The Bridgeport, Connecticut, Centennial half dollar is a fifty-cent
piece issued by the United States Bureau of the Mint in 1936 as a
commemorative coin. Designed by Henry Kreis, the obverse (pictured)
depicts the showman P. T. Barnum, who was one of Bridgeport's most
famous residents, mayor of the city, helped develop it, and is buried
there. Bridgeport authorities wanted a commemorative coin, and
authorizing legislation passed Congress without opposition. Kreis had
designed the Connecticut Tercentenary half dollar (1935), and he
produced designs showing Barnum and a modernistic eagle similar to the
one on the Connecticut piece. The coins were vended to the public
beginning in September 1936 at a price of $2. Too late for most of the
centennial celebrations, the coins sold well. Unsold pieces were bought
up by coin dealers and wholesale quantities were available on the
secondary market until the 1970s. The Bridgeport half dollar sells in
the low hundreds of dollars, depending on condition..
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Tercentenary_half_dollar>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1244:
Albigensian Crusade: Following the successful Siege of
Montségur, French royal forces burned about 210 unrepentant Cathars in
a bonfire.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Monts%C3%A9gur>
1802:
Congress passed the Military Peace Establishment Act,
authorizing the establishment of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to
operate the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Military_Academy>
1872:
In the first ever final of the FA Cup, the world's oldest
association football competition, Wanderers defeated Royal Engineers
1–0 at The Oval in Kennington, London.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1872_FA_Cup_Final>
1988:
Iran–Iraq War: Iraqi forces began attacking the Kurdish town
of Halabja with chemical weapons, killing up to 5,000 people.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halabja_chemical_attack>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
growl:
1. (intransitive) To utter a deep guttural sound, as an angry animal; to
give forth an angry, grumbling sound.
2. (intransitive, jazz) Of a wind instrument: to produce a low-pitched
rumbling sound.
3. (intransitive, software) To send a user a message via the Growl
software library.
4. (transitive) To express (something) by growling.
5. (transitive, jazz) To play a wind instrument in a way that produces a
low-pitched rumbling sound.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/growl>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
We have seen the mere distinction of colour made in the most
enlightened period of time, a ground of the most oppressive dominion
ever exercised by man over man. What has been the source of those unjust
laws complained of among ourselves? Has it not been the real or supposed
interest of the major number? Debtors have defrauded their creditors.
The landed interest has borne hard on the mercantile interest. The
Holders of one species of property have thrown a disproportion of taxes
on the holders of another species. The lesson we are to draw from the
whole is that where a majority are united by a common sentiment, and
have an opportunity, the rights of the minor party become insecure.
--James Madison
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/James_Madison>