Is it just me, or are these bald eagle commems...

[Architecht]

 

... an unusually cool set of designs? Well... at least the silver dollar and $5. I'm not so sure about the clad half dollar.

[astrostu]

I think that historically the $1 and $5 reverses are interesting. Artistically, they're ugly, especially the chicken-looking $1 reverse (original US seal). Artistically, I like the obverses of all of them. I'm luke-warm about the 50¢ reverse.

[Architecht]

To me, that half dollar baby birds are ugly, and the eagle on the reverse is... eh... smirky.

[bsshog40]

I have the $1 proof and uncirculated. I like them both.

[SatTech]

I like em...

[WoodenJefferson]

[lehigh96]

[pendragon1998]

Just what America needs - another coin with an eagle on it. Thank goodness the Mint thought of something creative for a change!

 

Link to Images

 

These have got to be the ugliest, most uninspired coins to be vomited forth by the mint yet. They're an embarrassment - particularly the excuses they have for the reverse images on the $1 and $5.

 

Anyone with knowledge of the breeding biology of Bald Eagles will wince when they see the image of the obverse on the (clad!) half dollar. It depicts two fuzzy little chicks in a nest with an egg in the foreground. Nice to think about the smaller chick (or chicks) being pecked to death by its broodmates and pushed out of the nest. Usually the third chick just flat out starves.

 

Hatching asynchrony and differential growth leads to differential mass in siblings, facilitating competition and fratricide (Bortolotti 1986a). Sibling competition and mortality is greatest early in nestling period, when size differences are greatest (Bortolotti 1986a). Third-hatched chicks in Saskatchewan nests received little food and usually starved. In 1 nest, mass of 9-d-old, 8-d-old, and 6-d-old siblings were 477, 260, and 80 g, respectively (Gerrard and Bortolotti 1988).

 

 

Also, the presence of these poor chicks, alone in the nest, is alarming. Where's the mother bird? They're incapable of thermoregulating at this age, so if Mom's away, they'll likely die of exposure soon. She's normally on the nest nearly constantly for the first month.

 

Adult (usually female) broods constantly during inclement and otherwise cool weather until about 4 wk of age (Stalmaster 1987, Gerrard and Bortolotti 1988). In Minnesota, during 4 d of observation, young were brooded, on average, 85% of daylight period during first week after hatching, with female brooding 65% of time and male 35% of the time (Fraser 1981).

 

Might I also add, what the heck are these coins supposed to commemorate?

 

Commemorative

 

2. (of a coin, medal, or postage stamp) issued to commemorate a historical event, to honor the memory of a personage, etc.

 

 

Opinion from this birder (and ornithology student): Two talons down.

 

 

[gmarguli]

I think that we have come to expect such from the mint that when they finally put out something that is so-so, we're very impressed based on our lowered expectations.

 

Based on what has been coming out the past decade, these coins are stunning works of art.

 

Based on what could have been coming out this past decade, these coins are bland POS.

[MikeInFL]

They don't do it for me, but if they do it for you, more power to you!

[jgrinz]

I do not like the Silver Versions but the GOLD ...

 

[CHABSENTIA]

I bought the Proof and Uncirculated from the U.S.Mint and sent them in for grading.One came back as MS70 and the other PR69.I like them both.Not much interested in the 50c but I have talked to people who really like it .

[jgrinz]

I bought the Proof and Uncirculated from the U.S.Mint and sent them in for grading.One came back as MS70 and the other PR69.I like them both.Not much interested in the 50c but I have talked to people who really like it .

 

Is that the coin that the birds look like chickens

[WoodenJefferson]

 

[Conder101]

Might I also add, what the heck are these coins supposed to commemorate?

I believe the removal of the Bald eagle from the Endangered Species list.

[SatTech]

Might I also add, what the heck are these coins supposed to commemorate?

I believe the removal of the Bald eagle from the Endangered Species list.

 

Quite true.

 

http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/commemoratives/index.cfm?flash=yes&action=BaldEagle

[BillJones]

Of the six designs I found the reverse of the dollar to be least pleasing. The eagle behind the shield really looks like he has not seen a good meal in quite a while.

 

[bsshog40]

Well seeings how this is a new post, I post the two I have.

[Jeffrey Cardona]

By far the ugliest ever made....what were they smokin' at the time??

[Conder101]

The real problem with these is that it is not apparent from the designs what is being commemorated or why.

 

The only coin that even gives a clue is the half dollar with the word Challenger. But of course if you don't happen to know that that is the name of that particular bald eagle (Who, while being a part of the bald eagle protection and rehabilitaion project, is NOT actually the subject being commemorated.) You may be thinking like I was at first "Why do they have the name of the space shuttle that blew up on this coin?" So it is not a particularly good clue either.

[RareSov]

I love that Challenger bird.. if he was on the gold I would've bought a few immediately.. and a few more by now !

[ldhair]

I actually like them all. The chicken behind the shield was a bit tough.

The mint has never been all that good at getting the history or the design correct.