Talk:Oregon Trail Memorial half dollar

Question

Can anyone think of a way to suppress the words "Obverse" and "Reverse" in the infobox, since it is a matter of dispute which side is which?--Wehwalt (talk) 23:56, 25 October 2012 (UTC)

"A matter of dispute which side is which" Amongst whom. Please elaborate/cite. --Kevjonesin (talk) 23:05, 18 April 2013 (UTC)

I had swapped them just before coming to this talk page (due to the infobox conflicting with the external link, Oregon Trail half dollar Pictures) but I'll change them back now that I've seen the previous entry and consulted Obverse_and_reverse#Coins of the United States. --Kevjonesin (talk) 23:05, 18 April 2013 (UTC)

It's discussed in the article. The Frasers considered the Indian side the obverse; the Mint considered the wagon side the obverse. If you ask me, they should have just flipped a coin. But I'd like to remove that text from the infobox.--Wehwalt (talk) 23:43, 18 April 2013 (UTC)

Thanks, I'd overlooked the note. I'm presently inclined to side with the Frasers as they seem best positioned to judge the intent of the designers. But I'll admit a personal bias to favor creative artists over bureaucratic officials. However, I also think that in a blind test an 'average person' uniformed that a dispute even existed would if handed the coin and asked to flip for "Heads or Tails?" choose the Indian side with a prominent human figure in profile as "Heads" and hence obverse. (I was reading up on some U.S. Supreme Court decisions last night and the 'reasonable person' criteria was introduced as a means of discernment. It struck me to apply similar here today.) I wonder if the mint officials chose to promote the wagon side as obverse so as to better facillitate/coordinate with the fundraising/marketing effort of Ezra Meeker's wagon tour campaign. An emphasis on it's role as a medallion more so than as a circulating coin. Anyway, I agree that it would be best to remove the obverse/reverse labels in the infobox. I'm inclined to take on the task as a formatting exercise if nothing else. --Kevjonesin (talk) 17:02, 19 April 2013 (UTC)

I went ahead and made a version of the original template with customized image headings, Template:Infobox Oregon_Trail_Memorial_half_dollar, and then directed the article's edited infobox entry data to it. --Kevjonesin (talk) 20:53, 19 April 2013 (UTC)

Very nicely done, thanks. I've done a lot of research on this coin (including OR I am considering developing into a "real" article), and am glad to have that point cleared up.--Wehwalt (talk) 21:28, 19 April 2013 (UTC)

Wondering about one of your edits, Wehwalt?

Heylo again, I'm curious about this edit. Specifically as to why

"Meeker began another transcontinental journey in August 1928 from Atlantic City, New Jersey, this one by a motorized wagon provided by the Ford Motor Company, selling half dollars along the way."

was reduced to

"Meeker began another journey in August 1928, planning to sell half dollars along the way."

Your edit summary says "per author". Does that mean that the cited newspaper article ("''{{sfn|Webber|p=22}}{{sfn|''New York Times''|1928-08-04}}''") didn't actually contain the details about the custom Ford automobile?

Previously, after this WP article sparked my interest, I did some more reading on other sites which mentioned some details about the 'wagon car'. I think it was a converted Model T [oops,A!]. I'll see if I can find them again and post links here. It seems to me some brief specifics should be worked into in the article to support the photo image (of the 'wagon car') that's presently included.

--Kevjonesin (talk) 14:59, 1 May 2013 (UTC)

Dennis Larsen, who has written two published books on Meeker, advised me that it did not start from Atlantic City, the NY times article is from before the trip started. He referred me to the 1932 book I added as a reference, in which there is some discussion of what Meeker did that I will use to adjust the article (and Meeker's) Apparently he toured New England with his vehicle and a college kid to assist him, and happened to meet Ford, who was on vacation. So Meeker went to Detroit (he may have gone by way of Atlantic City), showed up in bad shape, was hospitalized, talked out of going out again, and sent hime by rail, and died soon after.--Wehwalt (talk) 15:15, 1 May 2013 (UTC)

Maybe an expanded caption on the photo (of the "Oxmobile") itself might be better. Maybe something like

Ezra Meeker with the "Oxmobile", a customized Model A which Henry Ford [provided/donated?/built] for a planned cross country campaign to promote the coin.

I'm recalling that you've been working a 'good bit' on both this and the Ezra Meeker article so my looking up info links would likely be redundant. I'll leave it in your capable hands--Kevjonesin (talk) 15:31, 1 May 2013 (UTC)

Driggs mentions it as a truck, but David Dary in his book (it's used as a ref in the Meeker article) says it was a converted Model A. I will see if Mr. Larsen has any info on this subject. Thanks for the good word, but I'm not satisfied with this article yet. The OTMA wasn't as evil as coin collectors have made it appear, and I did a lot of original research I am developing into an off-wiki article. Hopefully we can find a way to make this article better then. The article's written and I am shopping it around to the coin magazines (it would be my first, by the way).--Wehwalt (talk) 15:39, 1 May 2013 (UTC)

Harv error

"Van Ryzin, Robert R. (May 2, 2007)" is giving a harv error—it doesn't appear the source is used in the article. Curly Turkey ¡gobble! 07:57, 19 November 2014 (UTC)

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