Weekly World Numismatic News for July 10, 2022

This past week, I had an email conversation with a reader and collector from the United Kingdom that started with a conversation about the Women on Quarters and Innovative Dollar programs. In one of the emails, I was asked why the dollar coin was not generating interest.

The simple answer is that the dollar coin does not circulate.

My correspondent asked why the United States strikes a circulating coin that does not circulate? My response, “because it is the law, ” did not satisfy my correspondent because the U.S. also prints a paper dollar. Why do both?

Good question. Why does the United States do both?

There are several reasons, but the main driver is politics. For many years, Ted Kennedy, the powerful senator from Massachusetts, protected the interest of Crane and Company, the manufacturer of U.S. currency paper. On the other side, politicians interested in manipulating people against the government convinced them taking the paper dollar away would weigh them down.

In response, my friend from across the pond said it did not make sense while pointing out that many countries successfully dropped paper for coinage.

The arguments become a religious war whenever the paper versus coin discussion surfaces. I had no answers as to why. Some day, we may resolve this debate, but it is not going to happen today.

And now the news…

 July 4, 2022
Secretary Janet Yellen reiterated the promise of ensuring an inclusive currency in an internal department Black History Month message. In contrast with the several speculations spreading over the internet, the Harriet Tubman $20 bill is on its way to rolling out in 2030.  → Read more at venturejolt.com

 July 7, 2022
The historic rocket that launched the first astronauts to the moon will blast off from the back of a new dollar coin in 2024.  → Read more at collectspace.com
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Things That Make You Go Hmm…

Life can be confusing. One of those confusions is when people do something for reasons that are not obvious. Then when the people were asked why they did not offer any answers.

1882-CC GSA “Grand Snake Morgan Dollar Struck 15% Off Center graded NGC MS 65 (Image courtesy of NGC)

A few weeks ago, NGC announced they certified the “Grand Snake,” an 1822-CC Morgan Dollar that was struck off-center and housed in a GSA holder. What makes the coin unique is that it has the further off-center strike of any known Morgan Dollar, and it is the only one known to be in a GSA holder.

The coin is fascinating in that it looks stunning, survived for so long to be part of the GSA Hoard, and the original owner purchased the coin for $30 in 1972. But that is not what makes this coin a curiosity.

Rather than NGC applying the tamper-evident label that NGC wraps around the GSA holder, NGC placed the entire GSA holder in one of their Mega Holders.

According to NGC’s website, the Mega Holder can hold a coin as large as 180 mm (about 7-inches) in diameter and 28 mm (about 1.1-inches) thick. The NGC holder appears to be three times the size of the GSA holder.

Understandably, a collector would send a coin of this significance to NGC for authentication and grading. But why did NGC have to slab the entire GSA holder? The coin is 38.1 mm in diameter (less than 1-inch) and is in a holder for a coin seven times its size. The coin, which should be the central focus, appears lost.

I tried to ask NGC about their decision to slab the entire GSA holder, and the response I received referred me back to the article that does not discuss the decision. There must be a reason other than “this is what the client wanted.” Even if NGC does not want to answer the question, I want to see the coin in person.

My First Coin Design Change and Celebration

I am sponsoring GOLD memberships for new and renewing memebers of the American Numismatic Association. This is a limited-time offer to celebrate National Coin Week and the 131st anniversary of the American Numismatic Association. The offer expires on April 25, 2022. Call (800) 514-2646 or visit info.money.org/ncw-2022-barman to take advantage of this offer. Be sure to apply code NCW22SB at checkout!

1976 Washington Quarter with my favorite, the Drummer Boy reverse

Although I began collecting coins in 1970, I became interested in coins a few years earlier. My paternal grandfather used to pick coins out of change and save them. He owned a magnifying glass to look at the coins. When we visited his Brooklyn apartment, I would grab the magnifying glass and explore.

After the introduction of the Eisenhower Dollar, the first design change came in 1975 for the bicentennial. In the 1970s, celebrating the bicentennial was a significant event. The planning began in the last 1960s and picked up in 1972. The entire nation planned for a celebration that spread across every community.

The American Revolution Bicentennial Administration logo was everywhere, including the official medals the U.S. Mint produced. But that is not all the U.S. Mint produced as part of the bicentennial celebration.

In 1973, Congress passed the law allowing the U.S. Mint to change the reverse design of the quarter, half-dollar, and dollar coins to honor the bicentennial in 1975 and 1976. The coins will be dated 1776-1976 before they revert to their original designs.

My first introduction to a design change was the Drummer Boy reverse on the Washington Quarter. I liked the design more than the original eagle design on the reverse, and it continues to be one of my favorite designs.

As a collector and a newly minted driver, I saved money from my after-school jobs to purchase uncirculated coins and the sets with the bicentennial coins.

In 2001, there was a reunion of the artists who created the designs. Jack Ahr (quarter), Seth Huntington (half-dollar), and Dennis Williams (dollar) attended the celebration. PCGS had the three artists sign labels inserted into slabs with proof versions of the coins they designed. I was able to pick up a set on the aftermarket.

1976-S Silver Proof Bicentennial Autograph Set

Because of the hype, and the potential to increase seigniorage, the U.S. Mint overproduced these coins. They also made proof and silver proof sets so plentiful that they remained on sale through 1986. The U.S. Mint ended up melting over 600,000 sets.

Suggested Reading: To learn more about the legislation that created the Bicentennial coinage program, read “14 Bits: The Story of America’s Bicentennial Coinage” by David Ganz (ISBN 978-0914478638).

The Bicentennial celebration was a national event to remember. Nearly every community issued medals. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing joined in and changed the reverse of the $2 Federal Reserve Note to an interpretation of John Trumbull’s Declaration of Independence. The BEP issued the notes on April 13, 1976, and it is possible to find uncirculated notes postmarked on that date. July 4, 1976, is another popular postmark for bicentennial collectibles, especially postmarks from Philadelphia.

Reverse of the Series 1976 $2 Federal Reserve Note features an engraved modified reproduction of the painting The Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull.

Even though the circulating commemorative was generally successful, the concept would not return until the beginning of the 50 State Quarters program in 1999.

All images are original and property of the author used under the Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

A Numismatic Look Forward to 2022

Bullion

The year will start with the U.S. Mint shipping 2022 American Silver Eagle bullion coins to authorized resellers. The first bullion coins will likely hit the streets within a week, and graded coins will take about a month to be processed by the grading services. Bullion dealers are selling these coins in advance of receiving inventory.

In 2022, the American Silver Eagles and American Gold Eagles will feature Type II reverses introduced in 2021.

2022 American Platinum Eagle Proof reverse celebrating the First Amendment right of Freedom of Speech

The first American Eagle coins will be the Platinum proof coins. American Platinum Eagle proof coins will continue the First Amendment to the United States Constitution Platinum Proof Coin Series with Freedom of Speech.

During some press briefings, the U.S. Mint has suggested that American Eagle coins will be released with different finishes. There has been no formal announcement for these options.

Commemorative Coins

The U.S. Mint will release two commemorative coin sets starting at the beginning of January. Both sets will consist of a $5 gold coin, silver dollar, and clad half-dollar.

The Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Coin Program celebrates the Negro Baseball League. Money raised from the sale of the coins will be paid to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City.

The other commemorative three-coin set will be the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin Program. The museum honors the recipients of the oldest medal in the United States. General George Washington created the medal to honor the service of those injured in battle. Money raised by the sale of the coins will benefit the Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, New York. As part of the museum’s mission, they are trying to reconstruct records destroyed in a fire several years ago.

American Women Quarters Program

The American Women Quarters Program starts in 2022 and will run for four years. Each year will feature the accomplishments and contributions made by women to the nation’s development. In 2022, the five women that will be honored are as follows:

  • Maya Angelou – celebrated writer, performer, and social activist
  • Dr. Sally Ride – physicist, astronaut, educator, and the first American woman in space
  • Wilma Mankiller – first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation
  • Nina Otero-Warren – a leader in New Mexico’s suffrage movement and the first female superintendent of Santa Fe public schools
  • Anna May Wong – first Chinese American film star in Hollywood

2022 Quarter Obverse design by Laura Gardin Fraser

George Washington will continue to be featured on the obverse but with a new design. The U.S. Mint will use the original design recommended by the Committee for Fine Arts created by Laura Gardin Frasier. LGF, the wife of James Earle Frasier, created an acclaimed design that the CFA picked twice in a competition of artists. Unfortunately, Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon, a known misogynist, rejected the design and selected the art of John Flannigan instead. Gardin’s design will take its rightful place on the coin’s obverse.

The authorizing law (Public Law 116-330) allows the U.S. Mint to produce the quarters as five-ounce bullion coins, nicknamed the “hockey puck.” The law also allows the U.S. Mint to issue fractional bullion coins. Although some media outlets announced the possibility of a smaller 2.5-ounce puck, the U.S. Mint has not announced new products.

The law allows the U.S. Mint to create five-ounce bullion coins of half-dollars that feature new designs in future programs.

Morgan and Peace Dollars

The U.S. Mint announced that they plan to continue the Morgan and Peace dollar programs in 2022 and beyond. Although the products have not been finalized, there may be different finishes and the production of the coins at other mint facilities.

Dollars

2022 Native American Dollar featuring Ely Samuel Parker

The two underrated dollar programs will continue into 2022. The Native American Dollar will feature Ely Samuel Parker, a U.S. Army officer, engineer, and tribal diplomat who served as military secretary to Ulysses S. Grant during the U.S. Civil War.

Also continuing is the American Innovation $1 Coin Program that features the contributions from the following states:

  • Rhode Island – Reliance yacht naval innovation
  • Vermont – Snowboarding
  • Kentucky – Bluegrass music
  • Tennessee – Tennessee Valley Authority and rural electrification

New U.S. Mint Director?

U.S. Mint Director David J. Ryder resigned as of September 30, 2021. After being appointed by two different administrations, Ryder served as the 34th and 39th Director. His confirmation came the position was vacant for over seven years following the resignation of Edmund Moy.

In October, Ventris Gibson was appointed as Deputy Director of the U.S. Mint. Gibson will also serve as Acting Director. By law, Gibson can serve as Acting Director for 180 days. It will be up to the president to appoint a new director for senate confirmation. Given the state of politics, it is fair to question whether the president will make an appointment and if he does, will it be confirmed by the Senate.

Hopefully, the U.S. Mint will have a little better 2022!

All coin images courtesy of the U.S. Mint.

POLL: What do you think about continuing the Morgan and Peace Dollar Programs

After I posted the news that the U.S. Mint will continue the Morgan and Peace dollar programs, I watched the reaction.

If I only read the reaction from social media, you would think that the U.S. Mint was proposing to devalue every collection and that they were about to do the worst thing since striking the Susan B. Anthony dollars.

According to my Inbox, 39 people were excited. Three were not in favor but less negative than those on social media. Six people said that they were indifferent to the program.

What do you think?
 

Should the U.S. Mint Continue to Strike Morgan and Peace Dollars

Yes, I love them. (69%, 86 Votes)
NO! (insert your reason here) (14%, 18 Votes)
Ok, but I probably won't buy them (9%, 11 Votes)
I don't know... maybe. I mean if people really want to buy them... (8%, 10 Votes)

Total Voters: 125

Loading ... Loading ...

U.S. Mint Pauses 2021 Morgan and Peace Dollar Sales

The U.S. Mint posted the following on its Facebook page at 11:30 PM on Thursday, May 27, 2021:

For those who do not access Facebook, the following is the complete text of the announcement:

The United States Mint is committed to providing the best possible online experience to its customers. The global silver shortage has driven demand for many of our bullion and numismatic products to record heights. This level of demand is felt most acutely by the Mint during the initial product release of numismatic items. Most recently in the pre-order window for 2021 Morgan Dollar with Carson City privy mark (21XC) and New Orleans privy mark (21XD), the extraordinary volume of web traffic caused significant numbers of Mint customers to experience website anomalies that resulted in their inability to complete transactions.

In the interest of properly rectifying the situation, the Mint is postponing the pre-order windows for the remaining 2021 Morgan and Peace silver dollars that were originally scheduled for June 1 (Morgan Dollars struck at Denver (21XG) and San Francisco (21XF)) and June 7 (Morgan Dollar struck at Philadelphia (21XE) and the Peace Dollar (21XH)). While inconvenient to many, this deliberate delay will give the Mint the time necessary to obtain web traffic management tools to enhance the user experience. As the demand for silver remains greater than the supply, the reality is such that not everyone will be able to purchase a coin. However, we are confident that during the postponement, we will be able to greatly improve on our ability to deliver the utmost positive U.S. Mint experience that our customers deserve. We will announce revised pre-order launch dates as soon as possible.

Sources reported that unhappy collectors “besieged” the U.S. Mint with email and telephone calls following their latest ordering fiasco. The sources also said that the offices of several members of congress contacted the U.S. Mint after hearing from their constituents.

One source said that collectors contacted the Treasury Office of Inspector General (OIG) and prompted them to question U.S. Mint management on the problems. I have not been able to confirm this story.

In short, it was the action by angry collectors that made the U.S. Mint stop and rethink its sales policies. It was you, the collector, who called Congress, made waves, and forced the U.S. Mint to listen.

Too bad ANA leadership did not take a leadership role on behalf of the hobby.

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Why is the U.S. Mint Limiting the Morgan and Peace Dollars?

EDITOR’s NOTE: The release schedule has changed. Please no not use this as a guide as to when to buy. Please visit the U.S. Mint’s Product Schedule page for precise information.

Without announcement or other fanfare, the U.S. Mint added 2021 Morgan and Peace Dollars to the Product Schedule on the catalog website. The entries linked to their product pages where they buried critical details about the releases.

The pages noted a household limit of 25 coins. When collectors found out and complained, the U.S. Mint lowered the limit to 10 while claiming they are listening to their customers. The household limit is a controversy because of the low product limits placed by the U.S. Mint. Each of the 2021 Morgan Dollar options is limited to 175,000 coins, and the only Peace Dollar option is limited to 200,000 coins.

Why are the product limits so low?

It does not take a degree in marketing to read the numismatic media to understand that there will be a demand for these coins. The ANA pursued passage of this legislation beginning in 2019. Collectors in numismatic forums have discussed the coins. Yet, the U.S. Mint claiming that they are listening to their customers is tone-deaf when it comes to production to satisfy the market.

When a government agency has to do something not exactly the way the public expects, the agency will go about its business trying to generate as little publicity as possible. The U.S. Mint has tried to hide the low product limits and its callous disregard to the collecting community they claim to hear by ignoring the extreme demand these coins will have.

A government agency is supposed to serve the public. If the U.S. Mint is really listening, they will increase the product limits. Otherwise, this is David Ryder playing games at the collector’s expense and should resign as Director of the U.S. Mint.

2021 Morgan and Peace Dollars Specifications
Denomination: $1
Finish: Uncirculated
Composition: .999 Silver
Silver Weight: 0.858 troy oz.
Diameter: 1.500 inches (38.10 mm)
Edge: Reeded
2021 Morgan and Peace Dollars Program Information
Coin Privy Mark Release Date Production Limit Price
2021 Morgan Dollar “CC” May 24, 2021 175,000 $85.00
2021 Morgan Dollar “O” May 24, 2021 175,000 $85.00
2021-D Morgan Dollar   June 1, 2021 175,000 $85.00
2021-S Morgan Dollar   June 1, 2021 175,000 $85.00
2021 Morgan Dollar   June 7, 2021 175,000 $85.00
2021 Peace Dollar   June 7, 2021 200,000 $85.00
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A General, President, and the last Large Dollar Coin

REMINDER: If you are not a member of the ANA, I will pay your 2021 Gold Membership dues for the first 25 readers of the Coin Collectors Blog who join during National Coin Week. All you have to do is click this link and use the Promotion Code NCW21SB when you check out.
For National Coin Week, all blog posts this will be about large dollar coins. Today, we give some love to the last large dollar coin struck for circulation.

The 1935 Peace Dollar was the last silver dollar struck for circulation. The dollar coin was not very popular because of its size and weight compared with the paper dollar. After silver prices rose and silver dollars were disappearing from circulation, there was a need to mint more coins.

By 1969, the primary customer using the dollar coin was Las Vegas casinos. To satisfy the demand, Mint Director Mary Brooks proposed to issue new dollar coins. Congress rejected Brooks’ proposal to issue silver-clad dollars. Eventually, Congress passed the law to use the same copper-nickel clad composition as other coins.

The selection of World War II general and President Dwight D. Eisenhower was easier to justify following his death on March 28, 1969. To honor Eisenhower, the reverse of the coin would celebrate the formation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), founded in 1958 during his administration. Mint Chief Engraver Frank Gasparro used the Apollo 11 mission insignia for the reverse design.

In 1975 and 1976, the reverse of the quarter, half-dollar, and dollar coins were redesigned for the United States Bicentennial. The U.S. Mint and the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission held a design competition for the redesign. Dennis R. Williams, a 22-year-old art student, submitted the winning design.

When engraving the dies, Gasparo simplified some of the design so that it would strike adequately. Initial tests did not show any problems. However, when the coins were struck in production, the letters on the copper-nickel circulating coins did not strike well. Gasparo changed the letters by making them thinner and sharper, giving collectors two types of Bicentennial Eisenhower Dollars. The Type 1 dollars were struck in 1975. The Type 2 dollars in 1976.

The original reverse with the Apollo 11 mission insignia returned on the 1977 and 1978 coins.

With the cost of copper and nickel rising and the desire to have more dollar coins in circulation, the Eisenhower Dollar was replaced by the Susan B. Anthony dollar. The Susie B. was smaller and used the Apollo 11 mission insignia on the reverse, but it was confused with the quarter and rejected by the public.

A complete collection of business strike Eisenhower Dollars consists of 16 coins. Uncirculated silver coins struck using a 40% silver-clad alloy was for four years. These are called “Blue Ikes” describing the Blue Packs similar to those used by the GSA for circulating silver dollars. An uncirculated silver-clad coin was available in the three-coin Bicentennial Silver Set. There are five silver-clad uncirculated coins.

From 1971-1974, the U.S. Mint issued silver-clad proof Eisenhower Dollars using the similar plastic lens that the GSA used for the Carson City Morgan silver dollars. The lenses were packed in brown boxes giving their nickname “Brown Ikes.” Copper-nickel clad proof coins were available in annual proof sets. An additional silver-clad proof coin was available in the three-coin Bicentennial Silver Proof Set. There are five silver-clad proof coins of the 11 proof coins struck by the U.S. Mint.

An advanced collector may consider expanding their collection to include the varieties of the 1972 dollars. Because of the difficulties in striking the silver-clad coins, the image of the Earth did not strike well. During the year, Gasparo tried twice to fix the problem giving the coin three distinct types.

A complete collection of Eisenhower Dollars consists of 32 coins. Because the coin was challenging to strike, finding coins in the highest grades is expensive. But collectors can assemble an attractive set for a reasonable amount of money. If you wanted to add the three varieties in 1972, the Type II version is scarcer and might be more expensive than the rest of the set and maybe a nice challenge.
 

From my collection: 1976-S Silver Proof Bicentennial Autograph Set

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How the GSA Changed Dollar Collecting

REMINDER: If you are not a member of the ANA, I will pay your 2021 Gold Membership dues for the first 25 readers of the Coin Collectors Blog who join during National Coin Week. All you have to do is click this link and use the Promotion Code NCW21SB when you check out.
For National Coin Week, all blog posts this will be about large dollar coins. The following is a about the GSA Morgans and the few in my collection.

GSA Dollar Sale #3

GSA Sale #3 stepped up its advertising (Image from u/GucciMamba666 on Reddit)

The early 1960s were a time of upheaval. At the urging of President Kennedy, the United States stepped up its efforts to beat the Soviets to the moon. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.

By 1964, the price of silver skyrocketed, making U.S. coins worth less than the metals used to make them. The economics led to a fiscal crisis that had the government rethinking the monetary system.

Silver coins were no longer required to back the U.S. dollar. Along with a law passed by Congress that ordered the General Services Administration to consolidate the government’s real estate usage came the discovery of the largest hoard in history.

Before the GSA started to clean out government-owned buildings, the government knew that they had stored silver coins in a few places. They did not know how many there were and the number of places they were stored.

Congress passed laws that caused over-production and hoarding. The Coinage Act of 1873, also called “The Crime of ’73,” caused a withdrawal of silver from the market. The Bland-Allison Act overturned it in 1878 that required the Treasury to purchase silver from U.S. mines to strike dollars for circulation. Since most silver mining was in Nevada, the Carson City Mint was striking more coins than needed.

The Sherman Silver Purchase Act became law in 1890. It raised the monthly amount of silver the Treasury purchased to 4.5 million ounces per month. The goal was to boost the economy to stem inflation. The law caused more dollars produced in Carson City with no place to distributed them.

To help Great Britain fund their war efforts, the Pittman Act authorized the melting of 350 million silver dollars to be sold at $1.00 per ounce. By the end of the war, over 270 million coins were melted for bullion. It was not enough to deplete the storage. The Act required the Mint to strike new coins with the silver repaid by Britain by 1933.

After several years of cleaning out vaults in different government-owned buildings, the GSA found 2,825,219 Morgan Dollars with the CC mintmark. They also found 112,145 coins from other branch mints. Within those additional coins, the GSA found 84,165 circulated Seated Liberty, Morgan, and Peace Dollars.

The government did not know what to do with the coins. Since they were in Treasury’s vaults, it was up to the Treasury to decide what to do with them. The Treasury’s role changed with the passage of the Federal Reserve Bank Act of 1913 and said that the best they could do was melt the coins. The U.S. Mint did not want the coins back since their job is to produce the coins. The Federal Reserve claimed it had no jurisdiction over the coins since the production and storage occurred before the formation of the Fed.

The GSA was the only agency that had experience liquidating government surplus. But these coins were not ordinary. Many collectors predicted that the sale of these coins would significantly change the numismatic market.

1884-O GSA Morgan Dollar

An 1884-O uncirculated Morgan Dollar from the GSA Sale

After the sale was over, the once rare 1882-1884 Carson City Dollars became more available. For example, the GSA found 962,638 of the 1,360,000 minted 1884-CC dollars in storage. It changed the rarity of the coins and the prices of previous purchases plunged.

To sell these coins, the GSA created a special hardpack to hold the circulated coins. The hard-pack would be placed into a box with a certificate of authenticity, and the coins were made available through a mail-bid auction sale.

Coins struck in Carson City would be housed in a plastic case called a lens that said “Carson City” across the top. Other uncirculated coins were placed in a generic case. These coins are called GSA Morgans or GSA Non-CC Morgans.

For circulated coins, the GSA created the Soft Pack. The coins were sealed in mylar with a plastic token and placed in a blue envelope. Collectors refer to these coins as GSA Blue Packs. The GSA did not keep records of the number of Blue Packs sold. However, some have estimated that the GSA created about 100,000 Blue Packs.

From 1972 through 1980, the GSA held a series of eight sales. Most were mail-bid type auctions. The last two in 1980 were call-in bidding sales.

My father was cleaning his house, preparing to move into a condo before the pandemic shutdowns and found his GSA Morgan Dollars. He mailed the coins to me for my collection. Three are Carson City dollars, and one struck in New Orleans. My father purchased the coins during the first two GSA sales. He said that he tried to purchase more during the 1980 sales but was outbid.

GSA CC Morgans

L-to-R: 1882-CC, 1883-CC, and 1884-CC Morgan Dollars in GSA holders

I will eventually send the coins to NGC to have them graded in their original holder. For now, I found an online seller with four empty GSA boxes. Since I have the original Certificates of Authenticity, I will have complete packages.

GSA Preview Movie

Preview from the 1971 GSA movie about the hoard of silver dollars. As you watch the video, think about what it might have taken for the GSA workers to sort through 3 million coins.
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What would you buy for 5 Shekels

REMINDER: If you are not a member of the ANA, I will pay your 2021 Gold Membership dues for the first 25 readers of the Coin Collectors Blog who join during National Coin Week. All you have to do is click this link and use the Promotion Code NCW21SB when you check out.
For National Coin Week, all blog posts this will be about large dollar coins. The following is a personal story about Morgan and Peace dollars I recently found in my late father’s house.

When my father’s firstborn son appeared in 1960, he planned two ceremonies. The first occurred eight days after the birth. Formally called the brit milah or bris in Yiddish, the male child undergoes a ritual circumcision. The second comes 30 days after the birth, called the pidyon haben, or “redemption of the firstborn son.”

For this ceremony, the kohen, the priestly descendent of Aaron, takes the child, and the parents must pay 5 Shekels to redeem their son. The ceremony is to recognize that the firstborn of Egypt were slain before the exodus.

A modern interpretation of the 5 shekels is the use of five silver dollar coins. In other countries, they used five silver coins representing the unit of currency for their country. Since most countries have converted to using base-metal currency, the Bank of Israel issues silver Pidyon Haben coins for Jewish people to use.

The 10 Silver Dollars as the Shekels stand-ins

Following my father’s passing from COVID-19, we cleaned out his house and found a separate box from the rest of his coin collection. Opening the box, I found ten coins wrapped in tissue. There were seven Morgan Dollars and three Peace Dollars. Under the coins was a paper in my late mother’s handwriting with the English and Hebrew names if their first child was a boy or a girl.

The box contained other hints making it clear that these were the coins used for my pidyon haben. There was also a note that said “Uncle Henry.”

Two of the better quality Morgan dollars

Uncle Henry was married to my grandmother’s sister, Ruthie. He was a kohen, a descendent of Aaron’s tribe. Uncle Henry cradled me in his arms for the ceremony and held me for the five shekel ransom. After my father allegedly said, “you can keep him,” my father paid the five shekels (Morgan Dollars) and redeemed me.

Uncle Henry and Aunt Ruthie passed in 1999. Sometimes, Aunt Ruthie would joke that Uncle Henry should have kept me.

I do not know which of the five coins were used for my pidyon haben, but I am sure he did not use the Peace Dollars. He would have used five matching coins. However, the ten silver dollar coins will remain as a set as part of my collection.

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