Liberty Cap Coins Originally known as the Phrygian Cap or Freedom Cap,the Liberty Cap was one of the featured items on United States coins beginning in 1793. Through the years it was predomently featured on a pole (some varieties were struck without pole) behind Liberty's head, worn as a cap or on a pole to the right of a Seated Liberty. It was a prominent fixture on Half Cents (1793 - 1797) Liberty Cap with or without pole Large Cents (1792 - 1796) Liberty Cap with or without pole Half Dimes (1829 - 1837) Capped Bust Half Dimes (1837 - 1873) Seated Liberty Dimes (1809 - 1837) Capped Bust Dimes (1837 - 1891) Seated Liberty Twenty-Cent Pieces (1875 - 1878) Seated Liberty Quarter Dollars (1815 - 1838) Capped Bust Quarter Dollars (1838 - 1891) Seated Liberty Half Dollars (1807 - 1939) Capped Bust Half Dollars (1839 - 1891) Seated Liberty Dollars (1836 - 1873) Seated Liberty Gold ($2 1/2) Quarter Eagle (1796 - 1834) Capped Bust Gold ($5) Half Eagle (1795 - 1834) Capped Bust Gold ($10) Eagle (1795 - 1804) Capped Bust HALF CENT (Coin Archives photo): http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=940826&AucID=697&Lot=2266&Val=e3daf62614aa14746b10582609ae2306 LARGE CENT (Coin Auctions Help photo): http://coinauctionshelp.com/LibertyCapRightLargeCent.html HALF DIME - CAPPED BUST (Flickr photo): http://coinauctionshelp.com/SeatedLibertyHalfDime.html HALF DIME - SEATED LIBERTY (Coin Auctions Help photo): http://coinauctionshelp.com/SeatedLibertyHalfDime.html DIME - CAPPED BUST (Coin Page & Great Toning PHOTO) http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-8853.html DIME - LIBERTY SEATED (Coin Auctions Help photo) http://coinauctionshelp.com/Seated Dime Page.html TWENTY-CENT PIECE - SEATED LIBERTY (Wikipedia photo): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1876_twenty_cents_obv.jpg QUARTER-DOLLAR - CAPPED BUST (Flickr photo) http://www.flickr.com/photos/59039457@N07/5485993264/ QUARTER-DOLLAR - SEATED LIBERTY (Coin Page & Great Toning photo): http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-3827.html HALF DOLLAR - CAPPED BUST (Coin Auctions Help photo): http://coinauctionshelp.com/Capped_Bust_Half_Dollar.html HALF DOLLAR - LIBERTY SEATED (Coin Auctions Help photo): http://coinauctionshelp.com/Seated_Liberty_Half_Dollar.html SILVER DOLLAR - LIBERTY SEATED (Coin Auctions Help photo): http://coinauctionshelp.com/Seated_Liberty_Silver_Dollar.html GOLD QUARTER EAGLE- CAPPED HEAD AND TURBAN HEAD (Coin Auctions Help photo): http://coinauctionshelp.com/Turban_Head_$2.50_Gold.html GOLD QUARTER EAGLE - CAPPED DRAPED BUST (Coin Auctions Help photo): http://coinauctionshelp.com/Capped_Draped_Bust_$2.50_Quarter_Eagle.html GOLD HALF EAGLE - CAPPED BUST AND CAPPED HEAD (Coin Auctions Help photo): http://coinauctionshelp.com/cappedheadleft_halfeagle_cappedbusthead.html GOLD EAGLE - TURBAN HEAD AND DRAPED BUST(Coin Auctioins Help photo): http://coinauctionshelp.com/Turban_Head_Eagle_$10.00.html While pondering the use of the Liberty Cap on all these coins, I asked myself, "Was the placing of a Liberty Cap on coinage solely the doing of the United States Mint?" I discovered a few other coins minted elsewhere in the world bear a Liberty Cap on them (all following photos are courtesy of Coin Archives unless noted). During France's Constitutional Period, Louis XVI (1774-1793), authorized the production of copper 2 Sols bearing a Liberty Cap on a pole. This 1792 Essai proves that France's Liberty Cap coinage predates the United States Liberty Cap coinage by a full year: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=946853&AucID=702&Lot=353&Val=4a3bd0cce0dcac50899f73fa1ec750b5 1792 wasn't the last year France struck coins bearing a Liberty Cap. In 1986 France produced a platinum 100 Francs coin to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Statue of Liberty: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=946901&AucID=702&Lot=401&Val=3aa84554b340542dd7072568bd6fac62 1823 was ushered in with the formation of a new nation: The Republic of Mexico (now known as the First Republic). One of the first things this new nation did was to redesign its coinage. Attesting to this change may I present to you one of the denominations referred to as an Octavo which is, in reality, a 1/8 Real. First coin production began in 1824. This photo of an 1850 Octavo is indicative of the design (Seated Liberty, cap on pole): http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=973998&AucID=905&Lot=1908&Val=a6ed6a3d7fdbf0fcff047d81c9598f43 Real coinage featured a Liberty Cap centered in a circle of rays (glory): as shown by this 1824 8 Reales (same design on all real coinage 1/2, 1, 2, 4 and 8): http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=948129&AucID=702&Lot=1630&Val=bc8c47100066b1713de92cf2b8e5b42a Copper coinage of the Republic of Mexico featured the Liberty Cap in a different design (Cap in circle of cloud on starburst (glory): http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=948131&AucID=702&Lot=1632&Val=fe8c75e96f7020213117c616ff4ee80e Gold Escudo coins carried this design: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=948124&AucID=702&Lot=1625&Val=0873b19e6f408a7201c77c3faece4885 Some of Peru's coins featured a standing Liberty holdng a pole surmounted with a Liberty Cap: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=974028&AucID=905&Lot=1938&Val=ca66910ed81ac6c7cb000e81c193dd0b For an example of a foreign coin showing Liberty wearing the Liberty Cap allow me to present you with a photo of this Quito, Ecudor Mint's silver 4 Reales: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=993391&AucID=923&Lot=23826&Val=e607a54facea15a268d820831697c850 Did you know Italy was once known as The Subalpine Republic (1800-1801)? It was a provisional government established in the wake of the French conquest of the Kingdom of Sardinia. This short-lived state was dissolved in 1802 and its territory divided between France and Italy. It produced coinage in 1801. One of its denominations is this 1801 silver 5 Francs. The obverse features a standing Liberty holding cymbal and a pole surmounted by a Liberty Cap: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=971930&AucID=858&Lot=431&Val=d19b3c96ea7acca8b6d70b6651b2c98f Argentina's contribution to Liberty Cap coinage is their 5 Pesos pieces of the late 1800s as evidenced by this 1883 5 Pesos: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=947904&AucID=702&Lot=1405&Val=4c7d95d259eeac9a72a02e55da6785a3 The State of North Haiti (1807-1811) authorized this 1807 15 Sols featuring a Standing Liberty with cap on pole: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=948093&AucID=702&Lot=1594&Val=43dc008b79d33f8c24e1993d29527fcb In 1978 Paraguay issued this 70,000 Guaranies piece whose reverse features a Seated Lion with Liberty Cap on Pole: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=948159&AucID=702&Lot=1660&Val=e6d58af8bb9a1636eca434cf46489ba8 Not only was the Liberty Cap placed on coins, but it was used as a symbol of liberty and freedom on Medals too. Here's a few examples courtesy of Coin Archives: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=1004819&AucID=931&Lot=8450&Val=d9ca0937f4a0bf727fcb74beb7a8a2d3 Way back in 1864 the Commonwealth of Great Britain celebrated Peace between England and Holland with this silver Medal: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=974241&AucID=905&Lot=2151&Val=321071e67276dc4e5f8fec0b54cb4742 Switzerland issued this special Peace commemoratrive bronze Medal in 1749: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=979971&AucID=912&Lot=248&Val=5da608e1eba6b8047effe633c2a9b0da Hope you enjoyed seeing these Liberty Cap coins and medals. Clinker
Wow! Who would o' thunk? So many caps and so many countries. Liberty is truly an universal objective for many, though not always given, and in many cases, limited. Thanks Clinker.....
Portugal had a few coins where the personification of the Republic wears a Phrygian Cap. Here is one example (from worldcoingallery.com), a 50 centavos coin from about 50 years ago: And last year, a similar design was used for a €2 commem. See the attached image. The cap may be a little difficult to recognize, but it's there ... Christian
Thank you for reading and commenting. And, as you can see, Christian (chrisild) shared two more coins issued by Portugal. Clinker
Actually the coins you showed us, with the Phrygian or Liberty Cap being more prominent and easily visible, look better. I just wanted to add that once in a while we still see such designs on "today's" coins. Thank you for that presentation! Christian
