When it comes to lettering versus imagery, on a coin, designers are challenged to make choices: 1. Adjust artwork so no letter or number is obscurred. 2. Allow one or more letters or numbers to be partially or fully obscurred. 3. Adjust spacing of lettering or numbering to accomodate artwork. Some coin designers go to great effort to make sure no letter or number is obscurred. However, several coin designers believe some obscurity of lettering be allowed for the sake of the featured image/s because the legend or other wording can be ascertained. Take a look at these U.S.A. circulating coins (coinpage.com photos unless noted otherwise): 1916 Dime Obverse - A.A. Weinman, Designer: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-8728.html Did you notice the "E" is obscured and the "R" partially obscured in the word LIBERTY? 1916 Dime Reverse - A. A. Weinman, Designer: Here the design partially obscures the "O" in OF: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-8729.html The Barber (Liberty Head) Quarter has partial obscurity on both sides: 1892 Barber Quarter - Charles E. Barber, Designer: Part of the "R" IN TRUST is obscured on the obverse. http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-1858.html Both wing tips obscure letters on the reverse. http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-1859.html The Barber Half Dollar exhibits the same obscurities as the Barber Quarter. 1893 Barber (Liberty Head) Half Dollar - Charles Barber, Designer: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-2523.html This Walking Liberty Half Dollar's obverse exhibits quite a bit of obscurity on several letters, but the reverse has none: 1935 Liberty Walking Half Dollar - A.A. Weinman, Designer: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-1357.html This Kennedy Half Dollar's reverse is the only side bearing partial obscurity on the "LIB" of LIBERTY: 1967 KENNEDY HALF DOLLAR - Gilroy Roberts, Obverse Designer: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-1275.html The Peace Dollar ends the circulating coins of the U.S.A. pertaining to our subject: Both sides bear evidence of Anthony de Francisci's Artistic License on obscurity: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-3695.html Not only on the circulation coinage shown above, but Artistic License found its way onto some U.S. commemorative coinage. We start with the Half Dollar commemoratives: worldcoingallery.com images unless noted otherwise (Presented Alphabetically): Bridgeport, Connecticut - Henry Kreis, Designer: http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/hlvs/h08.html Connecticut Tercentary - Henry Kreis, Designer: http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/hlvs/h15.html Daniel Boone Centennial - Augustus Lukeman (prepared the models): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/hlvs/h16.html Illinois Centennial - George T. Morgan, Obverse Designer: http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/hlvs/h24.html Lexington-Concord Sesquicentennial - Chester Beach, Designer: http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/hlvs/h26.html Long lsland Tercentenary - Howard Kenneth Weinman, Designer: http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/hlvs/h27.html Missouri Centennial - Robett Aitken, Designer: http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/hlvs/h31.html Monroe Doctrine - Chester Beach (prepared models): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/hlvs/h32.html New Rochelle, New York 250th Anniversary - Gertrude K. Lathrop, Designer: http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/hlvs/h33.html San Diego-California-Pacific Exposition - Robert Aitken, Designer: http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/hlvs/h42.html Olympic Basketball: http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/newhalves/us-257.html This is our first Dollar commemorative pertaining to our subject. The feather's tip obscures a tiny part of of the letter "A": 1987 Constitution Bicentennial: http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/commems/us-220.html 1988 Olympic Torch (reverse): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/commems/us-222.html 1991 Korean War (reverse): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/commems/us-231.html Dolley Madison (obverse): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/commems/us-298.html Yellowstone National Park (obverse): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/commems/us-299.html Leif Ericson (reverse): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/commems/us-313.html Ready to see some gold commemoratives bearing obscured lettering (coinpage.com photos)? 1986-W Statue of Liberty Gold $5 (reverse): http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-5267.html 1987-W Constitution Bicentennial $5 Gold (obverse): http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-3933.html 1987-W Constitution Bicentennial $5 Gold (reverse): http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-3934.html 1999-W George Washington $5 Gold (obverse): http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-996.html 1999-W George Washington $5 Gold (reverse): http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-3725.html A.A. Weinman let Lady Liberty partially obscure the BER of LIBERTY on the obverse of the one ounce Silver Eagle Bullion Coins: http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-3469.html Artistic License was taken when John M. Mercanti designed the obverse of the Platinum Eagle bullion coins. He choose to let the glory of Lady Liberty's crown obscure part of three of the seven letters in the word LIBERTY (coinpage.com photo): http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-3791.html This concludes Treatse 3 on Coin Designer's Artistic License. Look for more in future posts.... Clinker
