1984 American Arts Commemorative Medallion - Helen Hayes

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,939 MS69 01-09-2013 Heritage Auctions

Description

The 1984 American Arts Gold Medallion featuring Helen Hayes is a half-troy-ounce gold piece honoring the actress known as the "First Lady of the American Theater." Helen Hayes (1900-1993) enjoyed a career spanning nearly eighty years on stage, screen, radio, and television, winning two Academy Awards, a Tony, an Emmy, and a Grammy to become one of only a handful of performers to achieve the entertainment industry's so-called grand slam. Her Broadway career included triumphs in "Victoria Regina" (1935-1938) and "The Glass Menagerie" (1956), while her film work ranged from "A Farewell to Arms" (1932) to "Airport" (1970). The obverse features a portrait of Hayes capturing her patrician bearing and expressive features — qualities that served her equally well in classical tragedy and light comedy. The inscription HELEN HAYES and the date 1984 frame the portrait. The reverse commemorates her theatrical legacy through performance imagery, with HALF TROY OUNCE OF GOLD identifying the precious metal content. The 1984 issues were the final year of the American Arts Gold Medallion program, which concluded with a cumulative commercial record that Congress and the Mint administration regarded as a clear failure. Total program sales across all five years and ten issues fell far short of projections, and the unsold inventory was eventually melted for its gold content. The program's demise directly catalyzed the passage of the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985, which created the American Gold Eagle — a proper legal tender coin backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, with a guaranteed gold content and established dealer distribution network.

Rarity Notes

Total mintage approximately 33,546 pieces — the lowest mintage of any half-ounce issue in the entire American Arts series. The 1984 Helen Hayes is considered the key date of the half-ounce issues.

Cross References

PCGS #20509; NGC #724010; Public Law 95-630; Swoger D1984-2