LADY LIBERTY - American Numismatic Association (1).pdf · The story of Liberty on cir- ... sociated...
2
89 www.money.org | The NUMISMATIST APRIL 2016 his month, I am fo- cused on the ANA’s up- coming National Coin Week (NCW), slated for April 17-23. This year’s theme, “Portraits of Liberty: Icon of Freedom,” provides a wonderful opportunity to explore the famed allegorical figure’s depiction on coinage. From the establishment of the U.S. Mint in 1792 until the intro- duction of the Franklin half dollar in 1948, images of Liberty were a fixture on American currency. After ratification of the Constitu- tion in 1789, the United States began to consider a national coin- age. The original proposal was for pieces to feature busts of the presidents with their names, plus numbers indicating the order in which they served. When President George Washington saw a pattern coin with a proposed design bear- ing his likeness, he immediately ob- jected, and asked that the specimen and dies be destroyed. (He consid- ered any coin displaying an individ- ual portrait to be monarchical.) European issues of the time depicted living kings and queens, and Washington was determined that America would be ruled by the people and not by a dictator or king (although both positions had been proposed to him). As such, the nation’s coinage would reflect this ideal by featuring a female representation of Liberty, which had the advantage of being a sym- bol that everyone could support regardless of political affiliation. Thus, the allegorical figure graced U.S. coinage in many forms over the next 150 years. The story of Liberty on cir - culating currency began long be- fore 1792. The Founding Fathers adapted the idea from ancient his- tory, specifically from the Roman Republic (509-27 B.C.), which provided inspiration for much of our new nation’s structure. On coinage, the Romans were fond of personifying abstract concepts as goddesses. The earliest represen- tation of Liberty on Roman issues was a denarius struck in 54 B.C. by Marcus Junius Brutus (85-42 B.C.), one of Julius Caesar’s as- sassins in 44 B.C. The piece fea- tures a Liberty head and an image of a Roman senator with his lictors (ceremonial bodyguards). Liberty also was used to represent the freedom of the Roman people un- der the Republic. In the United States during the 18th century, the allegorical fig- ure was closely linked with the pileus (or “liberty cap”) worn by freed slaves in ancient Rome. In American iconography, the pileus represented the colonial struggle for liberation from the oppres- sive Eng l ish monarchy. It was as- sociated with Lady Liberty from her earliest U.S. numismatic de- piction on the “Libertas Ameri- cana” medal produced by French engraver Augustin Dupré in 1782 (based on designs by inventor and statesman Benjamin Franklin). Regular-issue American coins, from half cents to silver dollars, began featuring Liberty in 1792. (Coins without the allegorical fig- ure included 3-cent “trimes” and 2-cent pieces.) Featured on 1792 and early 1793 issues was a “Wild Hair” design that generated quite LADY LIBERTY This year’s National Coin Week theme explores the genesis of the famed allegorical figure on currency. Money Museum Douglas Mudd ANA 3129522 PHOTOS: ANA MUSEUM (COIN) & ISTOCKPHOTO/FMAJOR PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON felt that coins displaying portraits were reminiscent of a monarchy and wanted the nation’s currency to represent a republic of the people. PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS THIS ROMAN DENARIUS issued by Brutus in 54 B.C. features a depiction of Liberty and a Roman senator with his lictors. It is among the first coins to depict a personification of the allegorical figure. Not Actual Size T 1604_mudd_COL_museum (2).qxp_Numimatist Redo 3/23/16 11:37 AM Page 89
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Transcript of LADY LIBERTY - American Numismatic Association (1).pdf · The story of Liberty on cir- ... sociated...
89www.money.org | The NUMISMATISTA P R I L 2 0 1 6
h i s m o n t h , I am fo-cused on the ANA’s up-coming National CoinWeek (NCW), slated for
April 17-23. This year’s theme,“Portraits of Liberty: Icon ofFreedom,” provides a wonderfulopportunity to explore the famedallegorical f igure’s depiction on coinage.From the establishment of the
U.S. Mint in 1792 until the intro-duction of the Franklin half dollarin 1948, images of Liberty were afixture on American currency. After ratification of the Constitu-tion in 1789, the United States began to consider a national coin-age. The original proposal was for pieces to feature busts of thepresidents with their names, plusnumbers indicating the order in which they served. When President George Washington saw a patterncoin with a proposed design bear-ing his likeness, he immediately ob-jected, and asked that the specimenand dies be destroyed. (He consid-ered any coin displaying an individ-ual portrait to be monarchical.)
European issues of the time depicted living kings and queens,and Washington was determinedthat America would be ruled bythe people and not by a dictator orking (although both positions hadbeen proposed to him). As such,the nation’s coinage would reflectthis ideal by featuring a femalerepresentation of Liberty, whichhad the advantage of being a sym-bol that everyone could supportregardless of political affiliation.Thus, the allegorical figure gracedU.S. coinage in many forms overthe next 150 years.The story of Liberty on cir -
culating currency began long be-fore 1792. The Founding Fathersadapted the idea from ancient his-tory, specifically from the RomanRepublic (509-27 B.C.), whichprovided inspiration for much ofour new nation’s structure. Oncoinage, the Romans were fond ofpersonifying abstract concepts asgoddesses. The earliest represen-tation of Liberty on Roman issueswas a denarius struck in 54 B.C. byMarcus Junius Brutus (85-42B.C.), one of Julius Caesar’s as-sassins in 44 B.C. The piece fea-tures a Liberty head and an imageof a Roman senator with his lictors
(ceremonial bodyguards). Libertyalso was used to represent thefreedom of the Roman people un-der the Republic.In the United States during the
18th century, the allegorical fig-ure was closely linked with thepileus (or “liberty cap”) worn byfreed slaves in ancient Rome. InAmerican iconography, the pileusrepresented the colonial strugglefor liberation from the oppres-sive Eng lish monarchy. It was as-sociated with Lady Liberty fromher earliest U.S. numismatic de-piction on the “Libertas Ameri-cana” medal produced by Frenchengraver Augustin Dupré in 1782(based on designs by inventor andstatesman Benjamin Franklin).Regular-issue American coins,
from half cents to silver dollars,began featuring Liberty in 1792.(Coins without the allegorical fig-ure included 3-cent “trimes” and2-cent pieces.) Featured on 1792and early 1793 issues was a “WildHair” design that generated quite
LADY LIBERTYThis year’s National Coin Week theme explores
the genesis of the famed allegorical figure on currency.
Money Museum Douglas Mudd ANA 3129522
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� PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTONfelt that coins displaying portraitswere reminiscent of a monarchy and wanted the nation’s currency torepresent a republic of the people.
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� THIS ROMAN DENARIUS issued byBrutus in 54 B.C. features a depictionof Liberty and a Roman senator withhis lictors. It is among the first coinsto depict a personification of the allegorical figure. Not Actual Size
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1604_mudd_COL_museum (2).qxp_Numimatist Redo 3/23/16 11:37 AM Page 89
90 The NUMISMATIST | www.money.org A P R I L 2 0 1 6
a bit of negative publicity, result-ing in the more coiffed FlowingHair type in 1793. After these initial issues, Lib-
erty’s rendering evolved to includethe Draped Bust and Capped Bustdesigns. The addition of theSeated Liberty types in the 1830sbegan a new series of variations,including the Indian Princess,Walking Liberty, Standing Libertyand Winged Head Liberty (or“Mercury”) versions.Sadly, the Walking
Liberty half dollar (re-placed by the Franklindesign in 1948) was thelast regular U.S. issue tofeature the allegoricalfigure as its primary ob-verse image (though theword “Liberty” has re-mained on our coins).The Presidential $1 coinseries, which began in2007, reintroduced the
figure on the reverse in the form ofthe Statue of Liberty. I hope this quick overview of
Liberty on coinage has sparkedyour interest. There is a lot moreto learn about the iconic figurethat personif ies the Americanpantheon. Visit www.nationalcoinweek.org for more articles aboutLiberty and to learn about thismonth’s NCW activities.
�� Money Museum co n t i n u ed �
� LIBERTY APPEARED in a variety of 19th- and20th-century coinage designs, including theBraided Hair (left) and Seated Liberty motifs.
Not Actual Size
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ANA FILLER(Education?)
1604_mudd_COL_museum (2).qxp_Numimatist Redo 3/23/16 11:37 AM Page 90
