Coins used to be beautiful.

I would!!! That makes collecting high grade coins all the better!

 

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I particulary like the large cent liberty cap design.

 

I didn't realize there were relief issues with modern coins.

 

I'd be fine with some low relief coins as long as the design looked nice.

 

The other culprit is the "bulletin-board" approach that design-by-committee invariably results in.

 

I wonder what design-by-committee would have done with the Mercury dime.

 

I shudder to think.

 

Design lesson:

Exhibit A: elements integrated into a unified whole.




Exhibit B: bulletin board from Mrs. Carmichael's 6th Grade History class (Jenny got a * for her work).




Exhibit C: pheasant pooping on Mt. Rushmore.

 

Says a lot more about the country than some pickled president. Sorry Matt aka LostDutchman, I still have her, and you canna buy her back, nae yet.

 

Absolutely beautiful coin.

 

I personally think that US coinage hit a high point around the beginning of the 20th century. Mercury dimes, Standing Liberty quarters, St. Gaudens gold coins... it's all a question of symbolism in design.

There's been some great examples in this thread of the lack of artistic symbolism in some of the coin designs. An easy example is that South Dakota quarter featuring Mount Rushmore, which symbolizes 'Mount Rushmore is in South Dakota!' But you can expand it to other series as well, like the Jefferson Nickel which shows a president's house on it (architecturally pretty, I suppose, but ultimately not meaningful).

Compare this to my favorite coin of all, the Walking Liberty Half. You need two hands to count all the symbolic representations:

On the obverse:
* Liberty wears a Phyrgian cap, a traditional symbol of liberty dating back to antiquity
* Liberty is draped in the American flag, symbolic of our country's protection of Liberty itself
* Liberty carries boughs of laurel and oak, symbolizing both the peaceful nature of our country and its strength
* Liberty strides, with hand outstretched, into the light of a rising dawn, symbolizing our country's growth and prosperity

On the reverse:
* The eagle is perched at the top of a mountain cliff, unassailable freedom personified
* The eagle's demeanor is confident, with wings outstretched, ready to soar
* At the top of this mountain crag, the eagle grips a pine sapling in its claw, symbolic of the tenacity of our country's spirit in the face of adversity

And what's more, this is all fit in without appearing to be forced.

 

As someone said on this site before, we need to see more fictional deceptions of Liberty and whatnot.

Not dead people and things.