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Message:: [QUOTE="illini420, post: 1686702, member: 19423"]You should read Burdette's book on the Renaissance of American Coinage... it's three volumes but the one that covers 1909 discusses the matter at length. The uproar over VDB's initials was pretty much nonsense.  He was not the first and certainly not the last designer to use his initials on American coins.  All Barber coinage (1892-1916) features a "B" at the base of Liberty's neck.  Morgan Dollars (1878-1921) have an "M" on the ribbon at the base of the wreath on the reverse.  The St. Gaudens $20 gold (1907-1933) have the designer's monogram near the date.  The $2.5 and $5 Indian gold (1908-1929) have the B.L.P. initials just under the Indian.  But for some, having three initials "VDB" out in the open and not hidden in the design was apparently improper as they felt he was using the coins to advertise/promote himself.  Apparently enough letters and attention made it to the Mint to result in the removal of the initials.  Of course, they were put back at the base of Lincoln's bust in 1918. The initials on today's coins are much more prominent and offensive.  Just look at some of the Statehood quarters with multiple designers/engravers who each put their initials on the coins.  The worst is the new shield cent with the two large sets of initials on the reverse which I find really distracting, much more so than the VDB ever was.  I think Brenner got a raw deal.[/QUOTE]