Ron Guth

The 1900-dated Lafayette silver dollar represents the first United States commemorative coin of that denomination and the only silver dollar commemorative to be minted until decades later in the 1980s. Interestingly, from an official viewpoint the “1900” designation appearing on the Lafayette dollar is not the official date of the coin. Indeed, apparently, the coin has no official date.

In 1899 the Lafayette Memorial Commission sought to raise funds to erect in Paris in 1900 (in connection with the Universal Exposition to be held there) a statue of General Lafayette on horseback, to be sculpted by Paul Wayland Bartlett. This was to be a gift of the American people to honor the Frenchman who in 1777, when he was not quite 20 years old, risked his life and fortune when he paid for French troops to come with him to America to aid the colonists. Although he was wounded in the Battle of Brandywine, Lafayette, who received the designation major general, served until the end of the war. In 1824 the French hero of the American Revolution visited the United States once again, was given a grand welcome, toured all 24 states, and was designated by Congress as “the nation’s guest.” The relationship between America and France has been close ever since that time, as evidenced, among other things, by France ’s gift to America of the Statue of Liberty, dedicated in 1886.

In early 1899 the Commission petitioned Congress for an appropriation to coin 100,000 commemorative half dollars. By the time the legislation was approved on March 3, 1899, the authorization was for 50,000 silver one-dollar pieces, to be known as Lafayette dollars, to bear designs selected by the director of the Mint, with the approval of the secretary of the Treasury. The Treasury was authorized to purchase in the open market $25,000 worth of silver bullion or as much as might be needed to coin such pieces. Subsequently the quantity of 38,675.875 ounces of fine silver was purchased for $23,032.80, making possible the striking of 50,000 coins per the legislation, plus an additional 26 pieces for the assay. It was intended that the coins be sold for $2 each to the public.