Many of you might already know this, but I just learned that there is (or was?) a federal law that requires an eagle be depicted on all coins of a quarter or higher denomination. Anyone happen to know if that law was changed? The 50 states quarters and ATB quarters don't follow the rule so I assume it was changed or special exception was made. Anyway, just something new and interesting I just learned. Thought I'd share and see what the current status was.
I believe this has your answer : https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/5112 There's this section (scroll down) : (l)Redesign and Issuance of Quarter Dollar in Commemoration of Each of the 50 States.—
Actually the law as written was really weird. Originally it required the eagle to appear on all the coins of gold and silver, When the coinage act of 1837 was passed it required the eagle to appear on all the silver and gold coin but that on the half dime and dime (and the half cent and cent) the eagle was to be omitted. the coinage act of 1873 did much the same thing requiring the eagle to appear on all US coins, and the going on to say that on the 1, 3, 5 cent, dime, one dollar and three dollar gold the eagle shall be omitted. Why mandate it on all coins and then specify coins it was NOT to be on? Note that technically under the Act of 1837 the Flying eagle cent design was illegal as the law specified that the eagle was to be omitted from the one cent piece. Current law does still require the eagle to be on all coins larger than a dime, but later laws can always make exceptions and that is what the State and ATB quarter and NA dollar legislations did.
I actually took a quick look at that link before I posted here, guess I didn't scroll down far enough. More interesting information. I was actually reading about the Franklin Half Dollar when I learned this tidbit. It was mentioned because of the very small eagle next to the liberty bell on the reverse. Was more or less stuck there just to follow the law. Ben Franklin apparently wasn't a big fan of the eagle as a national symbol and favored Wild Turkeys instead.
I need some Wild Turkey after reading all the posts from people who think they just found the next million dollar error using a 20 x loupe
