Eagle down: The Loss of a national symbol on US coins.

[Revenant]

For more than 100 years the US has had eagles on our quarters, half dollars, and dollars. I've always loved the eagles and the designs. The reverse is my favorite side on many coins. Now? Well, for the last 8 years we've had statehood quarters with no eagle. A nice program but it's sad that we had to sacrifice such a time honored national symbol. The Sacagawea dollars had one of the best modern eagles i've seen, but after 2 or 3 years they started minting them just for collectors, not for circulation. Now we have the presidential coins and the congress chose to have them depict something "emblematic of liberty." What? Eagles can't be a symbol of liberty? We have to have a "bold and dramatic" (and crappy and unimaginative) depiction of the statue of liberty? The Kennedy half still has an eagle, but it isn't produced for circulation, just like sacagawea.

 

We've witnessed the effective removal of the eagle from the national coinage. Personally, I WANT MY EAGLE BACK!

[ibyandsellsmith]

I agree with you whole heartedly. What do we have to do to get it back.

[TJ'S Coins]

Eagles are iconic in American coinage history. Since we have gone to honoring people and presidents both Liberty and the eagle have been replaced. It will be interesting to see what the Mint produces after the state quarter series runs its course.

[dooly]

Thats like taking the queen from UK coinage

 

** HOW VERY DARE YOU **

 

[TJ'S Coins]

Thats like taking the queen from UK coinage

 

** HOW VERY DARE YOU **

 

We did that to the king in 1776

[dooly]

Thats like taking the queen from UK coinage

 

** HOW VERY DARE YOU **

 

We did that to the king in 1776

 

 

And just think of the stunning coinage you lost because of that little tiff !!!!!

[MunkyMan95]

BRING BACK THE EAGLE!!!

[dooly]

What are you trying to say Chad is the Lion not good enough for you!

[MunkyMan95]

What are you trying to say Chad is the Lion not good enough for you!

 

[TJ'S Coins]

Dooly, the British imperial lion on the gold coin is

 

The American bald eagle rules the air, sea and land that Her Majesty's government once dominated for three centuries. Compared to the UK we are pretty new at this stuff.

 

The American bald eagle with its olive branches and arrows in its talons denotes both Peace and Strength, a desire for prosperity but also a willingness to defend our liberties.

 

What about the Statue of Liberty on the new presidential dollar? When I think of the statue my first thoughts are of the immigrants who came out shores to make a new beginning. I see the melting pot of America offering hope and new life to millions who immigrated here. Only indirectly do I see that same image conveying the peace/strength; prosperity/defense imagery of the eagle.

 

How does our coinage reflect our national self-image?

 

Any other thoughts on this?

 

[WoodenJefferson]

 

The Eagle still thankfully graces our dollar bill.

 

The Bald Eagle was selected as a symbol for victory for two reasons: first, he is not afraid of a storm, the eagle is strong and he is smart enough to soar above it. Secondly, the eagle wears no material crown. We had just broken from the King of England. Also, notice the breast shield is unsupported. This country can now stand on its own. At the top of that shield you have a white bar signifying congress, a unifying factor. We were coming together as one nation.

 

In the Eagle's beak you will read, "E PLURIBUS UNUM", meaning "Out of many, one." Above the Eagle you have thirteen stars representing the thirteen original colonies, and any clouds of misunderstanding rolling away. Again, we were coming together as one. Notice what the Eagle holds in his talons. He holds an olive branch and arrows. This country wants peace, but we will never be afraid to fight to preserve peace. The Eagle always wants to face the olive branch, but in time of war, his gaze turns toward the arrows.

 

They say that the number 13 is an unlucky number. This is almost a worldwide belief. You will usually never see a room numbered 13, or any hotels or motels with a 13th floor. But, think about this when looking at this seal. It has 13 original colonies, 13 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 13 stripes on our flag, 13 steps on the Pyramid, 13 letters in the Latin above, 13 letters in "E Pluribus Unum", 13 stars above the Eagle, 13 plumes of feathers on each span of the Eagle's wing, 13 bars on that shield, 13 leaves on the olive branch, 13 fruits, and if you look closely, 13 arrows.

 

America, land of opprotunity.

 

[Zoins]

The eagle went away because a lot of people wanted Lady Liberty back so she's on the prexy bux.

 

Lady Liberty or eagle, might be a tough choice for the decision makers. In today's world, many people in the US may more easily recognize the symbolism of the Statue of Lady Liberty than the symbolism of the American Eagle, except possibly for the lifestyle it conveys for young people

 

Also, while arrows were used in combat during the dawn of the country, they are not used anymore. Something like the following from a silver round might be a more fitting modern rendition but I don't think there would be much political support for a modern rendition:

 

 

 

 

At this time, the US may not want to remind people of our war readiness and eagerness which can be an ulterior motive for removing the eagle. The Statue of Lady Liberty may also help other countries think good thoughts about the US after some of the recent actions that have been taken. I think this type of marketing may also be one reason that China, with it's growing military budget, chose to make bullion panda coins instead of bullion dragon coins. If this is true for China and the US, then coins are being used to help shape how people think of the country. Pretty neat if you think about it.

[astrostu]

I guess I'll be a dissenter from the bulk of posts in this thread. I'm sick of the eagle. Especially its depiction on coins for the last 75 years or so.

 

Take the Washington Quarter. The eagle looks stuffed -- at no time would any real eagle ever look like that, sitting on a branch with its wings open at its sides.

 

Same with the Franklin half. On the Kennedy half, it also looks fake, but it looks like the Seal so I'm more okay with that design than on the quarter.

 

The one on the Eisenhower and SBA dollars looked okay - more realistic and elegant - but it lacked detail for being on such a large canvas. Now compare that with the Scagawea eagle, which I think is the best one since the St. Gaudens $20.

 

I think unless we return to more of a "natural beauty" of eagles, then they shouldn't be on our coins. They just look too sterile, as if saying, "Yeah, we have to be here by law, but the Mint is too lazy to make us look half-decent. Here we are, not turn us over and look at the obverse since even though it's an old dead guy, it looks more natural."

 

And even with that in mind, I still think that other depictions of Liberty should come back. Again, they were much more artistic. Granted, the Statue of Liberty as depicted on the Presidential Dollars might be lacking in detail and relief (though that's more the Mint's fault than the artist's, I think), I see it as a welcome change. Something different as opposed to a stuffed eagle that's, well, spread eagle.

[Zoins]

The eagle looks stuffed -- at no time would any real eagle ever look like that, sitting on a branch with its wings open at its sides.

I never thought about that but you're right, some of the eagles look like stuffed hunting trophies. Perhaps they also symbolized hunting as the national past-time.

[Keleum]

Isn't the mint making a gold and silver commem next year for the eagle? I'm looking forward to it.

 

As far as bad drawings of eagles, is there really anything worse than the eagle on a Morgan (as I crawl under my desk, as my 2nd grade teacher told me to do)