Which U.S. coin has the ugliest design?

columbus and franklin halfs are beautiful.

 

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Yeah, but Noob? We talkin' ugly here......

 

While I understand gold and large and half cents of the mid 19th century were pretty bad, I would nominate every "original" design of the US mint past 1970. We truly have a remarkable track record of failure going on here, broken only by stealing old designs to bring any artistry to bear. There have been glimmers of hope, like the 88 $5 piece, only to be shouted down by another decade of mediocrity.

Chris

 

And you're eminently entitled to your opinion Chris, but this 'modern fellow' respectfully disagrees.......

 

The Elgin and Long Island early commems are especially unattractive, the obverses mostly.

 

She wasn't that bad when she was young (image from 1941)


but even at 42 was wasn't that attractive. This is from 1963 almost six years before her involvement with Special Olympics.



Picture from 1968

And at the time the coin came out she really did look like she does on the coin.

Special Olympics was founded by Anne McGlone Burke. Shriver was approach for funding support and she "took over" making it a program dear to her heart becoming the Founder in the eyes of the Media.

 

Aw heck, c'mon Kook. My Long Island commem? You drive a stake through my heart........

 

well someone earlier suggested they were ugly. franklin in particular is a nice coin. i'd say it may be the nicest regular issue coin that was introduced after 1930.

 

Dr. Franklin has always been a fav of mine.........

 

I find all U.S. coins perty

 

are you sure???

 

Fair enough sir. But, even as a 'modern fellow', don't you agree that the mint products could be so much better if they abandoned the computer engraving and actually started striking coins with relief again? Even a 1960 lincoln cent is so much more attractive than today's cent due to being struck in higher relief.

I seriously do not know why commemorative coin collectors, since they are purchasing at a steep premium non-circulating coins, put up with ultra low relief products.

Just my opinion of course, and I naturally love all fellow collectors and respect whatever field they wish to collect.

Chris

 

If I collected modern coins, I'd say everything circulating today is pretty bad. As for our so-called classic coins, I've always detested the Barber designed coins, though I tolerate the dime because I like the reverse. Barber wasn't fit to engrave tombstones, much less US coinage designs.
Guy

 

Some are mentioning Ike's big head, lol, I recall seeing an ebay auction that had some Ikes with some AT. One of the Ikes had a red head, sort of reminded me of the Red Skull from Captain America! I tried to win that coin, but it got pretty damn high.

 

Change that a bit. He wasn't fit to design them but he was a competent engraver, knew how to make designs coinable, and knew what wouldn't work.

 

Who ya calling ugly?



2000 years apart:
Left: Susan B. Anthony
Right: Cleopatra VII, yes THAT Cleopatra
The "serpent of the Nile", seducer of Caesar and Mark Antony

 

To be fair, this coin of Cleopatra was done about 18 years after she "seduced" Julius Caesar. Besides, in antiquity she was never described as beautiful, but rather "knew how to please men".

 

You may not think they are attractive, that is your right. However, you have to admit the technical design on a barber coin is about perfect. These coins were workhorses, and even in AG condition they are still fully identifiable. Compare that with their replacements, a quarter whose date wore off if you looked at it wrong and a nickel whose denomination immediately wore off, and dates eventually came off. Say what you will about Barber's designs, (I personally like them in high grades), but his technical skills were outstanding.

 

Barber may have been competent in so far as his basic skill was concerned, but his eye was too Federalist for my liking. Then again, the next quarter that came along I don't like much better, even though a vast majority of the collecting field deems it the most beautiful quarter design ever. I suppose I should be grateful neither of those designs had even more detestable dead presidents adorning their faces.
Guy

 

Awww, if its any consolation, the reverse is absolutely beautiful. Who doesn't like big large ships with lots of sails?