Banned in Boston...1898

[WoodenJefferson]

In lieu of Schatzy’s post that there’s nothing interesting of late, here’s something. It may not be coin related, but its still US monetary.

 

In 1898 the bared breasts of the female figures on the $5 Silver Certificate reportedly caused some minor controversy when several Boston society ladies took offense to the design. Probably inspired by the New England Society for the Suppression of Vice , those ladies and some bankers reportedly refused to accept the notes in transactions, and the term "banned in Boston" allegedly originates from the $5 Silver Certificate. The notes were quickly replaced for the Series of 1899 notes.

 

 

 

 

The Educational Series of notes is the informal nickname given by numismatists to a series of United States Silver Certificates produced by the United States Treasury in 1896. The notes depict various allegorical motifs and are considered by some numismatists to be the most beautiful monetary designs ever produced by the United States.

 

Electricity as the Dominant Force in the World

 

Electricity surrounded by other allegorical figures, representing the dominant force in the world. The United States Capitol building can be seen behind the female figures.

 

 

 

The remaining educational notes, the $1 and the $2 bills can be seen here.

 

 

Linked

 

Not my note

 

[x2rider]

Wow

Looking at that note one has to feel a little let down with what is printed one todays currencies .

[Schatzy]

To me....would that noted be hard to copy then todays pre color notes. The detail is amazing.

[Coindude]

[Dcoin]

Gives new meaning to "collect what you like".

 

Woody, I always look forward to your historic and educational posts.

 

[Conder101]

I've heard the story before, but I would like to know if there is any confirming evidence that that was actually the reason why the design changed. Allegorical images like those had commonplace for decades. (OK not on US government currency) I find it hard to believe that suddenly there would be a major outcry over these. Does anyone know of any contemporary reports condemning these notes for their indecency? Or is it like the Type I standing quarter and just a numismatic urban legend?

 

By the way, got a picture of the ten dollar design? (Yes I know they never issued a ten for this series, but they did create the design and it does exist as a Printers Proof in the Smithsonian.)

[rrantique]

Thanks for the post Woody very informative.

 

But i think the real reason it was banned was Mike King's portrait on the reverse.

 

Sorry Mike couldn't help myself.

[RI AL]

Those are truly beautiful!!!

 

Isn't there a story as to the objection to the draped bust cent design because Ms LIBERTY looked like a trollop with a little too much cleavage showing? ...or something to that effect...

 

It seems as if the U.S. was kind of prudish back then. Today...who knows what they could get away with?!?

 

Seems to me that I have some foreign notes with bare breasted women on them??

 

15 minutes later...I couldn't lay my hands on (poor choice of words) any foreign notes with the exposed mammaries, but I did find an almost bare one (top note right), a bare rear end and the usual crop of naked babies. I'll keep looking, though.

 

Currency sure was beautiful in the old days... RI AL, just goofin' off today

 

[RI AL]

OOOps...found one...or rather a whole matched set...

 

(I hope I don't get thrown off the boards for this and please excuse me if I have offended anyone). I just need a bit of a "lift" today.

 

[WoodenJefferson]

I've heard the story before, but I would like to know if there is any confirming evidence that that was actually the reason why the design changed. Allegorical images like those had commonplace for decades. (OK not on US government currency) I find it hard to believe that suddenly there would be a major outcry over these. Does anyone know of any contemporary reports condemning these notes for their indecency? Or is it like the Type I standing quarter and just a numismatic urban legend?

 

By the way, got a picture of the ten dollar design? (Yes I know they never issued a ten for this series, but they did create the design and it does exist as a Printers Proof in the Smithsonian.)

 

After a bit of reading, this organization was very active in the Boston area and it would not surprise me to find they had something to do with the 1896 paper money. This Boston organization had statues removed, books banned, plays stopped, and Bibles made unmailable. The original organization was founded by John Frank Chase in 1878 as the New England Society for the Suppression of Vice (inspired by Anthony Comstock's New York Society for the Suppression of Vice) and held its first annual meeting in the Park Street Church in 1879. In 1891, it was renamed the Watch and Ward Society after an old volunteer police force, adopting the mission to "watch and ward off evildoers."

 

Since this was a lobby type of protest, I could find any dates or references to an actual story or report concerning why the Treasury changed the bills in 1899 or if it had anything what so ever to do with being “Banned in Boston”

 

Publishers actually tried to get their books “Banned in Boston” in hopes that the titillation that their books were deemed obscene for that time period, increased sales elsewhere. In essence, their plan back fired in keeping the books out of Boston, but increasing sales elsewhere across the nation.

 

 

[Bugmann1974]

I have a $1 Educational, Its pretty rough but I absolutely had to have at least one of the series in my collection. IMHO The $5 is the best one but I don't think I will ever be able to afford one.

 

I would love to see a picture of the $10. I have never seen it.

[RI AL]

 

I found this. Seems to confirm the "banned in Boston" theory.

 

Ri AL

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_Series

[WoodenJefferson]

That's the page I linked in the original post

[RI AL]

OOOps...sorry about that, Wooden Jefferson!

 

RI AL

[jtryka]

This is a neat link with at least an image of the $10 design "forestry and agriculture" http://flyingmoose.org/truthfic/1896.htm

 

[RWB]

According to archival documents, the “Educational Series” was short lived due to numerous complains from bankers and money handlers who found the multiple denomination styles and forms confusing. This was particularly so in the context of the $5 which has 3 styles of “V” and 2 styles of “5” all crunched into a very busy composition.

 

The complicated compositions also resulted in currency that was easier to counterfeit because the designs were confusing.

 

As for the “Banned in Boston” story – mostly silliness. Bostonians were oddly prudish about some things. They disliked Saint-Gaudens’ designs for figures to sit in front of the Public Library. He proposed classical allegorical nudes. So S-G gave the commission to Bela Pratt, who immediately got into the same fix with the library trustees. Pratt eventually placed some drapery and the trustees grumbled but paid up.

 

Bostonians also carped about the Shaw Memorial. Here the problem was the black soldiers in a park in the north. This time the trustees looked through their prejudice and approved. They also made money by selling trinkets to people who made day-trips to Boston to see the sculpture and watch the light play on the figures throughout the day.

 

But Bostonian high society also featured weekend-long parties at Sturgis Bigelow’s private estate attended only by naked men. A. Piatt Andrew wandered about the estate of painter Cecilia Beaux wearing a loin cloth and dog collar at one event. The list goes on, and on…..

 

(PS: This is also a subtle reminder that Wikipedia cannot be trusted to provide accurate information.)

 

[Bugmann1974]

This is a neat link with at least an image of the $10 design "forestry and agriculture" http://flyingmoose.org/truthfic/1896.htm

 

Thanks for that!

[WoodenJefferson]

Cool link on currency jtryka

 

...hey, this thread sparked controversy and interest, along with some searching and discussion, additional information and some really neat currency notes!

[DaveG]

Also, the Series of 1902 $20 and $50 National Bank Notes feature bare-breasted women on the backs of the Notes and I've never heard or read about anyone complaining about them.

 

(Although, I did read one rather ingenous suggestion that it wasn't the bare breast on the Educational $5 that was the problem, but rather the bare stomach!)

 

Edited to add: Great thread, by the way - and it did prompt a lot of replies!

[physics-fan3.14]

I don't know anything about paper money and usually don't like or collect it. But these notes are very attractive. How much do they usually cost? And what is a good, collectible grade? Are these very rare?

[RWB]

Also, the Series of 1902 $20 and $50 National Bank Notes feature bare-breasted women on the backs of the Notes...

 

Obviously, that's because they were "bare back" riders not 'bare front."

 

The bare stomach stuff comes from the idea that a true goddess (such as Athena) was divine and therefore never a gestating fetus, and thus did not have a navel. I don't know where allegorical critters fit in the Comstockian nonsense.

 

[jtryka]

I don't know anything about paper money and usually don't like or collect it. But these notes are very attractive. How much do they usually cost? And what is a good, collectible grade? Are these very rare?

 

I don't know that I'd say these are "rare" in the technical sense, but they are quite popular and pricey. The $1 note is the most common, I think I paid $400 for mine in VF, the $2 and $5 are more (the $5 is the most expensive).

[WoodenJefferson]

PMG Choice Very Fine 35 $6995.00

 

Even this dealer is claiming a Comstockian pedigee.

[RWB]

(Stepping onto soap box…)

 

Many "numismyths" were concocted to either enhance the sales appeal of a coin/paper currency, or to fill a blank in knowledge. (The bare breasted "controversy" stories add sex appeal and a "forbidden" element to select items. Breen's story of Morgan smashing the Peace dollar galvano to reduce the relief and make the low relief version is a good example of the latter.)

 

In today’s internet-driven, copy-cat environment it is very easy to perpetuate and enhance myths by simple repetition. Reality, based on real research and a lot of hard work, then, tends to get driven to the bottom of search results. Psuedo-authorities, such as Wikipedia, only promote myth because, in part, the unsophisticated authors do not do the research – they merely copy-cat existing mediocrity.

 

Sellers have little incentive to drop the myths – after all, they are good selling points.

 

(stepping off soap box…)

 

[Conder101]

You will note that in the revised version of the Five shown on that site (it isn't the easiest to see, I wish he had used a larger image.) they have made several adjustments to make the numbers in the corners more visible, but I don't see any changes to the bare breast. That would seem to give credence to the changes being made because of the bankers complaints rather than "offended society ladies"

[dean1345]

Here is a nice bare breasted coin. Key date 1916 SLQ

 

[Revenant]

Here's a couple of ladies that I'd like to see make an appearance in one of my sets one day.

[physics-fan3.14]

Well, since this seems to have evolved into the boob thread. Jamaican 10th anniversary of Independence, nearly an ounce and a half of silver - its a great big coin.

 

[Revenant]

Well, since this seems to have evolved into the boob thread.

 

But... they're so much fun!