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<p>[QUOTE="Seattlite86, post: 2600348, member: 59737"]Hey guys, I've gotten some awesome drafts already; thank you so much! Here's a great format that I think we are going to try to adopt for all of them. Even if you only want to do a portion of the write-ups, every little bit helps. Basically, whatever doesn't get done by the end of January becomes something I will have to do myself. Thank you to all who have volunteered time and/or money and I hope to be thanking more of you future volunteers <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Here's a great example from [USER=56842]@Dougmeister[/USER] I'm not going to post what coin it is (though it should be obvious) because I want you to go into it "blind" and have to imagine the coin as you read along, the way a blind person would have to.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Obverse </b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Lady Liberty is facing to the left in profile, so you only notice her left eye below a heavy eyebrow. Her nose is somewhat broad and her lips are full. She has a strong, proud, and resolute demeanor. The top of her left ear is hidden by her wavy, shoulder-length hair. Her slender neck is adorned with a simple, yet elegant, necklace consisting of seven (7) beads.</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Her headdress consists of nine (9) feathers, the word "LIBERTY" emblazoned on the band in capital letters, and a ribbon draped gently over her hair. There are four (4) diamonds on the ribbon that fastens the headdress to Lady Liberty's head.</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>There are 125 "denticles" that outline the coin in a circular fashion. There is also a "rim" outside the denticles.</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>The edge of the coin is smooth; there are no words (like the modern Presidential dollars) or ridges ("reeded edge", like a modern quarter or dime) on the coin.</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>The legend "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and the year surround Liberty. "UNITED STATES" starts at about 8 o'clock, moving clockwise until it ends just before 12 o'clock and above and the front-most feather in Liberty's headdress. "OF AMERICA" starts at about 2 o'clock, ending around 5 o'clock. The date ("1877", on this replica) is centered at the 6 o'clock position.</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><b>Reverse</b></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>A wreath consisting of twelve (12) clusters of Laurel, fourteen (14) berries, tied together with a bow at the bottom (6 o'clock position). Centered in the middle of the wreath in bold capital letters is the word "ONE" on top of the word "CENT".</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>As on the obverse, there are denticles, but now there are 129 that outline the main design in a circular fashion with a raised "rim" outside the denticles.</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><b>History of the coin</b></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><i>Varieties</i></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>- A very small letter "L" (the first initial of the designer's last name) was added to the lower ribbon of the headdress in 1864. </b></p><p><b>It remained on all Indian for the duration of the design, but 1864's with the "L" are worth more because the "L" was not added until almost the end of 1864. </b></p><p><b>- 1877 is the second lowest minted Indian Head cent next to the 1909-S but is considered to be the "key date" of the series and highly sought after by collectors. </b></p><p><b>- The Indian head was minted in Philadelphia every year and had no mint mark except from 1908-1909. It was also minted in San Francisco during those years with an "S" mint mark beneath the ribbon of the wreath on the reverse.</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><i>Why was it minted?</i></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>- It was minted to replace the "Flying Eagle cent" which was only minted for circulation for two years (1857-1858) due to difficulties in production. The design was not "brought out fully" in the tough copper-nickel alloy (not all details came through after it was struck).</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><b>Metrics & Other Physical Characteristics</b></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><b>Mass</b></b></p><p><b>(1859–1864) 4.67 g</b></p><p><b>(1864–1909) 3.11 g</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><b>Diameter</b></b></p><p><b>19.05 mm (0.750 in)</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><b>Edge</b>: Plain</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><b>Composition</b></b></p><p><b>(1859–1864) 88% copper, 12% nickel ("cupro-nickel")</b></p><p><b>(1864–1909) 95% copper, 5% tin or zinc ("bronze")</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><b>Years minted</b>: 1859–1909</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><b>Mint Marks</b></b></p><p><b>San Francisco Mint ("S") - Located below the wreath on the reverse (1908-1909 only)</b></p><p><b>Philadelphia Mint - no mint mark</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><b>Obverse</b></b></p><p><b>Design: Liberty with head dress</b></p><p><b>Designer: James B. Longacre (Chief Engraver at the Philadelphia Mint)</b></p><p><b>Design date: 1859</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><b>Reverse</b></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Design: Laurel wreath</b></p><p><b>Designer: James B. Longacre</b></p><p><b>Design date: 1859</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Design: Oak wreath and shield</b></p><p><b>Designer: James B. Longacre</b></p><p><b>Design date: 1860</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><b><i>Fun Facts</i></b></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>It is not actually an "Indian" (Native American) depicted on the coin at all... it is Lady Liberty wearing a Native American headdress.</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Legend has it that the face of Lady Liberty on this coin was based on the features of Longacre's daughter Sarah. According to the story, Sarah was visiting her father at the Philadelphia Mint one day and tried on the headdress of a visiting Native American. Her father then sketched her. This was denied by Mint officials several times throughout the years. In addition, Sarah Longacre was 30 years old and married in 1858 and not 12 as in the story. Lastly, Longacre himself stated that the face was based on a statue of Venus he saw in Philadelphia that was on loan from the Vatican. Having said that, Longacre *did* often sketch his elder daughter, and there is an uncanny resemblance between Sarah and the various representations of Liberty on his coins of the 1850s.</b>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Seattlite86, post: 2600348, member: 59737"]Hey guys, I've gotten some awesome drafts already; thank you so much! Here's a great format that I think we are going to try to adopt for all of them. Even if you only want to do a portion of the write-ups, every little bit helps. Basically, whatever doesn't get done by the end of January becomes something I will have to do myself. Thank you to all who have volunteered time and/or money and I hope to be thanking more of you future volunteers :) Here's a great example from [USER=56842]@Dougmeister[/USER] I'm not going to post what coin it is (though it should be obvious) because I want you to go into it "blind" and have to imagine the coin as you read along, the way a blind person would have to. [B]Obverse Lady Liberty is facing to the left in profile, so you only notice her left eye below a heavy eyebrow. Her nose is somewhat broad and her lips are full. She has a strong, proud, and resolute demeanor. The top of her left ear is hidden by her wavy, shoulder-length hair. Her slender neck is adorned with a simple, yet elegant, necklace consisting of seven (7) beads. Her headdress consists of nine (9) feathers, the word "LIBERTY" emblazoned on the band in capital letters, and a ribbon draped gently over her hair. There are four (4) diamonds on the ribbon that fastens the headdress to Lady Liberty's head. There are 125 "denticles" that outline the coin in a circular fashion. There is also a "rim" outside the denticles. The edge of the coin is smooth; there are no words (like the modern Presidential dollars) or ridges ("reeded edge", like a modern quarter or dime) on the coin. The legend "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and the year surround Liberty. "UNITED STATES" starts at about 8 o'clock, moving clockwise until it ends just before 12 o'clock and above and the front-most feather in Liberty's headdress. "OF AMERICA" starts at about 2 o'clock, ending around 5 o'clock. The date ("1877", on this replica) is centered at the 6 o'clock position. [B]Reverse[/B] A wreath consisting of twelve (12) clusters of Laurel, fourteen (14) berries, tied together with a bow at the bottom (6 o'clock position). Centered in the middle of the wreath in bold capital letters is the word "ONE" on top of the word "CENT". As on the obverse, there are denticles, but now there are 129 that outline the main design in a circular fashion with a raised "rim" outside the denticles. [B]History of the coin[/B] [I]Varieties[/I] - A very small letter "L" (the first initial of the designer's last name) was added to the lower ribbon of the headdress in 1864. It remained on all Indian for the duration of the design, but 1864's with the "L" are worth more because the "L" was not added until almost the end of 1864. - 1877 is the second lowest minted Indian Head cent next to the 1909-S but is considered to be the "key date" of the series and highly sought after by collectors. - The Indian head was minted in Philadelphia every year and had no mint mark except from 1908-1909. It was also minted in San Francisco during those years with an "S" mint mark beneath the ribbon of the wreath on the reverse. [I]Why was it minted?[/I] - It was minted to replace the "Flying Eagle cent" which was only minted for circulation for two years (1857-1858) due to difficulties in production. The design was not "brought out fully" in the tough copper-nickel alloy (not all details came through after it was struck). [B]Metrics & Other Physical Characteristics[/B] [B]Mass[/B] (1859–1864) 4.67 g (1864–1909) 3.11 g [B]Diameter[/B] 19.05 mm (0.750 in) [B]Edge[/B]: Plain [B]Composition[/B] (1859–1864) 88% copper, 12% nickel ("cupro-nickel") (1864–1909) 95% copper, 5% tin or zinc ("bronze") [B]Years minted[/B]: 1859–1909 [B]Mint Marks[/B] San Francisco Mint ("S") - Located below the wreath on the reverse (1908-1909 only) Philadelphia Mint - no mint mark [B]Obverse[/B] Design: Liberty with head dress Designer: James B. Longacre (Chief Engraver at the Philadelphia Mint) Design date: 1859 [B]Reverse[/B] Design: Laurel wreath Designer: James B. Longacre Design date: 1859 Design: Oak wreath and shield Designer: James B. Longacre Design date: 1860 [B][I]Fun Facts[/I][/B] It is not actually an "Indian" (Native American) depicted on the coin at all... it is Lady Liberty wearing a Native American headdress. Legend has it that the face of Lady Liberty on this coin was based on the features of Longacre's daughter Sarah. According to the story, Sarah was visiting her father at the Philadelphia Mint one day and tried on the headdress of a visiting Native American. Her father then sketched her. This was denied by Mint officials several times throughout the years. In addition, Sarah Longacre was 30 years old and married in 1858 and not 12 as in the story. Lastly, Longacre himself stated that the face was based on a statue of Venus he saw in Philadelphia that was on loan from the Vatican. Having said that, Longacre *did* often sketch his elder daughter, and there is an uncanny resemblance between Sarah and the various representations of Liberty on his coins of the 1850s.[/B][/QUOTE]
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