Now that I have the Fiat Station wagon engine working again, I guess it is time to leave Massachusetts, and head to the state that seems like got poked with a needle several thousand times. Welcome to the Great Lake State, everybody...

Before recorded time, Michigan was the Southernmost state affected by the ice age, bringing in animals like the mastodon. When the European settlers and fur-traders arrived, the most populous tribes were the Algonquians, which included the Chippewa, Ottawa, and the Potawatomi (the real names are a mouthful).  French voyageurs and coureurs des bois arrived in Michigan in the 17th Century, and in 1668, founded the first permanent settlement, Sault Ste. Marie, as a base for missions. In 1701, French explorer and army officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit between the Saint Clair and Erie lakes, discouraging a British invasion. What Cadillac didn't know was that his name would be shamelessly ripped-off to be placed on a car, or that Smokey Robinson would help start Motown in Detroit. Whatever it was, the fort did its job. Once Montreal fell to the British, Michigan, Detroit, and the rest of New France was handed over to British control. After the Revolution, Detroit and Michigan would remain in British hands until the Jay Treaty, which would hand over control to the Americans. Britain would have control of Detroit and attempts to retake it during the war of 1812 would result in the Massacre at River Raisin. The territory would become a state in 1836. During the Civil War, the state would provide some of the most men into the Union war effort. At the turn of the century, the state would become the home of the automotive burst, were Ransom Olds and Henry Ford, among others, would get their start, turning a former Fort into Motor City. Detroit would soon boom as a city. In 1927, the first terror attack on a school happened in Clinton County, were a homemade bomb caused more deaths than Sandy Hook or Stoneman Douglas, becoming the deadliest school accident in American History. Detroit would soon become home to the record label (not band) Motown. Then, Detroit had a mighty fall, becoming a crime ridden city, becoming an American Ghost town.

Today, Michigan is a head state for education for college age students, and one of the top industrial states. Famous residents include Bruce Catton, Henry Ford, Lewis Cass, Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson (and pretty much all of Motown) and Ed McMahon.

For the 22nd time, first to mind for coins and Michigan are its 50 state and ATB quarters. The fifty-state quarter features a facsimile of the state, with outlines of the 5 lakes, Superior, Michigan, Huron, Ontario, Erie, and in addition, Lake St. Claire.

On the other hand, the ATB quarter is Chapel Rock, with the Pine Tree, at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, which would be the best quarter design for 2018 in a year filled with horrible design decisions (ex. As a Georgia Resident, I was miffed when they decided a bird would represent Cumberland Island. I visited there, and I can thing of three things that would be better- The Dungeness Ruins, a wild horse, or a turtle. Birds suck.). At least the state didn't choose a deer. This is much better.  

Oh no! No classic commemoratives! What now?

Well, we might as well shift into one of the greatest music movements of all time- Motown.

Before you hear someone talking about Motown the band (probably me or Numimaster) Motown is a RECORD LABEL.

During the segregated era of the late 1950's, Berry Gordy noticed that black music was being stolen by whites. Big Mama Richardson's (no kidding, not a fat joke) Hound Dog became Elvis's Hound Dog. Berry noted that pop artists took parts of R&B music, took some parts, and made it theirs. Gordy did the same, turning rock and pop sounds into R&B songs. He did this with great effect, and soon, Motown songs were topping the billboard charts. With bands and artists like Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Jackson 5, The Temptations, and others. Berry sold Motown in the 80's, with the reputation as one of the nation's biggest record labels in place.

Sorry for the exo-numic tangent. With no other coins from Michigan, one has to talk about something.

Thanks, and next week, we will continue our tour of states!

 

Link to Numismaster's Numismastery- https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Wi6UyPyooa8EbwdPHY6nf2Z5JGKVfIaS

 

 

Link to Centsearcher's Loupe Newsletter. On his behalf, I am asking for subscribers. It is completely free. -www.numismastery.weebly.com

 

 

Guess the song lyrics- Last Week- Der Kommissar- Falco/After the Fire

Workin' hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice
Just one more time
Some will win
Some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on, and on, and on

Strangers waitin'
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows
Searchin' in the night
Streetlights, people
Livin' just to find emotion
Hidin' somewhere in the night

...