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

_______________________________ 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

_____________________________ 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

___________________________ 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