First Lewiston bicentennial coin released

Lewiston keepsake kicks off limited commemorative series

Lewiston's 200th anniversary celebrations are about to commence, and a series of commemorative coins will be issued featuring Lewiston's iconic landmarks. The first coin has just been released and is available from the Lewiston Museum.

The coin highlights Lewiston’s First Presbyterian Church – the first church in the area and the center of the Lewiston's earliest cultural and religious activities. It was also a safehouse on the Underground Railroad for the enslaved seeking a new life of freedom in Canada. Four more coins, featuring other Lewiston landmarks, will be released in the future to complete the series.

The coin is a large, 2-inch-diameter coin in highly polished silver illustrating both the three-dimensional Lewiston bicentennial logo on the front and the First Presbyterian Church on the back, each surrounded by textured recessed metal. The bicentennial logo highlights a silhouetted Frontier House. Both sides include a rope edging that symbolizes Lewiston's historic relationship with the water – not only as an integral part of the Portage, which opened the West to trade and commerce, but as one of the busiest Great Lakes ports of call at the beginning of the last century.

Historical Association President Ken Slaugenhoupt said, "If you love Lewiston, or have memories of Lewiston you and your family cherish, this is the keepsake you want to include in your collections. Only 200 of these coins will be minted, so it's important to get yours today before they sell out. Coins can be obtained for only a $10 donation to the Historical Association of Lewiston. All proceeds go to support the upcoming bicentennial events and activities. Call 716-754-4214 to make arrangements to pick-up or have it mailed. And yes, we accept credit cards! Thank you for your support as we kick-off Lewiston's 200th birthday celebration."