A Noticeable Improvement

[Mokiechan]

In Coin Design

 

The Citizens Coin Advisory Committee has recently provided their recommendations for the Silver Dollar and Gold Half Eagle to commemorate the War of 1812, more specifically the Francis Scott Key's Star Spangled Banner. Their recommendations seem to follow a much applauded improvement in overall coin designs from the National Park Quarter, to the Indian themed reverses of the Sacagawea Dollar, to the design of the 9/11 Commemorative Medal.

 

Here are the recommended designs, what do you think?

 

First the Silver Dollar, then the Half Eagle on the next page.

 

See more journals by BeawChan

[Mokiechan]

The Half Eagle reverse design has the one dollar denomination because it was originally submitted as a dollar design but the CCAC decided it worked well as the reverse of the Half Eagle.

[coinsbygary]

These designs are OUTSTANDING! Looks like I will be purchasing both of these coins next year.

Gary

[Thane]

gotta disagree - a flag on both sides of the silver eagle? It feels like 2001 all over again ... there is more to this country than a flag. Even with the Star-Spangled Banner 200th anniversary.

 

I really like the Half Eagle. The 1812-2012 dates help give some background as to why the designs are what they are.

 

Curious to honor a war where we lost New Orleans and the White House burned down ... I'm REALLY rusty on my history, I'm not googling as I write, but 1814 seems like a better date to celebrate (England out of our hair, we assume military/political/financial clout of the Western Hemisphere, Monroe Doctrine is actually possible)

 

But at least we're using coinage to check up on history, and not just waste effort on Presidential Dollars in vaults and state quarters in worse-than-vanilla designs in overproduction.

 

Again, GREAT Half Eagle. Hope it sticks!

[coinsbygary]

I don't think this coin commemorates the war of 1812 as much as it commemorates a particular battle in that war as witnessed by Francis Scott Key. I grant that the 2014 date for release may be more appropriate, given that the 25 hour bombardment of Ft McHenry which inspired Key's poem started on Sept 13, 1814. However, the design of the dollar seems to be an allegory of one particular phrase in the Star Spangled Banner, thus commemorating what has become the National Anthem.

 

And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;

O! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

 

With Ft McHenry as a backdrop the obverse of the dollar features Lady Liberty defiantly holding the flag after surviving a 25 hour British onslaught to successfully defend Baltimore Harbor and turn back the British Navy. The reverse of the coin symbolizes our flag unfurled and waving "O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave". The flag on both sides of this coin is very much symbolic of the people of the United States and their will to defend freedom at any cost.

Gary

[Mokiechan]

I understand from the NN article that the Proof Dollars will be frosted in a way to make that reverse flag really POP. So glad that allegorical Liberty is reappearing in all her splendor on some of our coins. Getting tired of Old Men, except Honest Abe, he's a keeper.