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Louis
Armstrong, Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon Bonaparte
Featured on 2003 Louisiana Purchase Coins
France has
issued silver and gold proof euro coins to commemorate the 200th
anniversary of what has been described as the greatest real
estate deal in history. The Louisiana Purchase Treaty was signed
treaty on April 30, 1803 and approved by the Senate on October
20th. The 828,000 square miles of land - bought from France
at a cost of $15 million (about four cents per acre) - nearly
doubled the size of the United States. It contained land from
which all or part of fifteen American states were eventually
formed: Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, North Dakota, Texas,
South Dakota, New Mexico, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, Minnesota,
Oklahoma, Colorado and Montana. It had been French territory
from the time that Robert Cavelier de la Salle took possession
on April 9, 1682, naming it Louisiana in honor of King Louis
XIV.
The population
in the Louisiana Purchase area, according to the 1810 census
was 97,000; today it is estimated at over 36 million. President
Thomas Jefferson, together with Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte
arranged for the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory. In
addition to the likenesses of the American and French leaders,
a portrait of Louis Armstrong, one of the most famous residents
of New Orleans, is featured on the coins
Louis
Armstrong played a key role in the history of Jazz. He was
from a very poor family and was sent to reform school when
he was twelve after firing a gun in the air on New Year's
Eve. At the school he learned to play cornet. After being
released at age fourteen, he worked selling papers, unloading
boats, and selling coal from a cart. He didn't own an instrument
at this time, but continued to listen to bands at clubs. Joe
"King" Oliver was his favorite and the older man
acted as a father to Louis, even giving him his first real
cornet, and instructing him on the instrument. He started
playing in 1917 at bars in New Orleans' Storyville section
… and the rest is part of America's musical history!
The Louisiana
Purchase proof coins are available in an edition of 10,000
silver (1 ½ euro denomination, 22.2 gm., 900 fine)
priced at $49, and 1,000 gold (20 euros, 17 gm., .920 fine)
at $495. Each coin comes in presentation box with a certificate
of authenticity. Orders can be sent to PandaAmerica, 3460
Torrance Blvd., Suite 100, Torrance, CA 90503. Credit card
orders can be placed by calling 800-472-6327 or e-mailing
info@pandaamerica.com.
Add $5.50 per order for shipping.
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