MECKLENBURG DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE CENTENNIAL MEDAL

In brief, some historians believe that representatives of Mecklenburg County met on May 19th and 20th in 1775 to discuss, debate and decide what steps would be taken by the county in response to the increasing oppression they were being subject to by King George III, the British Parliament and local Crown authorities. Further, it is said that the assembled representatives developed a series of resolutions that declared Mecklenburg County’s independence from Great Britain; the document is said to have been read to an assembled public on May 20, 1775 from the steps of the Charlotte Courthouse. If this is all true, it would be very significant considering it occurred more than a year before the national Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776.

There is a problem, however. No original written copy of the May 20th resolves exists and no contemporary newspaper accounts of the meetings or the alleged public reading of the document have been found. “Proof” of the document comes from the memories and testimonies of those claiming either to have signed the original document, been part of the meetings that created them or at least present in Charlotte at the time of the meetings. This makes some believe that the events and document are more fantasy than reality – but no one knows for sure!

As the 1875 Mecklenburg Declaration centennial approached, plans were put in place for Charlotte to host a grand celebration of North Carolina’s role in helping propel the original 13 American colonies toward independence from Great Britain. The celebration would take place over two days – May 19th and 20th – exactly 100 years after the purported meetings that led to Mecklenburg County dissolving its ties to the British Crown.

As part of the centennial’s commemoration, it was decided by its organizing committee to have a medal struck. In early 1875, William Johnston, a successful North Carolina lawyer and businessman who was then also the Mayor of Charlotte, approached Richard Henry Linderman, Director of the US Mint, concerning the striking of a commemorative medal to help mark the centennial.

A private citizen or group contacting the Director of the Mint directly to get a medal authorized would not be possible today – the US Congress needs to be involved – but it was not uncommon in the mid-1800s. The engravers and production facilities of the Mint were often engaged to design and strike medals for a variety of private/personal purposes. Many of these personal requests were made directly to the Director or through one of the Mint’s engravers.

The medal’s obverse features several symbolic design elements. At its center is a tree branch supporting a Phrygian (Liberty) cap and a hornet’s nest (complete with flying hornets). The hornet’s nest is a reference dating to the Revolutionary War. After British General Lord Cornwallis unsuccessfully battled local militias in the Battle of Charlotte in September, 1780, he wrote that Charlotte was “a hornet’s nest of rebellion.” “Hornet’s Nest” was soon adopted as the city’s moniker and later became part of its official seal. Also seen on the obverse are the anniversary dates “1775 – 1875” and a pair of clasped hands (with some of the longest fingers you’ll ever see!) representing the post Civil War reconciliation of the North and South. The central design elements are surrounded by a series of rays.

The simple reverse features the inscriptions MECKLENBURG DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE and 20 MAY 20 1775.

The US Mint struck 1,005 silver medals and 1,000 bronze medals on standard coining presses; 25 bronze and five silver proofs were also struck. Both medals are difficult to find today and, as would be expected, nice examples command quite a premium.

To read the complete article, see:
The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence Centennial Medal (www.coinweek.com/featured-news/mecklenburg-declaration-of-independence-centennial-medal/)

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