Dollar - Opening of the Manila mint

Reverse

Justice kneeling left, cherub in front.

Script: Latin

Lettering: TO COMMEMORATE THE OPENING OF THE MINT

Engraver: George Thomas Morgan

Comment

1920 Wilson Dollar, No M, Brass, HK-450 Variant. The 1920 Wilson dollars were struck to commemorate the opening of the Manila Mint on July 6, 1920, the first and only time the U.S. government has established a branch mint outside of the Continental United States. These coins or, more properly, medals, were never given legal tender status, but many of the pieces did circulate in the Philippine economy before World War II. They are usually collected with the So-Called dollar sets. The mintage was limited to 3,700 pieces in copper (HK-450), 2,200 examples in silver (HK-449), and five specimens struck in gold (HK-1031). The gold specimens were presented to VIP's, including President Woodrow Wilson. A number of unsold specimens were dumped into the Pacific Ocean in 1942, to prevent their seizure by Japanese invaders.

The design for the Wilson dollar was conceived by Clifford Hewitt, who installed much of the equipment in the Manila Mint. The obverse features a bust of President Wilson facing left with President Of The United States in an arc above. Beaded border. The reverse shows a kneeling figure of Justice, with scales in her upraised right hand, with a youth pouring planchets from a cornucopia into a coin press. To Commemorate The Opening Of The Mint around, with Manila P.I. and the date 1920 in an incused oval below. The dies were engraved by Chief Engraver George T. Morgan at the Philadelphia Mint. The engraver's initial M is evident behind the left foot of Justice.