Note: All coin photos courtesy of The Coin Page unless noted otherwise. There are several instances of coins bearing examples of a Coin Designer's Artistic License, but to keep this a "trivia" post We are will check only the Artistic License used on our coins' legend. All through early U.S. coinage the legend was spelled with capital letters including the word "OF" as evidenced by the following coin photos. CENT (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=nmc1/us-12&desc=USAkm12largecent(1793)FlowingHair/Wreath&query=USA FLYING EAGLE CENT (coincommunity.com photo): http://www.coincommunity.com/us_small_cents/flying_eagle.asp INDIAN HEAD CENT (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img4/US-1c860&desc=USAkm901cent(1860-1864)IndianHeadcu-ni&query=USA Two Cents (worldcoingallery.com photo) http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img4/US-2c&desc=USAkm942cents(1864-1872)&query=USA Three Cents (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img4/US-3cn&desc=USAkm953cents(1865-1889)nickel&query=USA Half Dime (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img4/US-5c853&desc=USAkm76halfdime(1853-1855)SeatedLibertyw/arrows&query=USA SHIELD NICKEL (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img4/US-5c866&desc=USAkm965cents(1866-1867)Shieldw/rays&query=USA LIBERTY HEAD OR "V" NICKEL (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img4/US-5c884&desc=USAkm1125cents(1883-1912)LibertyHeadw/cents&query=USA BUFFALO NICKEL http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-498.html JEFFERSON NICKEL: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-1857.html 2004 LOUISANA PURCHASE NICKEL (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img11/us-5c04a&desc=USAkm3605cents(2004)LouisianaPurchase&query=USA 2004 KEEL BOAT NICKEL (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img12/us-5c04b&desc=USAkm3615cents(2004)Keelboat&query=USA 2005 OCEAN IN VIEW NICKEL (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img13/us-5c05b&desc=USAkm3695cents(2005)OceaninView&query=USA 2006 TO DATE JEFFERSON NICKELS (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img13/us-5c06&desc=USAkm3815cents(2006--)Forward-facingJefferson&query=USA MERCURY DIME: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-8729.html ROOSEVELT DIME: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-2755.html 20 CENT (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img4/US-20c&desc=USAkm10920cents(1875-1878)SeatedLiberty&query=USA BUST QUARTERS (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=nmc/us-db25&desc=USAkm36quarterdollar(1804-1807)DrapedBustHeraldicEagle&query=USA LIBERTY HEAD QUARTER (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img4/US-25c892&desc=USAkm114quarterdollar(1892-1916)LibertyHead(Barber)&query=USA Standing Liberty Quarter (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img4/US-25c16&desc=USAkm141quarterdollar(1916,1917)StandingLiberty(variety1)&query=USA WASHINGTON QUARTER (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img4/US-25c32&desc=USAkm164quarterdollar(1932-1964)Washingtonsilver&query=USA By now you get the picture. To acquaint you with the concept of Coin Designer's Artistic License, look at this 1909 V.D.B. Lincoln Cent's reverse and note that all the letters in "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" are capital letters. http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-2505.html All Lincoln Cents 1909-1958 carry that "all capital letters" concept, but Frank Gasparro used his Artistic License to deviate from the norm. You know Frank Gasparro was the designer of the Lincoln Memorial reverse Cent first struck in 1959. His initials FG are to the right of the memorial. See what he did to the legend: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-3889.html Yes, that's a lower case small "o" changing the legend to "UNITED STATES oF AMERICA." Was he the only coin designer to do this? No. Keep reading and you'll see more examples of a Coin Designer's Artistic License with the legend on U.S. coins. Only a few use a small lower case "o" while others use a larger lower case "o" which is almost as large as the capital "F." Sometimes the top of a large lower case "O" is even with the top of the Capital "F." Sometimes the bottoms are even, but a few are centered with no eveness at top or bottom. Check these out and see for yourself: A.A. WEINMAN'S WALKING LIBERTY HALF: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-1357.html JOHN R. SINNOCK'S FRANKlIN HALF DOLLAR: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-3779.html ANTHONY DE FRANCISI'S PEACE DOLLAR: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-3695.html BELA LYON PRATT'S GOLD QUARTER EAGLE (coincollector.org photo): http://coincollector.org/vault/coin.html?cat=8&id=36 Some Commemorative Half Dollar strikes bear a lower case "o": GEORGE T. MORGAN'S ILLINOIS CENTENNIAL HALF DOLLAR: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-468.html CHESTER BEACH'S 1925 LEXINGTON-CONCORD SESQUICENTENNIAL HALF DOLLAR: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-2894.html JO MORA'S 1925-S CALIFORNIA DIAMOND JUBILEE HALF DOLLAR: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-704.html JULIET MAY FRAZER'S 1828 HAWAIIAN SWSQUICENTENNIAL HALF DOLLAR: http://www.coinpage.com/large.php?tImageId=2124 HOWARD KENNETH WEINMAN'S 1936 LONG ISLAND TERCENTENARY HALF DOLLAR: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-858.html There are only two more coins left for this "trivia" on Coin Designer's Artistic License. Both are commemnorative in nature but were struck for circulation. I left them for last because the Artistic License involves both letters of the word "of." JACK L. AHR'S OBVERSE DESIGN OF THE BICENTENNIAL QUARTER: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-858.html JAMIE FRANKI'S 2005 AMERICAN BISON REVERSE NICKEL: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-7150.html Hope you enjoyed... Did you know? Clinker
As always, thanks for a great presentation Clinker. This one is especially interesting to me because I've noticed this many times on 19th century counterstamped coins. Although many different die sinkers cut punchs to stamp coins, unlike "official issues" where there have been a relative few, the numerous varities do present a large number of interesting styles of lettering and presentation. Some letters have a distinctive look that gives a researcher a clue to who may have made a particular punch. Of course the makers of mint issues are well documented and presents little challenge to someone interested in such things. In contrast, when trying to attribute counterstamps to a maker these small clues can be invaluable. It's interesting that you took note of the differences and shared your observations with us on the forum. Thanks again. Bruce
