allegory al-le-go-ry 1 : the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence; also : an instance (as in a story or painting) of such expression 2 : a symbolic representation I submit to you the most noticeable use of allegory in numismatical terms is the Eagle. In alphabetical order the female representations of Britannia, Columbia, Helvetia, Liberty, and Marianne, etc. proclaimed freedom from one side of a coin or the other. Victory has been allegorized as Nike (Ancient coins) and Winged Victory (Spanish-America). Columbia was the first Alegorical figure placed on the obverse of a United States Commemorative coin. Charles E. Barber Designed the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition silver Half Dollar. Nike was featured on the obverse of the United States 1988 Olympics $5 Gold Commemorative. The Texas Independence Centennial Silver Half Dollar minted 1934 through 1938 featured a kneeling Winged Victory on its reverse. Here I pause a moment to point out that Nike is the Greek equivalent of Winged Victory. To refresh your memory of the coins bearing Columbia, Nike and Winged Victory here's some photos (1st courtesy of PDX Coin Club; 2nd courtesy of Wikipedia; 3rd courtesy of Rare Coin Investments): http://www.pdxcoinclub.org/gallery/PanPacHalfDollar/panPacHalf.html Reverse Texas Independence Centennial: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Texas_centennial_half_dollar_commemorative_reverse.jpg 1988 Gold $5 Olympics Commemorative: http://goldcommemoratives.com/Modern/1988-W-Olympics-Gold-Commemorative I'm about to reveal to you three other instances of allegory. One gave rise to a well-known, often repeated, axiom; "Banned in Boston." You all know the many renditions of Liberty on our United States of America coins (Head, bust, sitting, standing, walking, Indian headress and winged helmet), but what about allegory on our paper currency? In 1896 The Treasury Department decided to use the Large Silver Certificates as an educational device. The powers that be decided collectively the series should be instructive and beautiful. Artists, teachers, and statesmen sought to use allegorical figures to represent History, Science and Electricity. The finished obverse of the first representation is of Will H. Low's design for the $1 note, entitled History Instructing Youth, shows a female History with a young student standing beside her, gesturing to an open book of history before her. An olive branch rests against the book, holding it open to show the Constitution of the United States upon the page. Both the Washington Memorial and the Capitol Dome can be seen in the background landscape. The outside border of the note shows 23 wreaths, each bearing the name of a noteworthy American - not surprisingly starting with Washington, Jefferson and Franklin, but also including such names as poet Henry Longfellow, inventor Robert Fulton, and author Nathaniel Hawthorne, among many others. The seal of the Treasury appears in the lower right. Take a look courtesy of Wikipedia. Note this is a $1 Silver Certificate. Obverse: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1896$1obv.jpg Reverse: The back of the 1896 $1, featuring intricate geometric lathe work and a winged, shield-bearing Liberty in each of the upper corners, carries traditionally-styled portraits of both George and Martha Washington. The portraits were engraved by Alfred Sealey and Charles Burt, respectively, and the overall design of the back was the work of Thomas F. Morris. Martha Washington is the only woman whose portrait has appeared on a U.S. currency note. Other than this1896 $1 Silver Certificate she was placed on the face of the $1 Silver Certificates of 1886 and 1891. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1896$1rev.jpg Some Paper Currency Collectors believe the next finished design with Science (center) presenting Steam and Electricity (the two children) to the more mature figures of Commerce (left) and Manufacture (right) is the World's most beautiful $2 bill. Behind the eagle, with the U.S. Capitol in the background, is Peace, her left hand upraised beside a dove. This remarkable blend of legend, patriotism and beauty came together to create a note widely regarded to be the most beautiful currency in U.S. history. Obverse: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1896$2obv.jpg Reverse: As you check to see if you think it's our most beautiful, those two personages on the reverse are Robert Fulton and Samuel B. Morse. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1896$2rev.jpg The main educational theme on this next bill's obverse is Electricity Presenting Light To The World. It is an extraordinary work. A winged female Electricity holds an electric lamp aloft high over America. At left, Jupiter holds the lightning in his right hand which powers the lamp; in his left hand reins of lightning yoke his horses. Fame sits at Electricity's left, trumpeting her achievement to the world. To Electricity's right is a bald eagle, standing guard over the Western Hemisphere. You should pay a lot of attention to this $5 Silver Certificate as it is the one "Banned in Boston." The female figure representing Electricity is clad in flowing robes, revealing a bare breast. This partial nudity was said to cause a disturbance nationwide, with Anthony Comstock, Secretary of the Society for Suppression of Vice, pressuring the U.S. Treasury to withdraw our obscene notes. Some bankers reportedly refused to accept the notes in transactions, and the term banned in Boston allegedly originates from the $5 Silver Certificate. Obverse: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1896$5obv.jpg Reverse: Those two stalwart gentlement on the reverse are Ulysses S. Grant (left) and Phillip Sheridan (right) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1896$5rev.jpg Thought you'd like to know... Clinker
I would post the visage of the young lady on the $5 note, but June Cleever whispered that this is a family forum, and we do not want the Beaver to get untoward ideas.
Very interesting. While I don't have a set of the Educational Notes, I do have the BEP Cards issued at ANA Conventions with these notes on them. They are truly beautiful works of art.
To Art: Hi Art... A big T H A N K S for reading this Trivia article. Those BEP cards have a collector base too. Keep them! Clinker
