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Commemorating the Capitol, the Congress, and the Constitution:

The Medals of the Capitol Historical Society

When I first began my research into the national commemorative medals of the U.S. Mint, I came upon a 1978 medal that was sponsored by the Capital Historical Society (CHS). The piece was a "triple" commemorative, paying tribute to Gen. George Washington and his troops for the bitterly cold winter at Valley Forge that they endured, the adoption of the Articles of Confederation by the newly united states, and the adoption of our national flag.

As I dug a bit deeper, I came to discover that this was not the only medal of the CHS. In fact, the Society had released its first medal in 1972, and had continued the commemorative series begun in 1978 on through 1991. As I searched for these medals at coin shows, in auction catalogs, and most recently on ebay, I came to believe that for historical relevance, artistic merit, and sheer collector appeal the CHS series has few modern day equals.

The CHS, founded in 1962, is a non-profit educational organization chartered by Congress to promote the history and heritage of the Capitol and the individuals who have served in Congress. The Society conducts tours of the Capitol, runs several educational outreach programs for schools, and provides funding for, as well as publishes, original research related to the Capitol and Congress. The Society also continues to publish one of the most popular souvenirs among those visiting Washington, DC - the book entitled We the People, the Story of the United States Capitol.

Following is a listing of the CHS medals and the event or person each commemorates:

1972	The Capitol Building and the Laying of its First Cornerstone
1978	Valley Forge, the Articles of Con federation, and the Adoption of the US. Flag
1979	John Paul Jones and the Victory of the Bonhomme Richard over the, Serapis
1980	James Madison and the Library of Congress
1981	The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown and John Hanson the first U.S.President (under the Articles of Confederation)
1982	George Washington's Birth and the Adoption of the Great Seal
1983	The Treaty of Paris
1984	The Founding of Maryland and the Principles of Religious Freedom
1985	Contributions of the Women of the Revolutionary War Era
1986	Benjamin Franklin
1987	The Writing of the US Constitution
1988	The Ratification of the U S Constitution
1989	The US Congress and the Inauguration of George Washington as the First U.S. President (under the Constitution)
1990	The Federal Courts and Our Federal and State Judicial Systems
1991	The Adoption of the Bill of Rights

In most years, medals were struck in gold, silver, and bronze. The gold medals were typically 1-5/16 inches in diameter, while silver and bronze pieces were available in both 1-1/2 inch and 3 inch sizes.

I'll likely bring one or two of the medals to the February meeting for Show & Tell, but the rest will stay at home waiting for the program that you've probably already guessed is coming soon!

The RCC grants permission to reprint any articles not copyrighted by the author for non-profit educational purposes only, provided the Raleigh Coin Club and the author are cited as the original source.