Mark Twain 2016 Commemorative Coin Designs

[WillieBoyd2]

The first of several ceremonies to unveil designs for commemorative coins honoring celebrated author

Mark Twain took place today at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Hannibal, Mo.

The event took place two days before the 180th anniversary of his birth (November 30, 1835).

 

The coins to be issued are a silver dollar and a five-dollar gold coin.

 

Images courtesy of US Mint

 

US Mint press release:

http://www.usmint.gov/pressroom/?action=press_release&id=1734

 

Some of the money raised by the coin sales will go to:

Hartford, Connecticut, Mark Twain House & Museum

Elmira College, New York, Center for Mark Twain Studies

Hannibal, Missouri, Mark Twain Museum

University of California at Berkeley, California, Bancroft Library Mark Twain Project

 

I'm definitely going to buy these.

 

When I first saw the design for the dollar, I thought that the "knight" was Joan of Arc,

because Mark Twain spent ten years researching her and published a book in 1895.

However, the knight is from his novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.

 

Mark Twain is probably laughing at the coin's motto "In God We Trust".

 

At least this one is not another military issue, although he was in the Confederate army for two weeks.

 

Mark Twain has been on a United States "coin" before, a 1981 one ounce gold medal:

 

American Arts Commemorative Series 1981 medal - Mark Twain

 

 

 

[BillJones]

It looks as though they are going to be attractive coins.

[jpcienkus]

I really like both designs. I will be adding a Silver Commem to my collection. I'll wait to see the pricing on the gold coin before making a decision.

[RWB]

The stern wheeler will likely be a popular design. The $5 portrait is copied from a photo.

 

The dollar reverse is a nice sketch but I think it is too confused for a coin unless some method is used to separate the frog from its background. The boys-book-straw/grass-knight are simply too much clutter – there is no clear focal point. The dollar obverse is a standard Clemons portrait pose, but I wonder how Tom and Huck on a raft will be handled in a bas relief where there is no gray tone? (Also, where is Jim? Did he fall overboard?)

 

[johnny9434]

i do like the looks of that top one.

[Conder101]

(Also, where is Jim? Did he fall overboard?)

I believe the two figures in the smoke represent Tom and Huck from Tom Sawyer, the two on the reverse are Huck and Jim from Huckleberry Finn. The physically larger size and hair style of the right hand figure on the reverse makes me think that is Jim.

 

And just what is being commemorated with this coin? Is there some significant anniversary occurring n 2016 The publication of one of his books? An anniversary of one of the groups receiving the funds? Or is this just a money grab and Mark Twain was a convenient recognizable figure?

 

Another question. Since the surcharge is being split four ways do they have to raise the entire matching funds before anyone receives the surcharges or once any one of them raises their share do they qualify to receive their portion? If one or more do raise there share but one doesn't, do the others get to split the money that was earmarked for the group that failed in its fundraising?

[RWB]

Yeah --- I think you're right. If there were a "Creative Americans" series, the coins would make sense. Charles Ives could be next....

[Jeffrey Cardona]

I saw the designs on Coin News and I like all of them. I will be picking up the silver ones when they become available.

[WillieBoyd2]

The US Mint released new photographs of the Mark Twain designs with high-resolution images.

 

http://www.usmint.gov/pressroom/?action=photo#MarkTwain

 

[physics-fan3.14]

The reverse of that dollar is just way too busy. I think I like the concept, but the execution is cluttered.

 

The obverses, if done properly, both look nice.

[WillieBoyd2]

The Mark Twain commemoratives were supposed to go on sale on January 14, 2016, but the US Mint pulled the silver dollars and listed the sale date as "TBD" which means sometime in the future.

 

Supposedly the delay in the release of the silver dollar coins is to print new certificates of authenticity (COAs) as the old ones have a mistake placing Twain's characters Huckleberry Finn and Jim in his book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, instead of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

 

Sounds as good a reason as any.

 

Source:

http://news.coinupdate.com/delay-for-2016-mark-twain-silver-coins-explained

 

[CaptHenway]

What pudding heads!

[CaptHenway]

(Also, where is Jim? Did he fall overboard?)

I believe the two figures in the smoke represent Tom and Huck from Tom Sawyer, the two on the reverse are Huck and Jim from Huckleberry Finn. The physically larger size and hair style of the right hand figure on the reverse makes me think that is Jim.

 

And just what is being commemorated with this coin? Is there some significant anniversary occurring n 2016 The publication of one of his books? An anniversary of one of the groups receiving the funds? Or is this just a money grab and Mark Twain was a convenient recognizable figure?

 

Another question. Since the surcharge is being split four ways do they have to raise the entire matching funds before anyone receives the surcharges or once any one of them raises their share do they qualify to receive their portion? If one or more do raise there share but one doesn't, do the others get to split the money that was earmarked for the group that failed in its fundraising?

 

Indeed, why is this being issued in 2016? Just because they had a slot open in the two per year limit? 2010 for the centenary of his death would have made sense.

[CaptHenway]

(Also, where is Jim? Did he fall overboard?)

I believe the two figures in the smoke represent Tom and Huck from Tom Sawyer, the two on the reverse are Huck and Jim from Huckleberry Finn. The physically larger size and hair style of the right hand figure on the reverse makes me think that is Jim.

 

And just what is being commemorated with this coin? Is there some significant anniversary occurring n 2016 The publication of one of his books? An anniversary of one of the groups receiving the funds? Or is this just a money grab and Mark Twain was a convenient recognizable figure?

 

Another question. Since the surcharge is being split four ways do they have to raise the entire matching funds before anyone receives the surcharges or once any one of them raises their share do they qualify to receive their portion? If one or more do raise there share but one doesn't, do the others get to split the money that was earmarked for the group that failed in its fundraising?

 

I looked up the law. There is nothing in it that requires any of the four entities to raise any matching funds.

 

TD

[WillieBoyd2]

I placed an order for the gold $5 uncirculated on January 15 at 12:00pm PST.

 

I did not want to order the proof version but I did see that the Mint webpage shows unavailable for it.

 

[CO Collector]

I placed an order for the gold $5 uncirculated on January 15 at 12:00pm PST.

 

I did not want to order the proof version but I did see that the Mint webpage shows unavailable for it.

 

Current status:

 

"This item is available to be ordered now, but it is not currently in stock. Additional inventory is being made. Please add the item to your cart to see when additional inventory is expected to be available."

[BillJones]

I ordered the Proof $5 gold and received an email that it has been shipped. I've learned from experience that that only means that the package might be sitting on a cart waiting to be mailed. I've seen my orders get "hang fired" for as long as a week.

 

The dollar situation is irritating. It means that I will now have to spend another $5 in shipping because the mint couldn't get its act together. They should have shipped the COAs with the wrong information. Later when they got the correct COAs, the mint could have created another variety, which some collectors might have wanted.

 

[Conder101]

Supposedly the delay in the release of the silver dollar coins is to print new certificates of authenticity (COAs) as the old ones have a mistake placing Twain's characters Huckleberry Finn and Jim in his book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, instead of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

I believe Finn and Jim DO appear in The Adventures of Tom Saywer. I think Jim just makes a brief appearance, But Huckleberry Finn plays a semi major role as the other boy believed to have drowned with Tom while they were out on their raft.

[CaptHenway]

(Also, where is Jim? Did he fall overboard?)

I believe the two figures in the smoke represent Tom and Huck from Tom Sawyer, the two on the reverse are Huck and Jim from Huckleberry Finn. The physically larger size and hair style of the right hand figure on the reverse makes me think that is Jim.

 

And just what is being commemorated with this coin? Is there some significant anniversary occurring n 2016 The publication of one of his books? An anniversary of one of the groups receiving the funds? Or is this just a money grab and Mark Twain was a convenient recognizable figure?

 

Another question. Since the surcharge is being split four ways do they have to raise the entire matching funds before anyone receives the surcharges or once any one of them raises their share do they qualify to receive their portion? If one or more do raise there share but one doesn't, do the others get to split the money that was earmarked for the group that failed in its fundraising?

 

The mailer I got this week says that the two figures in the smoke are Huck and Jim. Of course, the mailer also misspells "Calaveras" as "Calavaras."

 

Huck and Jim might be represented twice because the reverse design was originally submitted as an obverse design, and Huck and Jim are two of Twain's strongest characters.

 

Anybody got a copy of Huck Finn handy? When Huck and Jim are poling on the reverse, does it mention that Jim is wearing a hat as seen in the obverse image in the smoke?

 

TD

[Conder101]

I looked up the law. There is nothing in it that requires any of the four entities to raise any matching funds.

Sorry to bring this back up two weeks later but look at Section 7 surcharges (b)

 

DISTRIBUTION.—Subject to section 5134(f)(1) of title 31,

United States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary from

the sale of coins issued under this Act shall be promptly paid

by the Secretary as follows:

 

Then when you look at Title 31 Sec 5134 (f)(1)(A)(ii) you find

 

(ii) the designated recipient organization submits an audited financial statement that demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the Secretary, that, with respect to all projects or purposes for which the proceeds of such surcharge may be used, the organization has raised funds from private sources for such projects and purposes in an amount that is equal to or greater than the total amount of the proceeds of such surcharge derived from the sale of such numismatic item.

 

Since I don't see anything in the Mark Twain authorization that exempts them from Sec 5134 (f)(1)(A) they DO have to raise matching funds

 

(B)(1) explains what happens if any group can't raise the matching funds, it will go to the Treasury and not one of the other recipients.

 

1

under any provision of law relating to such numismatic item, to any designated recipient organization remains unpaid to such organization solely by reason of the matching fund requirement contained in subparagraph (A)(ii) after the end of the 2-year period beginning on the later of—

(i) the last day any such numismatic item is issued by the Secretary; or

(ii) the date of the enactment of the American 5-Cent Coin Design Continuity Act of 2003,

 

such unpaid amount shall be deposited in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

 

 

That explains why they were able to give the Yellowstone money to a different group rather than the Park Service when they couldn't raise the money. The part about the unpaid amount going to the Treasury was added by the American 5-Cent Coin Design Continuity Act of 2003,

Since the Yellowstone was before then they were able to redirect the funds elsewhere.

[BillJones]

I placed an order for the gold $5 uncirculated on January 15 at 12:00pm PST.

 

I did not want to order the proof version but I did see that the Mint webpage shows unavailable for it.

 

Current status:

 

"This item is available to be ordered now, but it is not currently in stock. Additional inventory is being made. Please add the item to your cart to see when additional inventory is expected to be available."

 

Interesting ... According to the posts ATS these coins are not selling very well, and the "First Strike" designation is not worth getting.

 

It's a nice looking coin. Here is mine.

 

[DrRich67]

I ordered the PF & UNC versions on opening day and today they showed up in my mailbox. I cant remember ever getting service this fast. They had problems with the COA which delayed the release (I guess they didn't have enough COA's because they forgot one in one of my UNC's). The coins are busy, but they are beautiful; I may have to order more.