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THROUGH THE NUMISMATIC GLASS: THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION

By Dr. Thomas F. Fitzgerald

Who were the Corps of Volunteers for North West Discovery? Were these folks explorers, scientists, ambassadors, frontiersmen or patriots? Most would agree they were all of the above. Who was Mrs. Toussaint Charbonneau? What United States coin has a bust on both the obverse and the reverse? What event has been memorialized by three coins and a United States $10 legal tender note?

The Louisiana Purchase

Newly elected President Thomas Jefferson learned of a secret treaty transferring the Louisiana Territory from Spain to France, He sent Robert R. Livingston, and several months later, James Monroe, to negotiate the purchase of New Orleans or at least some port rights at the mouth of the Mississippi River. The new nation needed the waterway for its commerce.

On April 11, 1803, Napoleon offered to sell all of the Louisiana Territory for 15 million dollars or about four cents per acre. Livingston and Monroe agreed to the purchase. With this treaty, the United States acquired about 828,000 square miles, doubling the size of the nation.

This vast territory included what today are 13 states. Many of these states were in the Northwest. These included Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Oklahoma.

Prologue

In 1803, President Jefferson won congressional approval for his exploration project. The President wanted to know if there was a trade route overland to the Pacific Ocean by following two rivers, the Missouri and the Columbia.

On February 28, 1803, Congress appropriated money for a small U. S. Army unit to explore the two rivers and to meet with the unknown Indian Tribes. The ambassadors would inform the Indians that American traders would soon come to buy their furs. We were in competition with fur traders from Great Britain who came south from Canada. Note that these plans preceded the April purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France. Now the army expedition could travel west on American soil.

Jefferson asked 28-year old Army Captain and his private secretary, Meriwether Lewis, to lead the exploring mission. Lewis in turn chose a former army comrade, 32 year-old William Clark, to be co-leader. Jefferson seemed to be interested in every aspect of this unexplored part of the new nation. The President wrote specific instructions and asked the explorers to make a detailed report on western geography, climate, plants and animals, and to study the customs and languages of the Indians. He gave Lewis a long list of questions to ask the western Indians concerning their daily lives.

Lewis, with these instructions in mind, visited the President's scientific friends in Philadelphia for instruction on natural sciences, astronomical navigation and field medicine. He was destined to be the medical doctor for the expedition.

Lewis and Clark reached the staging area at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers near St. Louis in December, 1803. They recruited young woodsmen, and enlisted soldiers who volunteered from nearby army posts. The expedition's roster comprised approximately 45 men including 26 soldiers, Clark's black servant (slave) York, and some local boatmen who would only go part way.

The Departure-May 14, 1804

On May 14, 1804, Clark wrote in his journal: "I set out at 4 o'clock P. M. … And proceeded on under a jentle (sic) breeze up the Missouri." By early November, they reached the villages of the Hidatsa Indians who lived in what today is North Dakota. They spent five months at Fort Mandan (which they had built and named after the Indian tribe). They had been gone 164 days and traveled approximately 1,510 miles. Here they met a French-Canadian fur trader, Toussaint Charbonneau who had bought an Indian woman. Sacagawea was a Shoshoni Indian and her tribal homeland lay in the Rocky Mountain country far to the west. She had been kidnapped by the Plains Indians five years previously. She could speak both Shoshoni and Minitari. She and Charbonneau could be very helpful in trading for horses, etc. Moreover, Sacajawea could prove to be a sign of peace, assuring the Indians that the

Explorers were friendly. Clark wrote: "No woman ever accompanies a war party of Indians in this quarter." As a result, the Charbonneau family, with their new-born son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, joined the expedition.

After crossing the Continental Divide, the party made their first contact with the Shoshoni Indians. Much to their surprise anf good fortune, Lewis and Clark learned that Sacajawea's brother, Cameahwait, was now chief of the tribe.

Fort Clatsop

With a great deal of help from the Indians, in early October, 1805 the party reached the Snake River and then on October 16th the Columbia River. In mid November, the captains finally strode upon the sands of the Pacific Ocean.

Clark recorded that 554 days had elapsed and they had traveled 4,132 miles. Crossing the river, they built a fort they called Fort Clatsop, near Astoria, Oregon. A replica, based upon the plans of the original fort, has been built where the original fort was believed to have been located. It is a tourist attraction for those who visit Astoria.

The Epilogue

The return journey took place from March, 1806 to September, 1806. Arriving at the Mandan village on August 17, 1806, the Charbonneau family left the expedition and Private John Colter was discharged at his request.

On September 23, 1806, the party arrived at St. Louis. They had traveled about 8,000 miles. The Rocky Mountains had ended Jefferson's hope of finding a water link between the Missouri and Columbia rivers. Only one member of the party died during the journey. Sgt. Charles Floyd suffered an apparent appendicitus attack which proved to be fatal.

Although Lewis, Clark and Toussaint received grants of land from Congress, Sacajawea received no compensation for her services. On February 28, 1807, President Jefferson picked Lewis to be Governor of Upper Louisiana Territory. While traveling to Washington D. C. to clear his name of an alleged wrongdoing, Captain Meriwether Lewis died mysteriously on October 11, 1809 at a roadhouse in Tennessee. Some claim he was murdered while others believe he committed suicide. William Clark enjoyed a lifelong career in public service in St. Louis. In 1813, Brigadier General of Militia, Clark was appointed Governor of Missouri Territory. He died of natural causes in St. Louis on September 1, 1838.

Numismatic Pieces

An Act of Congress of April 13, 1904, created the Lewis and Clark Exposition to be held in Portland, Oregon. This event was to honor the Corps of Discovery. Part of the appropriations was to enable the event to open and the money was to be raised by the sale of 250,000 gold dollars to be struck and sold at the exposition.

This two-headed coin, making it unique in our mint's history, was the work of mint engraver, Charles E. Barber. It appears that Barber used the Charles Willson Peale portraits of Lewis and Clark found in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, as his models. On the obverse with the date is the bust of Meriwether Lewis. Thus the reverse, with the denomination, bears the bust of William Clark. Coins with a little wear make it difficult to distinguish one bust from the other. These coins bear either 1904 or 1905 dates.

The mint struck 25,000 coins during September, 1904 and these were to remain in the Treasury vaults for nearly a year as the Exposition did not open until June 1, 1905.

Surprisingly, coin dealer, D. M. Averill & Co. in Portland, Oregon, advertised the 1904 dollars in April. 1905, several months prior to the opening of the Exposition. His ad, appearing in the Numismatist, stated that the 25,000 coins dated 1904 "are nearly exhausted." Remember, the coins were to be sold at the Exposition. Farran Zerbe set up his booth in the manufacturers Building where he sold the gold coins.

In the meantime, the mint struck 35,000 coins dated 1905. By the time the Exposition closed on October 14, 1905, only 9,997 of the 1904s had been sold and only 10,000 of the 1905s. The other 25,000 1905 coins never left the mint. Didn't a dealer claim the supply had almost been exhausted?

Sacagawea Dollars

In a continuing effort to persuade citizens to circulate dollar coins, the Sacagawea dollar was created. The design was selected in a national competition. The adopted motif depicts Sacagawea, the Indian wife of the French Canadian Charbonneau, on the obverse. Designed by artist Glenna Goodacre, the portrait shows Sacajawea's son, Jean Baptiste, on her back. The reverse bears an eagle in flight as designed by mint engraver, Thomas D. Rogers, Sr.

The coins have a distinctive golden color and a plain edge to distinguish them from other coins similar in size. They were first minted in 2000.

United States Currency

As early as 1901, when the "Bison" $10 Legal Tender Series was being engraved by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the plans for the Exposition were being discussed. Walter Shirlaw's portraits of Lewis and Clark, totally different from Barber's portraits, were engraved vignettes. The famous engraver, G. F. C. Smillie placed the famous duo on each end of the original plates. AS a result, from 1901 through 1925, every red seal $10 note bore the portraits of Lewis and Clark.

Black Diamond struts his stuff for this beautiful $10 Bison Note, Series of 1901. A choice, crisp, uncirculated piece was recently advertised for sale at $2,895.00.

More Coins to Come

As this column is being written, the author is looking at designs for a commemorative silver dollar in observance of the 2004 anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. On October 17, 2002, the Commission of Fine Arts recommended one obverse and two reverse designs.

LEWIS & CLARK EXONUMIA

The dedicated collector can find a wide variety of items relating to the Expedition for topical collecting. All items shown here are enlarged to provide for more detail. Bronze Medals issued in 1905 to commemorate the centennial of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Similar in design, they were different sizes, one 34 mm and the other 36mm.

Lewis & Clark gave peace medals to various Indian Chiefs to help establish friendly relations with their tribes. The silver and copper medals bore the likeness of Washington or Jefferson on one side, and various inscriptions on the other. The reverse shown here is the Jefferson Peace and Friendship Medal of 1801. The US Mint replicated these medals as copper souvenir pieces.

Gold colored medal sold at Fort Clatsop in Astoria, Oregon features some of the expedition members on the obverse and a rough sketch of the Fort layout.

A granite shaft on the Missouri River at Sioux City, Iowa marks the grave of Sergeant Floyd, the only member of the Lewis & Clark Expedition to lose his life. This medal was issued by CSNA member Club, The Liberty Numismatic Society.