Bicentennial Medallions
A significant source of funding for the commission also came in the form of royalties and licensing. Manufacturers of collectibles such as the Franklin Mint produced officially approved California Bicentennial medallions. The Lincoln Mint’s set of medallions, produced in both sterling silver and bronze, were designed through a contest conducted by the commission. Three California high school seniors submitted winning medallion designs and were awarded scholarships totalling $2,500. The three winners rode to a ceremony at the State Capitol in a horse-drawn Concord stagecoach in the company of actress Amanda Blake, star of the Western television series Gunsmoke (a luncheon with first lady of California Nancy Reagan followed the ceremony). The Lincoln Mint’s silver and bronze medallions retailed for $12.50 and $3.50 respectively, and some of the proceeds of each sale went to funding the commission’s activities.
