who is the designer?
Constance Ortmayer
Cincinnati Musical Center half dollar
Constance Ortmayer
what is cincinnati musical center half dollar? A commemorative 50-cent piece when was it produced? In 1936 was there any controversy based on it? Yes, controversy that Melish had travelled to Washington the previous day, and had announced he had no objection to the change. can you tell me something about its design? It displays a bust of Stephen Foster, facing to the viewer's right, and below it, the words "".
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Cincinnati Musical Center half dollar [SEP] Introduction
Melish had hired sculptor Constance Ortmayer to design the coin, but the Commission of Fine Arts refused to recommend the designs. Members objected to the depiction of Stephen Foster on the obverse, finding no connection between Foster, who died in 1864, and the supposed anniversary. Nevertheless, the designs were approved by the Bureau of the Mint, and 5,000 sets from the three mints were issued and sold to Melish's group, the only authorized purchaser. Melish likely held back much of the issue for later resale, and with few pieces available, prices for the set spiked, rising to over five times the issue price.