In answer to Kay Freeman's comment on the lack of a celebration of the 1976 Bicentennial wehave one person to blame. It was President Richard Nixon - to his shame, he squashed the plan forany world's fair that year.

Major cities all made proposals to hold a 1976 Bicentennial World's Fair in their city.Philadelphia because it was where all the action was 200 years earlier, Chicago because of thesuccess of their 1892-3 and 1933 World's Fairs, New York City because they had a ready-madelocation where the 1939 and 1964 Fairs were held, and even Miami Florida they said because of thebetter weather.

Nixon delayed making a decision until it was too late for any successful planning. When finallypressed he indicated every city should have their own (thus no city got the approval). Shame onyou, Nixon.

The 1892-3 Chicago World's Fair was a fascination for collectors, and numismatically so,because it was open season for collector's items. Anyone could have a medal made and issued forthe fair. Over a thousand have been recorded. Nathan Eglit made the initial attempt to list themall in is 1963 catalog, Columbiana.

As a Chicago lawyer he had the resources to gather these in which the Chicago area was a richsource of these appearing on the market. He gathered these for years. After he died his sonconsigned a large group of these for me to auction (double sale Johnson & Jensen sale #15-16,March 25, 1961). I thought that was his collection. Later I learned these were his duplicates! JoeLevine auctioned his collection (Presidential Coin & Antique Co. sale #52, May 27, 1992).

Like Kay I enjoyed July 4, 1976 in New York City. I brought my family to the city where weestablished an overlook point on the bridge half a block down the street from the old ANS building.The Tall Ships display on the Hudson River was a full day's attraction. Until the rains came.The car was only a half block away but we were drowned in that short distance. However, the day wasworth every minute and every discomfort!

In our conversation at the last Nummis NOVA dinner, Tom and I shared a hope that America wouldcelebrate our 250th anniversary with the kind of exuberance and unanimity that we exhibited in1876. Where I was (and still am) coming from is expressed in a this sidebar from my book:

I have no desire to ignite a controversy over something that I view as non-partisan patriotism(though I would relish the debate). I realize that even using these two words in a single sentencebetrays me as a hopeless and undesirable neocolonial romantic. I personally doubt that America willmuster enough patriotism and non-partisanship to match for its 250th anniversary what itaccomplished for its 100th. Ms Freeman's comment is a case in point, the first confirmatorynay-saying shot out of the barrel.

Besides, I do not remember saying that we should emulate the Sesquicentennial, nor that anylocal celebration, such as that in New York or anywhere else, was unworthy.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
U.S. SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONTHOUGHTS (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v17n44a13.html)