Commems Collection Classic: 1960 Pony Express Centennial

One of the more popular commemorative medal programs authorized by the US Congress was the 1960-61 program that commemorated the 100th anniversary of the launch and termination of the Pony Express. The program came at a time when bills were still being introduced for commemorative half dollars - though they were no longer finding success.

The first bill calling for the Pony Express medal program was introduced in the Senate in July 1959; it was introduced by Wallace Foster Bennett (R-UT) and 11 co-sponsors (a 12th sponsor was added later). The bill called for "the striking of medals in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Pony Express."

Multiple companion bills were introduced in the House between July 1959 and January 1960 - four bills in total. William Raleigh Hull, Jr. (D-MO) introduced the first House bill in July 1959 (a day after the Senate bill). The companion bills that followed were introduced by John Emerson Moss (D-CA) in August 1959, Donald Francis McGinley (D-NE) in January 1960 and Henry Aldous Dixon (R-UT) also in January 1960.

The bills sought the striking of up to 500,000 medals for the Pony Express Centennial Association. The medals were to be in "commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Pony Express, which was founded and operated by the Russell, Majors, and Waddell Company between Saint Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California, in the years 1860-1861." The bills allowed for medals to be struck in multiple metals (i.e., gold, silver, bronze) and sizes. The minimum order size was 2,000 medals; they had to be paid for prior to delivery and could be ordered only until December 31, 1961.

Each of the bills was referred to the Committee on Banking and Currency of its respective chamber; the Senate Committee reported its bill in August 1959. The Committee reported the bill without amendment and recommended that it pass.

When the Senate bill was taken up for consideration on the floor, it was passed without objection. It was then sent to the House for its consideration. Received in the House, it was referred to the House Committee on Banking and Currency. As with its Senate counterpart, the House Committee reported the bill favorably with a recommendation to pass.

As he had done when the Kansas Statehood medal bill came up for consideration previously, John Vliet Lindsay (R-NY) reserved the right to object to the Pony Express bill while he sought an assurance that the bill, as written, did not force the Secretary of the Treasury to have the medals struck by the US mint (i.e., a private company could be contracted with if desired). Once such an assurance was given, the Senate bill was passed without objection in lieu of any pending House bills. (I would suggest that Lindsay was acting to protect the interests of the Medallic Art Company, a private mint and producer of medals/medallions in New York City.)

The bill was then examined and signed in each chamber and presented to the President. The bill was signed into law (Public Law 86-394) by President Dwight David Eisenhower on March 18, 1960.

Medals were struck by the US Mint in 1960 to commemorate the centennial of the 1860 launch of the Pony Express, and again in 1961 to mark the 100th anniversary of its termination in 1861. Each of the medal designs was struck in silver and bronze in two sizes.

The obverse of the coin-sized launch medal presents coinjoined, three-quarter, right-facing portraits of the Pony Express founders: William H. Russell, Alexander Majors and William B. Waddell. The medal's reverse is an adaptation of the painting by Henry W. Hansen's that depicts a Pony Express rider being chased by Native Americans.

1960 Pony Express Centennial - Launch

(Image Credit: PCGS CoinFatcs, https://www.PCGS.com/coinfacts. Fair use, education.)

The obverse of the Termination medal depicts a dismounted Pony Express rider looking back at a segment of the newly-completed, nationwide telegraph line that put the Pony Express out of business; in the far background is seen a mountain range. Underneath the scene is a quote from Abraham Lincoln, "AN IMMORTAL SERVICE TO THE UNION." On the reverse is presented (left foreground) a telegraph key, with a horse to the right. In the background is a segment of the telegraph wire and mountains.

1961 Pony Express Centennial - Termination

(Image Credit: PCGS CoinFatcs, https://www.PCGS.com/coinfacts. Fair use, education.)

The small, coin-size medals were joined by several large, higher-relief silver and bronze medals. In a follow-up post, I'll discuss these larger medals.

Though I have not located records of any such discussion, it would not surprise me to learn that the Pony Express Centennial Association at least explored the possibility of a commemorative coin before its medal bill was introduced.


For a philatelic look at the Pony Express Centennial, check out this thread I posted a few years ago over on the Stamp Forum: 1960 Pony Express Centennial Covers And More.


For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, see: Commems Collection.