Forum

[mrbrklyn]

Originally Posted by Conder101

Breen credits Anthony Comestock and the "Society for the Suppression of Vice" for spearheading the effort to have it changed, but that appears to be one of Breen's made up "facts". For one thing Constock was dead at the time and as I said no contemporary reports have ever been found. (One I wouldn't be surprised that if you did a lot of searching through newspapers from around the country you might find a letter to the editor somewhere, but there was no "great public outcry" and Burdette found no mention of it anywhere in the Mint records in the National Archives.)

I would suggest reading J Cline book on the Standing quarters and Roger Burdette's Renaissance of American Coinage 1916 - 1921 p72 - 89. They both cover this in depth. The letter from the Mint to MacNiel listing the changes to be made and specifying that no changes other than the ones listed are to be made was published in the first edition of Cline's book.

Even in the legislation passed by Congress (done because they were changing the design.) it states "No changes shall be made in the emblems and devices used. The modifications shall consist of the changing of the position of the eagle, the arrangement of the stars and lettering, and a slight concavity given to the surface. Such changes shall be made and completed on or before July first, nineteen hundred and eighteen." If there had been a great public outcry I would think they would have addressed it, specified the chain mail or some change to her clothing or drapery.

I've looked this up and read what you wrote and come to accept your version of likely events.

Ruben