That bakelite encased Franklin Half dollar is from Venice Calif. -

The Aragon Ballroom was built, or named, in 1942, and it was at the end of the pier that was built in the teen's, I believe.

My parents would take us to that pier on a summer day for ice cream and other treats, and fresh ocean air.

The pier itself was named the Lick Pier, but I don't recall hearing that name myself, so I assume it was either renamed, or just not named often, in the mid-late '50's and 60's.

By the early 60's, Pacific Ocean Park (POP) opened up (named after the "Ocean Park' on the encasement. There was a Ferris Wheel, games, etc. - and a cool ride that was a large plastic bubble that took riders over the ocean, from the pier and back.

POP closed around 1964-65, as I recall, and the pier fell into disrepute. There was a fire on the pier a few years later, and it was destroyed.

Phil Iversen adds:

Bruce Perdue provides this answer to his Lick Pier question, from Wikipedia:

To read the complete article, see:
Aragon Ballroom (Ocean Park, Santa Monica, California)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aragon_Ballroom_
(Ocean_Park,_Santa_Monica,_California))

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
MORE ON ENCASED COINS(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n06a09.html)