Owner Comments:
The Bridgeport is an interesting issue within the classic commemorative set. It features the portrait of P.T. Barnum, Bridgeports most famous citizen. Born in Bethel, CT during the nineteenth century, Barnum brought major entertainment to the middle classes of Europe and American via his Barnum & Bailey Circus, as well as his American Museum in New York City, during the heyday of the 1850s through the1860s. Barnum made stars out of Tom Thumb, Jenny Lind, Phineas Gage, Jumbo the Elephant and many others. In this regard, he was the 20th century's version of Walt Disney. Barnum was also a former mayor of Bridgeport and was acknowledged as a big time philanthropist and civic minded leader of the city. He also coined the phrase, " there is a sucker born every minute." Designed by Henry Kreis, who also designed the Connecticut, as well as the obverse of the Robinson Arkansas commemoratives, it features an art deco eagle on the reverse that has received a lot of negative artistic criticism over the years. For example, some say the reverse eagle motif is really a laughing shark with two dorsal fins viewed when rotating the reverse about 180 degrees from normal. Maybe there is a sucker is born every minute.
This specimen is among the finest known and has been provenanced to two of the best of commemorative sets ever assembled; the Hidden Liberty and San Diego Collections. It has wonderful eye appealing lustrous surfaces with iridescent rim toning in hues of sky blue and rose. It is minimally abraded and a joy to hold in hand. This coin is also a PCGS Coinfacts plate coin.
Provenance: Hidden Liberty & San Diego Collections (A 67+ coin replaced this coin).
Population PCGS 56 in 67, 1 in 67+, NGC 29 in 67 (4 * included), 1 68*. (3-12)
Update: PCGS: 63 in 67, 4 in 67+. NGC: 29 in 67 (with 4*), 1 in 68*. CAC: 14 in 67. (12-13)