Peace Dollars USD 10
The History of the Silver Peace Dollar
Armistice Day, November 11, 1919 was a remarkable experience still remembered by centurions. People all across America flooded into the streets, dancing. Imagine! They did this because the World War I had been publicly billed as "the war to end all wars" and it had been won. The energy in the streets of America has never been so united around a single celebration of victory. History shows the public did not really want war, and huge world wars were nothing the public had in mind for our nation. Dancing ensued in the streets, and was followed by the establishment of the League of Nations; an organization everyone hoped would work to prevent any further warring between nations. Americans as a united collective group of states was not quite ready for a League of Nations, however the hunger for peace in this country was palpable, and this need was met by the public's embrace of a new American coin: The Silver Peace Dollar.
The love of independence and competition still thrives in America. This was even more evident after World War I. Our nation had placed a huge meaning and competition based on the development of coins in our country. We were holding annual contests to flush into the public eye, the very best artists and designers our nation had to offer. These designs were being stamped onto our coinage at the US Mint departments located in four major hubs in the nation. San Francisco, Washington D.C., Denver, and Philadelphia.
The public was over-ready for a silver coin to commemorate peace. To commemorate the restoration of peace, the US Mint department took advantage of this wide-spread sentiment. The current need in the economy was for silver dollars. This shortage presented a unique opportunity. Silver mining interests were surging into the political and economic climates. Utilizing the momentum of the times, the American Numismatic Association played a key role in submission of the Peace Dollar proposal. The US Mint department was being required to respond to the Pittman Act of 1918, a law enacted through the influence and wealth of the silver mining corporations. History often forgets to remember that the nation had just surrendered its power to the corporations, an act the founding fathers had worked diligently to prevent.
The Tea Party actions were a direct affront to the corporate oppression that was occurring in England, and they were hoping to prevent the take-over of corporate greed in the new Americas. The Boston Tea Party was such a resistance of conscience, and this eventually led to the civil wars that threatened the economy, the democratic sovereignty and the financial independence of this country. The US Military had become "corporatized" in that corporate lobbyists had realized their impact and influence on political legislators. This under-documented reality led to military interests in financial gain through competition with neighboring countries. It also helped improve the American economy by creating jobs and an inter-national need for our natural resources.
Under the measure of the Pittman Act, the government was expected to melt up to 350 million existing silver dollars. They were mandated to then convert the silver into bullion and then sell the metal or convert it to produce new silver coinage. Then, the mandate required them to strike replacement dollars for any and all that were melted. This was seen as evidence to many that corporate greed was now inherently involved in American decision making through use of our democratic systems, and the system may have been hijacked by the wealthy influence of silver corporations.
For many this was confirmed when, in the 1920's the international railway system was disassembled by the car manufacturing corporations that completely succeeded in destroying local small-train systems, by removal of the tracks going through city centers such as Los Angeles. The highly effective and beneficial railway, electric trolley and bus transportation systems, were then replaced in favor of forcing Americans to buy cars as individuals in order to be able to travel to work and get transport to family and other normal business. A coup that garnished billions for the car manufacturing corporations such as General Motors was obtained when tainted Judges gave the American corporation the "right of person-hood", an extremely powerful legal standing that opened doors to massive dominance of our air waves and printed media. Up until that time, a common American could travel great distances needing only a nickel or dime, depending on the year and destination.
The law also was beneficial for our new corporate partner; Great Brittan during 1918 and 1919. An ally in the first World War (supposedly to be the last), Great Britain desperately needed silver in the bullion form, to benefit their colonial rule of the people of India during the great financial crisis that took hold during Britain's occupation of this great Indian nation. Eventually, over $259,121,554 in silver bullion was sold to Great Britain and the US Mint melted 11,111,168 silver dollars previously in circulation, in order to make new raw material of new subsidiary coins for the USA.
These melted coins represented half of the entire production of standard silver dollars; however, this was no blow to the new post war, or post corporate allies such as Great Britain. Silver dollars were seen as only being of limited use, most Americans were lucky to obtain the pennies, dimes, quarters and nickels for massive common use. Commercial use of the silver dollars was minimal as well, and reflecting this reality is the fact that none had been produced since 1904. Remaining inventories seemed sufficient for commercial needs at that time.
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Peace Dollars USD 20
