The Lafayette Dollar - A Tribute to America's Favorite Frenchman

America's ties with France have a history ofof the war with England - in 1784, when he and
honor, despite strains of the recent past. Onehis descendants were proclaimed citizens of
particular Frenchman, in fact, was one of theMaryland forever, and in 1824, when he toured all
greatest heroes of the nation's early days - a24 states at the invitation of President James
man so admired that his image was later placedMonroe, receiving a hero's welcome everywhere
on a U.S. coin. That man was Marie Joseph Paulhe went. He died on May 20, 1834, at the age of
Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de76.
Lafayette.In 1900, France held a World's Fair in Paris to
Lafayette was among a number of Europeancelebrate the start of the new century. As part
sympathizers who fought with American patriotsof its participation in this Universal Exposition, the
in their war for independence from Great Britain,United States decided to erect a statue of
and his valor in that conflict won him a specialLafayette in the "City of Light." Congress
place in the history of the new nation he helpedauthorized the issuance of a commemorative coin
create.- the Lafayette dollar - not only to mark the
Appropriately, this man of singular achievements isoccasion, but also to help finance the statue.
honored on a coin that likewise is unique - the onlyThe obverse of the coin displays conjoined
silver dollar from the so-called "traditional" periodportraits of Lafayette and Washington. The
of U.S. commemoratives. And the coin in question,portraits face right, with Washington 's
the 1900 Lafayette dollar, ranks among thesuperimposed over Lafayette's. This side is
scarcest, most valuable and most coveted of allundated, bearing only the inscriptions " United
U.S. commemoratives from that period, whichStates of America" and "Lafayette Dollar." The
spanned the years from 1892 through 1954.reverse features a bas-relief rendition of
As his title suggests, the Marquis de LafayetteLafayette 's statue. It also pays tribute to
had noble roots. He was born in a chateau inAmerican schoolchildren, who raised $50,000 to
Auvergne, France on Sept. 6, 1757, andhelp pay for the monument. An inscription below
commissioned as a soldier at the age of 15 bythe statue reads: "Erected by the Youth of the
France 's King Louis XV. Idealistic andUnited States in Honor of Gen. Lafayette." Below
freedom-loving, the young man was stirred bythe statue are the word "Paris" and the date
the grievances of the American colonists, and he1900, separated by a star.
made up his mind to join their revolution. OutfittingAlthough it was issued in 1900, the Lafayette
a ship at his own expense, he sailed to Americadollar doesn't carry a date of issue, strictly
with a dozen other officers, reaching Georgetown,speaking, since it's generally agreed that the
S.C., in 1777."1900" below the statue refers to the date of the
After initial hesitancy, Congress granted him aexposition, rather than that of the coin. In point of
commission as an officer in the Continental Army.fact, the entire mintage of 50,000 was struck on
He assumed his command in July 1777 and foughta single day in December 1899 at the Philadelphia
with distinction just two months later in the BattleMint. Not just coincidentally, that day, Dec. 14, was
of Brandywine, Pa., despite being hit in the leg bythe 100th anniversary of George Washington's
a musket ball. He returned to France on furloughdeath - for the Lafayette dollar also honors
in 1779, and while there, helped persuade theWashington indirectly. The joint portraits
government of the new king, Louis XVI, to sendunderscore the close relationship between the
a 6,000-man expeditionary army to aid thetwo men, as well as the ties their personal bond
colonists. Back on the battlefield a year later, hehelped forge between their countries.
became one of George Washington's mostThe Lafayette Memorial Commission offered
trusted generals, serving with him in the climacticLafayette dollars for sale at just double face, or
Battle of Yorktown, where the colonists scored a$2 each - a modest sum, compared to the issue
decisive victory in 1781.prices of more recent U.S. commemorative coins.
At the age of 24, Lafayette was hailed as "TheNonetheless, many went begging: Of the 50,000
Hero of Two Worlds" and, in a sense, hestruck, 14,000 eventually were melted and many
bestrode both of them. But his fortunes waxedothers were spent and grew worn from
and waned throughout the rest of his life. Hecirculation. As a result, mint-state examples are
returned to France after the American Revolutionseldom encountered.
and just a few years later, in 1789, found himselfThe Lafayette dollar is coveted by collectors for
caught up in the French version. By backingseveral reasons. It's historically significant as the
popular causes, he gained great power in the earlyfirst U.S. coin to depict an important American -
days of the French Revolution and became aand the "Father of His Country," at that. It's
leading advocate of constitutional monarchy. Butgenuinely scarce and valuable, worth thousands of
his popularity and influence both faded as thedollars in top mint condition and hundreds even in
Revolution gave way to the Reign of Terror,lower collectible grades. And because it's the only
forcing him to flee to Austria, where he was heldsilver dollar in the traditional commemorative
captive for five years. Freed by Napoleonseries, it's sought after as a type coin.
Bonaparte's military victories, he returned toThe Lafayette dollar reminds us that historically,
France in 1799 - only to find that his personalthe countries France and America have been
fortune had been seized. He then became afriends from the very beginning.
gentleman farmer and, in later life, served inAnd in the finest sense, the Marquis de Lafayette
France's Chamber of Deputies.was America's original "French connection.
Lafayette revisited America twice after the end