Owner Comments:
This coin has the distinction of being the first one peso coin of the then newly independent Republic of the Philippines. It is not a business strike, but rather, a commemorative issue. Minted at the U.S. Mint's San Francisco facility, it commemorates the liberation of the Philippines from the Japanese occupation forces by General Douglas MacArthur in 1944. As the inscription on the coin's obverse states, Gen. MacArthur was popularly considered to be country's "defender and liberator."
This coin was designed by America sculptor and medal designer, Laura Gardin Fraser (Her initials are under MacArthur's bust above the liberation date.) Unfortunately, despite being designed by very talented and prolific sculptor, these coins suffer from diminished eye appeal because they are not very sharply struck.
The obverse features the bust of General Douglas MacArthur facing right. Separated by that bust is his name and rank. Around the coin's periphery are the words, "DEFENDER AND LIBERATOR OF THE PHILIPPINES" Below the bust is the date, "Oct 20, 1944", which is when American forces, commanded by Gen MacArthur, began their return to the Philippines by landing on the island of Leyte.
The reverse bears the country name, mintage year, and the coin’s denomination. It also has the country’s then-coat of arms, which feature the eight-rayed sun of the Philippines with each ray representing the eight provinces which were placed under martial law during the Philippine Revolution (1896-1898.) The three five-pointed stars represent the country's primary geographic regions (Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.) On the dexter (left) side of the shield is the North American bald eagle of the United States, its left talon grasping an olive branch and the right talon grasping three spears, denoting peace and war. On the sinister (right) side is the lion rampant of the coat of arms of the Kingdom of León (part of a united Spain from 1479). Both the eagle and the lion represent the country's colonial past.
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This coin exhibits shimmering luster with only a few marks over its blast white surfaces. All of these MacArthur coins are characterized by weak strikes, but overall, this coin shows superior quality and has the eye appeal of a Gem. This example, like its counterpart fifty centavo, is widely available and fairly priced, and rather common in Gem condition. I obtained this coin already graded.
⚙️ Coin Specifications and Information
Composition: Silver
Fineness: 0.8000
Weight: 20.0000g
ASW: 0.5787oz
Diameter: 36mm
Edge: Reeded
Alignment: ⬆️ ⬇️
Mintage: 100,000
KM# 185
📆 Douglas MacArthur: A Brief History
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur (26 January 1880 – 5 April 1964) was an American five-star general and Field Marshal of the Philippine Army. He was Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the Philippines Campaign, which made him and his father Arthur MacArthur Jr. the first father and son to be awarded the medal. He was one of only five to rise to the rank of General of the Army in the US Army, and the only one conferred the rank of field marshal in the Philippine Army.
MacArthur had been appointed military adviser to the Philippines in 1935. Even after his retirement from active military service in 1937, he remained in the islands as an adviser. Then, when World War II seemed imminent, he was called back into the service as commander of American forces in the Far East.
He was in command of the forces defending the Philippines in 1942 when the Japanese overran the islands. Before he left, MacArthur vowed that he would return, and two years later, after his landing on Leyte, he announced to the people of the Philippines "I have returned. By the grace of almighty God, our forces stand again on Philippine soil."
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📖 Information sources:
Wikipedia contributors. (2020, June 2). Sheldon coin grading scale. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 12:30, November 25, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sheldon_coin_grading_scale&oldid=960391269
NGC, World Coin Price Guide, Philippines Coin Price Guide (Powered by NumisMaster), Retrieved 17:50, November 25, 2021, from https://www.ngccoin.com/price-guide/world/philippines-peso-km-185-1947-cuid-1084211-duid-1568147
Numista Coin Catalog. Coins from Philippines. Retrieved 18:30, November 25, 2020, from https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces12756.html
Wikipedia contributors. (2020, November 29). Douglas MacArthur. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14:51, December 2, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Douglas_MacArthur&oldid=991390541