1924 Huguenot-Walloon Banner

1924 Huguenot-Walloon Tercentenary Half Dollar

 

 1924 Huguenot-Walloon Obverse      1924 Huguenot-Walloon Reverse

 

Click the images above for enhanced view.

Purpose:

 

To commemorate the 300th anniversary of the founding of New Netherland in 1624 and to fund an observance held in New York.

 

 

Maximum Number Authorized: 300,000 pieces.

 

Sale Price: $1.00

 

Designs:

 

    Obverse – George Morgan

Busts of French Admiral Gaspard de Coligny  and Dutch Independence leader William the Silent facing right. “Huguenot Half Dollar” is located in the lower border. The letter “M”, for designer George Morgan is incused on Admiral Coligny’s shoulder. 

 

Online Resources: 

 

https://www.museeprotestant.org/en/notice/gaspard-de-coligny-1519-1572-2/ 

          

https://www.heritage-history.com/index.php?c=resources&s=char-dir&f=silent   


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   Reverse – George Morgan

The ship Nieu Nederlandt sailing to the left. “HUGUENOT-WALLOON TERCENTENARY” appears above the ship. “FOUNDING OF NEW NETHERLAND” is located at the bottom of the coin. 

 

Popularity:

 

Of the 300,000 coins authorized, 142,000 were minted for sale to the public. The coins did not sell particularly well with 55,000 returned to the Mint to be melted. Upon receiving the coins, the Mint decided instead to place the half dollars into circulation.

 

Huguenot-Walloon Tercentenary Online Resource:  

 

http://frontiers.loc.gov/intldl/awkbhtml/kb-1/kb-1-2.html 

 

Trivia:

 

  • Even though Admiral Gaspard de Coligny and William the Silent appear on the obverse of the coin, both had been assassinated many years before the Nieu Nederlandt set sail.

  • William the Silent was married four times. His last wife was Louise de Coligny, daughter of Gaspard de Coligny.

  • William of Orange likely became known as William the Silent because he refused to answer the request of the kings of France and Spain to kill all Protestants in William’s homeland.

  • Huguenots were French Protestants who followed the teachings of theologian John Calvin. They were forced to leave France after Louis XIV declared Protestantism illegal in the Edict of Fontainebleau.

  • The term Walloon refers to French-speaking Protestants who live in southern Belgium.

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For more information:

 

Encyclopedia of the Commemorative Coins of the United States by Anthony J. Swiatek 

KWS Publishers (2012)

 

Commemorative Coins of the United States Identification and Price Guide by Anthony J. Swiatek

Amos Press Publishers (2001)

 

The Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto

Published by Vintage Books (2014)

 

References:

 

Encyclopedia of the Commemorative Coins of the United States by Anthony J. Swiatek

KWS Publishers (2012)

 

The Encyclopedia of United States Silver & Gold Commemorative Coins 1892 to 1954 by Anthony Swiatek and Walter Breen

 

Arco Publishing, Inc. (1981) 

 

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