Exhibit: Sacagawea Soaring Eagle: Photographed August 2008 - Ruben Safir

Eagle Art in US Coins:










Free Eagle in Flight
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Photograph By Ruben Safir[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Design by Thomas D. Rogers, Sr[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Photo Editing: Ruben Safir 2008[/FONT]



[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Free Eagle in Flight enhances the extraordinary reverse of the Sacagawea Golden Dollar by lifting the eagle out of the limits of the coins context to better represent the freedom and uplifting dimension of the fight of an eagle. The presentation inspires viewers by focusing on the flight feathers of our bird, adding depth to the design with the judicious use of lighting to accent the feathers with reflective white light while accenting dimension with the darken tail feathers. The complete affect causes the image to nearly jump off the canvas into the viewers personal space. [/FONT]
From the beginning of US coinage the American Bald Eagle had taken its role as the national symbol and displayed both naturally and symbolically. Symbolic Eagles started with early Silver Dollars. The gamely representation of a proud, if not a bit perturbed bird with almost a folks art presentation. In truth, this early eagle was difficult to distinguish from a dove or seagul. But the representation and variations remain on American coinage until about 1798 or perhaps later when two different eagle designs came into use, one heraldic and symbolic, and the other more naturalized but with a stronger use of naturalist technique.


An example of the Heraldic version can be seen on this 1804 owned by the Smithsonian Institution
http://www.coinfacts.com/silver_dollars/1804_dollars/1804_dollar_class2_rev.jpg





With the Cap Bust the design the newer more natualized eagle remained in use with this serviceable basic design

The break through of Eagle design came with the rare Gobretch Type sitting liberty dollars, who's design was lifted and used with only the slightest modification on the Flying Eagle small cent.




Putting the eagle in flight gives the coin a more attractive look although the design seemed to challenge the technology of pre-civil war America and it wasn't again until the reverse of the Standing Liberty Dollar, $20 gold eagle and then when the Golden Dollar was released that the public then had a soaring eagle on a coin. It is worth mentioning that in 2009 the reverse of the Sacagawea Golden Dollar will change so it might be a long time before eagles soar on our coinage.












Photography done with a Sony Cybershoot Camera with a Carl Zeiss Lens.
Photo editing done with the GIMP
Write up and HTML marked up in Open Office - All of which is Free Software

 

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Nice work, Got your message. Thanks cheryl

 

Thank you! Your terrific...the bestest of cointalk land...

:secret:

Ruben

 

great post

 

we aim to please

 

its too bad this bird is dead

 

Oh surely you're not finished, there are lots and lots of eagles on US coins.

 

Like the Peace dollar Your right. I got lazy.

Ruben

 

Itried to track how many US coins had eagles on them and lost track after
five or was it six. Does anyone know? here's two oldies but goldies.

 

A coin post and political statement all in one.

Great post, Ruben!

 

I found an error but I can't edit it. I guess they turn permanent at some point, but the Standing Liberty is a quarter dollar not a dollar.

Ruben

 

By the way Ruben, really nice post. Flying eagles are something to behold on coins and real life. Great Idea for a post, thanks.--zeke

 

Glad you enjoyed it. Check out the rest of the contest exhibits. They were ALL great...even Spocks!


Exhibit: Jefferson Nickel Error- 1985 - Photo: Summer 2008 by Richie
Exhibit: Bust Half - 1823 - Nov of 06 - ldhair
Exhibit- 1945-D Walking Liberty Half. Photographed- Spring 2008. By- AdamL
Exhibit: 1881 S Morgan Dollar - Photographed Dec 2008 - by: Yours Truly
Nederland en Architectuur 4 Euro Zilver Proof
Exhibit: Jefferson (War) Nickel - 1942-S - May 2008 - Lehigh96
Exhibit: Alexander III Tetradrachm- 336-323 - Photographed 11/18/08- By Randygeki
Exhibit - Barber Quarter - 1916-D - August 2008 - Lehigh96
Exhibit: Gold - Pre 1933 - Dec 2008 - King spock
Exhibit: 1900-O Morgan dollar, photographed 12-26-08 by AdamL
Exhibit: 1986 UK Proof Set. Dec. 2008 by Cheryl Kubicko
Exhibit: BELGIUM 10 SOLS 1790 - Photographed not long ago - Drusus
Exhibit: Sacagawea Soaring Eagle: Photographed August 2008 - Ruben Safir
Exhibit: 1987 Constitution Silver Dollar Proof- Jan. 2008 by Cheryl Kubicko
Exhibit - War! Neptune! Horses?
Exhibit: Wild Mustangs Stampeding: Photographed Summer of 2008
Exhibit: Half Cents - 1804 - January 1st 2009 - Fish
Exhibit: The LINCOLN CENT, 2008 By Cheryl Kubicko
Exibit: Royal England Meets Wild West America; Winter 2008; jaceravone
Exhibit: Gallienus Antoninianus - 253-268- Photographed by Oct 2008- by Me
Exhibit: MIRROR MIRROR; 2007-2008; jaceravone
Exhibit: 2006 American Eagle 2008 By Cheryl Kubicko
Exhibit: Columbian Expo Half - 1893 - Jan 2009 - Magman
Exhibit: 1840 (O) 50C Reverse of 1838 ,A date without a home.
Exhibit: Mexico, 2009 by Cheryl Kubicko

 

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Wonderful posts and camera and scanner pictures. Thanks.

 

I forgot this

 

Very Nice Ruben...

RickieB

 

Yeah - Isn't that cluster of Eagles very cool! It looks like a natural flock.

Ruben

 

Ruben,did you really take that photo of the soaring eagle at the top of this page?
Magnificent! Was it taken locally?
That really would look good on a bill or a coin.