Written by Q. David Bowers, Chairman Emeritus
Years ago Washington’s birthday
was one of the most important national holidays. It was celebrated on February
22, this being the anniversary day of his birth in 1722 as expressed in the
revised calendar. Then that changed to George’s birthday being on a Monday near
February 22. Lincoln’s birthday was specifically observed as well. Today, in
2013, we only have one actual American historical figure honored, that being
Martin Luther King, Jr. On the religious calendar we have the birthday of
Jesus, celebrated on December 25, although the actual date is not known.
Lincoln, Washington, and others are combined into President’s Day, a modern
catch all somewhat similar to Halloween (the origin of which was an evening to
celebrate all Roman Catholic saints
rather than doing this separately. However, I must not forget St. Patrick, the
Irishman who has his own day and, as this is a numismatic column, worthy of
mentioning in connection as his coins were once distributed in New Jersey in
colonial times. Then we have Punxsutawney Phil, who has his own day on February
2, an American mammal we all enjoy.
Turning to a more serious vein,
presidents have been important in American numismatics for a long time. This
began in a significant way during the presidency of George Washington, the
first to hold this office. Today tokens and coins related to Washington can be
found in the early pages of A Guide Book
of United States Coins, not to overlook the extensive section on Washington
quarter dollars, and here and there commemorative coins depicting the Father of
our Country. Thomas Jefferson, the third president (he followed John Adams) is
memorialized on nickel five-cent pieces as well as on certain commemoratives.
Abraham Lincoln is familiar of course on our penny, but also on so many other
coins that in the 1920s Robert King composed a listing of many hundreds of
tokens and medals. In recent times Fred Reed, distinguished author, editor of
the Token and Medal Society Journal
and Paper Money, has written two
landmark books on Lincoln, one dealing with his image and the other dealing
with various coins, tokens, medals, advertising products, and other things
bearing his name or image. Both are available from the Whitman website and are
worth owning. As to the greatest president after Washington, who certainly takes
the honors, Lincoln is a prime candidate. Among my favorites in the rest of the
field is Teddy Roosevelt who, sadly, has been noticeably lacking from regular
or commemorative coinage, although a teensy, weensy, picture of him as part of
the Mount Rushmore group can be see on some commemorative coins. Other
presidents could be mentioned, of course, including “Silent Cal” Coolidge, who
as a living president in 1926 was depicted on commemorative half dollars.
Beyond coins, a nice selection of
presidents can be found on American currency old and new. Washington is the
most familiar on $1 notes. Non-presidents are also represented, most familiarly
Alexander Hamilton and Ben Franklin.
Tokens featuring presidents, used
for monetary substitutes, are a rather rare breed of cat, although enough exist
that a nice display can be formed, such as of Civil War tokens. Medals are
another thing entirely, and all presidents have been honored in one way or
another, some of them with multiple productions.
Viewed from any angle, presidents
are indeed a dynamic and fascinating part of American numismatics.
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