Numismatics
Melish assembled an extensive collection of United States half eagles, including the Earle specimen of the 1848 proof. He served on the Board of Governors of the American Numismatic Association and offered the club $10,000 to form its headquarters in Cincinnati. (They eventually settled on Colorado Springs). [6]
Melish lobbied for the Cleveland Centennial half dollar, which he distributed in conjunction with the 1936 Great Lakes Exposition. Despite his promoting, the coins sold poorly and were still on hand in 1942. [7]
That same year, he lobbied successfully for the creation of the 1936 Cincinnati Musical Center half dollar. Pitched to Congress as a way to honor Cincinnati’s 50 years of contributions to American music, the coin was minted at Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco and was marketed as a three-coin set for $7.75. [8]
Modern numismatists consider these coins among the most egregious abuses of the commemorative program, pointing out that nothing of importance happened in Cincinnati in 1886, and that Stephen Foster, who is pictured on the obverse, had no connection to the city. [9] In their reference The Encyclopedia of United States Silver & Gold Commemorative Coins, 1892 to 1954, authors Anthony Swiatek and Walter Breen opined that "a more appropriate image would show Melish and a bank vault". [10]
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