 – disappeared 23 June 1611) was an English sea explorer and navigator during the early 17th century, best known for his explorations of present-day Canada and parts of the northeastern United States.
In 1607 and 160 ...
on one side of the coin, with the city seal on the other. Beach quickly prepared sketches and met with Wise on May 13, but convinced the mayor that instead of the explorer (no actual portrait of him is known) his ship, the ''
Half Moon'', would be a better choice. Working at speed unusual for a commemorative coin of that era, Beach completed plaster models in one week, adding a crescent moon to the left of the ship. The models were converted to coinage dies by the
Medallic Art Company
Medallic Art Company, Ltd. based in Dayton, Nevada was at one time "America’s oldest and largest private mint" and specialized in making academic awards, maces, medallions, along with chains of office and universities medals for schools. Aft ...
of New York, who could accomplish the task faster than the
Philadelphia Mint. Though records are not complete, the company apparently contacted the Mint for advice; Chief Engraver Sinnock sent it a letter on May 23. While unfamiliar with the Hudson legislation, Sinnock had confidence in Beach's ability because his previous designs were easy for the Mint to strike into coins. Beach quoted this praise in reporting to Moore on May 27 that
Lee Lawrie
Lee Oscar Lawrie (October 16, 1877 – January 23, 1963) was an American architectural sculptor and a key figure in the American art scene preceding World War II. Over his long career of more than 300 commissions Lawrie's style evolved through ...
, the sculptor-member of the Commission of Fine Arts, had approved the designs. Approval by the full commission followed on May 28, and by Secretary of the Treasury
Henry Morgenthau Henry Morgenthau may refer to:
* Henry Morgenthau Sr. (1856–1946), United States diplomat
* Henry Morgenthau Jr. (1891–1967), United States Secretary of the Treasury
* Henry Morgenthau III (1917–2018), author and television producer of ''Screa ...
a week later.
Design
The
obverse of the coin shows the ''
Half Moon'', Henry Hudson's flagship, sailing to the right. To the left of the
merchantman
A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which are u ...
's rigging is a stylized crescent moon. The ship is surrounded by two rings of lettering, the inner reading "
" and , and the outer the name of the country and the coin's denomination. The designer's monogram, , may be found at the waterline on the left side of the coin. The reverse is a rendition of the city of Hudson's seal, with
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun and the farthest known planet in the Solar System. It is the fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 times ...
holding a trident, riding backward on a whale. A mermaid or
triton
Triton commonly refers to:
* Triton (mythology), a Greek god
* Triton (moon), a satellite of Neptune
Triton may also refer to:
Biology
* Triton cockatoo, a parrot
* Triton (gastropod), a group of sea snails
* ''Triton'', a synonym of ''Triturus' ...
in the background blows into a conch shell. The seal design reflects Hudson's heritage as a whaling port, although it is some distance up the
Hudson River
The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...
from the ocean. The motto (''Both the honor and the reward of the righteous'') is copied from the city seal; the name of the city and the anniversary dates surround the seal, with
above the dates.
, in his book on commemorative coins, described the seal as "a rather whimsical composition"; Beach had deemed it "rather amusing" and had hoped the new coins "will be a little more interesting than the others I have done". Swiatek and Breen referenced "the quaint device of King Neptune riding backwards on a spouting whale, whose eye is represented as being about where its blowhole should be. Neptune is briefly clad in a wisp of cloth 'blowing in the wind'." They suggested that the position of the Moon meant, if it was waxing, that the ship was sailing west toward America, but if waning, was sailing east to Europe.
Art historian
Cornelius Vermeule
Cornelius Clarkson Vermeule III (August 10, 1925 – November 27, 2008) was an American scholar of ancient art and curator of classical art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, from 1957 to 1996. He was also well known as a numismatist. He also ...
, in his volume about U.S. coins and medals, considered the ship on the obverse "straightforward fare for commemorative half-dollars", though he found the name "" beneath the waves unneeded given the legend on the reverse. The reverse based on the city seal was to him "a harming throwback to colonial days, and in American numismatics to the quasi–federal and state issues of the period 1780 to 1792". Vermeule noted "the baroque motto above Neptune and his group
hatmakes it evident that this subject, appealing and amusing in itself, appears here because it is the singular characteristic of the City of Hudson on the river of the same name".
Production, distribution, and collecting
On June 12, 1935, John Evans, vice president of the First National Bank of Hudson, wrote to
Mary M. O'Reilly
Mary Margaret O'Reilly (October 14, 1865 – December 6, 1949) was an American civil servant who served as the assistant director of the United States Bureau of the Mint from 1924 until 1938. One of the United States government's highest-r ...
, the acting Director of the Mint, asking on behalf of Mayor Wise that only 6,000 coins be struck at that time, with the remainder to be coined later if demand justified it. But the Mint delivered the entire authorization of 10,000 on June 28, 1935. Reservations for coins had been taken since early May (at $1 per coin, plus postage of $.03 per two coins and
registered mail fee of $.18 per order), and on July 2, 1935, Evans, who was in charge of distribution, began informing what Swiatek called "
furiated collectors" that the coins were sold out. Coin dealer Julius Guttag, of New York City's Guttag Brothers, is believed to have bought 7,500 coins at $.95 each, and Hubert W. Carcaba, of Saint Augustine, Florida, is believed to have bought 1,000. In addition to the 10,000 pieces distributed, eight coins were struck at Philadelphia and retained there to be available for inspection and testing at the 1936 meeting of the annual
Assay Commission
The United States Assay Commission was an agency of the United States government from 1792 to 1980. Its function was to supervise the annual testing of the gold, silver, and (in its final years) base metal coins produced by the United States Mint ...
.
The uproar in the coin-collecting community resulted in bad publicity for the city of Hudson. Although the specifics of how the coins came to be so quickly sold out were not immediately known, collectors intuited a trick, especially when coins proved plentiful on the market at between $5 and $7 each. Many of these sold, helping set off a commemorative coin boom that continued later in 1935 when low-mintage varieties of the
Daniel Boone Bicentennial half dollar came on the market after a similar immediate sellout. Collectors wrote angry letters to numismatic societies and periodicals, and the Hudson piece was among those that future
American Numismatic Association president L. W. Hoffecker complained about to Congress when he testified in March 1936. By 1940, the price on the secondary market had dropped back to $5.50, and thereafter rose steadily and reached $1,700 during the commemorative coin boom of 1980. The 2017 edition of
R. S. Yeoman
Richard Sperry Yeoman (born Richard S. Yeo; August 15, 1904 – November 9, 1988) was an American commercial artist and coin collector who marketed coin display boards for Whitman Publishing. Hired by that company in 1932, he redesigned the boar ...
's ''
A Guide Book of United States Coins
''A Guide Book of United States Coins (The Official Red Book)'', first compiled by R. S. Yeoman in 1946, is a price guide for coin collectors of coins of the United States dollar, commonly known as the Red Book.
Along with its sister publicatio ...
'' lists the coin for between $700 and $1,500, depending on condition. A near-pristine specimen sold at auction in 2014 for $15,275.
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
PCGS Coin Facts page on the Hudson half dollar (with images)
{{US commemorative coinage (1930s)
1935 establishments in the United States
Early United States commemorative coins
Fifty-cent coins
Hudson, New York
Moon on coins
Neptune (mythology)
Ships on coins
Whales in art