Ever wonder why only dead Presidents or People can appear on U.S. Coins?

[WingedLiberty1]

(This was gleaned, excerpted, and edited from the information found on internet. If anyone finds any flaws or has additional info please post!)

 

Question:

 

Did you ever wonder why only dead Presidents or People can appear on U.S. Coins?

 

Answer:

 

There is actually a law! By an 1866 Act of Congress, no living person can be portrayed on U.S. coins or currency. But this law has been violated a number of times.

 

The main reason the U.S. is putting only dead Presidents (or people) on U. S. Coins is tradition. Although this tradition was legislated into law in 1866 (one year after the Civil War ended) it has been violated a number of times.

 

From the very beginning of our nation's founding, patriotic men felt that it was improper to honor any living person by putting their image on the legal tender currency, especially the circulating coins. George Washington declined when our young nation wanted his portrait on the first U.S. Dollar, which was the start of this long tradition.

 

 

The early American Patriots were anti-royalists by definition, and royalty have always, since ancient Greek and Roman times, taken pride in putting their image on their coins. The monarch's portrait was a guarantee of the coin's value in ancient societies, sort of an assay mark. However, the ancient , the pro-democracy philosopher sort who formed the Senate in ancient Greece and pre-Imperial Rome, felt very strongly that a living man's portrait did not belong on the coinage of a Republic. In fact, it was Julius Caesar's audacity in putting his living visage on his silver coins that helped spark the rebellion that resulted in Julius Caesar's Assassination.

 

 

When the newly-formed United States of America minted its early coinage, it was Miss Liberty (sometimes referred to as a goddess of liberty in early numismatic writings) whose portrait appeared on our coins. The American Eagle usually appeared on the reverse. It wasn't until 1909, the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth, that a (dead) president was first featured on U.S. coinage. The Lincoln Cent was intended to be a special commemorative, but it proved so popular that it endures to this day. Other dead presidents soon followed, and we are all familiar with the Jefferson Nickel, Roosevelt Dime, Washington Quarter, and Kennedy Half Dollar.

 

Today, the federal law states that no living man or woman can appear on the U.S. coinage. Presidents must be dead for at least two years before they are eligible for inclusion on any coin (including the Presidential Dollar series).

 

Now for a coin that violated this law and was technically illegal!

 

The United States Sesquicentennial coin issue consisted of a commemorative half dollar (and quarter eagle (gold $2.50 piece)) struck in 1926 at the Philadelphia Mint for the 150th anniversary of American independence.

 

The obverse of the half dollar features portraits of the first president, George Washington, and Calvin Coolidge, making it the only legal tender American coin to depict person while they were still alive. Interestingly, not only was Calvin Coolidge still alive, he was still serving as President (an office he would hold until 1929).

 

 

By the March 1925 Act of Congress, by which the National Sesquicentennial Exhibition Commission was chartered, Congress also allowed it to purchase 1,000,000 specially designed half dollars and 200,000 quarter eagles, which could be sold to the public at a premium. The Commission had trouble agreeing on a design with Mint Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock, and asked Philadelphia artist John Frederick Lewis to submit sketches. These were adapted by Sinnock, without giving credit to Lewis, whose involvement would not be generally known for forty years.

 

Legislation for a commemorative coin to mark the 150th anniversary of American independence was introduced on behalf of the United States National Sesquicentennial Exhibition Commission, which was charged with organizing what became known as the Sesquicentennial Exposition in Philadelphia. In the Act of March 3, 1925, Congress both authorized the Commission and allowed one million half dollars and 200,000 quarter eagles to be struck in commemoration of the Sesquicentennial of American Independence.

 

The obverse of the half dollar features jugate busts of George Washington, first president of the United States, and behind him, Calvin Coolidge, the President of the U.S in 1926. It is perplexing how Calvin Coolidge skirted this law. Not only was he not dead in 1926, he was still President! Maybe he was so popular because of the milk and honey of the roaring 20’s that nobody cared? Or maybe the Commemorative Half was so obscure that nobody noticed (they didn’t really circulate).

 

According to Anthony Swiatek and Walter Breen, "Having the portraits of both of these men were mistakes. Washington was not president of the Continental Congress in 1776, and Coolidge's portrait was illegal.

 

At the insistence of the Sesquicentennial Commission, the coins were minted in very shallow relief, and thus struck poorly. Coin dealer and numismatic author Q. David Bowers opined, "from the standpoint of aesthetic appeal the 1926 Sesquicentennial half dollar is near the bottom of the popularity charts along with the 1923-S Monroe half dollar".

 

The Sesquicentennial Exposition opened in Philadelphia on June 1, 1926. A world’s fair to commemorate the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Although it opened to great fanfare, the exposition failed to attract enough visitors to cover its costs. Making things worse, the Commemorative Coins did not sell well and most were sent back to the mint for melting. The fair organization went into bankruptcy receivership in 1927 and its assets were sold at auction.

 

 

The Liberty Bell appears on the reverse, making the Sesquicentennial half dollar the first U.S. coin to bear private advertising—that is, the legend "Pass and Stow" on the bell, for the long-defunct partnership of John Pass and John Stow, who recast the bell after it initially broke in 1752. Sinnock's initials JRS are on the obverse, on the truncation of Washington's bust.

 

Sinnock reused the reverse for the Franklin half dollar, first struck in 1948, the year after his death.

 

 

Mint and other publications gave credit for both coins' designs only to Sinnock until Don Taxay published his An Illustrated History of U.S. Commemorative Coinage in 1967, disclosing Lewis's involvement. Taxay referred to "the Mint's ... final, deliberate misattribution of the artist who designed the half dollar" and wrote, "perhaps after these forty years, it is time for a new credit line". Bowers noted, "Lewis and Sinnock should share the credit."

 

Other exceptions to this 1866 law

 

Although Sinnock had not previously designed a coin showing a president, he had created presidential medals under Chief Engraver Morgan's direction. Other living Americans, including Virginia Senator Carter Glass, have appeared on commemorative coinage, but Coolidge is the only president to appear on a U.S. coin in his lifetime.

 

One other notable exception is the 1866 law states a President must be dead for 2 years before their portrait can be used on a U.S.coin. John F. Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963 and by mid 1964 Kennedy Half Dollars began to be minted. Only six months later.

 

 

This law leads me to display my Presidential Dollar collection. I think it might have been ill advised for the U.S.Mint to start a Presidential Dollar Series without the ability to finish it -- What was the mint thinking? Although I do wonder with several exceptions to this law having been minted in the past -- if perhaps the law might be waived again in 2016 and 2017 so the Presidential Dollar Series can be minted (completed) in its entirety. I am not holding my breath.

 

 

 

[wdrob]

 

That was excellent.

 

I think you need to add one other living U.S> President to the list of exceptions though.

 

The 1936 M USA-PHIL ROOSEVELT-QUEZON PESO MS Philippines under US Sovereignty.

 

" This same configuration is used for the other one-peso commemorative, but on its obverse the subjects are President Quezon and President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt. This is a very rare instance of a living U. S. president appearing on a United States coin.".

 

 

[RWB]

Good that you mention you collected material from the Internet. Maybe you should throw it back and buy a new book or two...?

 

The coinage laws specify an image "emblematic of Liberty."

 

Lincoln cent was never intended to be a "special commemorative.'

 

Lewis had nothing to do with the Liberty bell design. He was a member of the Philadelphia Sesquicentennial Committee. Sinnock's design is commonplace and unoriginal but it was his own unoriginality, not Lewis'. The Committee did not require use of very low relief - that was Sinnock.

 

" It is perplexing how Calvin Coolidge skirted this law. Not only was he not dead in 1926..." There is some debate about Coolidge being more un-dead than alive.... Also, it was J. Edgar Hoover who wore skirts, not "Silent Cal." He seemed to favor white robes and hoods with eye-holes.

 

PS: The Congress can make exceptions to a previously passed law. The exceptions are legal.

[WingedLiberty1]

Good Corrections!!! Thanks for posting!

[greysoldier]

For your additional enjoyment...

 

 

 

Spencer M. Clark (1810-1890) served under Abraham Lincoln as the the first Superintendent of the National Currency Bureau (now known as the Bureau of Engraving and Printing). He had his own portrait placed on these notes, an act that (once discovered by his superiors) led to legislation preventing a portrait of a living person from appearing on Federal currency.

[skippy]

Yes, the Spencer Clark note led directly to the legislation prohibiting live people.

 

One reason the Clark note got into production was that the subject of the portrait was unclear, and many thought that it was going to be William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame).

 

[leeg]

In the early commemorative series you had Governor Kilby on the Alabama half dollar, Senator Robinson on the Arkansas/Robinson half dollar and Senator Carter Glass on the Lynchburg half dollar who were alive and kicking when these coins were struck.

 

 

[mumu]

Wouldn't the Peace dollar grey area an exception?

[RWB]

Can you explain more about the Peace dollar?

[skippy]

Can you explain more about the Peace dollar?

 

Maybe he means the eagle was still alive.

[Conder101]

The 1866 law forbidding living persons applies to the US CURRENCY. They typically keep the regulations dealing with currency separate from those dealing with coinage. Often you will find very similar statutes one specifying currency and one specifying coinage.

[mumu]

Can you explain more about the Peace dollar?

 

Was de Francisci's wife still alive, and not the president, when he used her as the model for the Lady Liberty design?

[RWB]

DeFrancisci's wife was not depicted on the Peace dollar. The portrait bust of "Nike Erini" by Saint-Gaudens was the prototype and this was provided by Jim Fraser. The same bust was used on the $10 with a headdress added.

 

The only part of Liberty on the Peace dollar that might have come from Theresa was the hair bun.

[Conder101]

I tracked down the act mentioned in the Op and I was correct it does NOT apply to coinage. This is what I posted on it on Cointalk. (The same OP was posted there.)

 

There IS NO GENERAL LAW forbidding portraying a living person on coins. There are SPECIFIC laws that forbid it on specific series. There was one for the State Quarters, and there was the one for the President dollars that required them to be dead for two years before they could appear. The law mentioned in the OP ONLY applies to currency. It was the Act of April 7, 1866, It was part of an appropriations bill and it states

 

For plates, engraving, printing, and paper for national currency notes, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars: Provided, That no portrait or likeness of any living person hereafter engraved, shall be placed upon any of the bonds, securities, notes,fractional or postal currency of the United States.

 

Source: Statutes at Large, volume 14 39th Congress Sess I Ch 28 Ch 29 page 25. (Page 57 of the PDF file from the Library of Congress.)

[leeg]

From The Numismatist, September 1936, p. 712-713:

 

Press reports state that Senator Carter Glass vigorously protested having his portrait appear on the Lynchburg (Va.) half dollar to commemorate the Sesqui-centennial of his home city. As a last resort he is said to have called at the Philadelphia mint recently to ask ‘If it were permissible for the profile of a live man to appear on coins.’ Told there was no law against it, Senator Glass shook his head and said: ‘I had hoped there would be an avenue of escape.’ His fellow-townsmen arranged for the coin.

 

Senator Glass is chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking and Currency, succeeding Senator Fletcher of Florida, who died a few weeks ago.

 

 

[BillJones]

Yes, the Spencer Clark note led directly to the legislation prohibiting live people.

 

One reason the Clark note got into production was that the subject of the portrait was unclear, and many thought that it was going to be William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame).

 

Perhaps Clark felt that he had a license to put his portrait on the lowly 5 cent note because his bosses were putting their kissers on more important issues. United States Treasure, Francis Spinner put his portrait on the third issue of the 50 cent fractional currency note, and was in good enough health to sign a number of them personally. A reproduction of his signature appears on this one, although there examples of this piece that are personally signed.

 

 

Spinner did sign this Justice type 50 note personally. The reason I have this piece is that a personally signed Justice note is one of the least expensive types of this scarce piece in CU condition.

 

Spinner's boss, secretary of the treasury, Salmon Chase, put his portrait on the $5 bill, I believe. I don't have one of those. Chase, who was a perpetual presidential candidate from the late 1850s until the day he died, probably figured it made for some good publicity.

[mumu]

DeFrancisci's wife was not depicted on the Peace dollar. The portrait bust of "Nike Erini" by Saint-Gaudens was the prototype and this was provided by Jim Fraser. The same bust was used on the $10 with a headdress added.

 

The only part of Liberty on the Peace dollar that might have come from Theresa was the hair bun.

 

Hey I know im arguing the writer of the Peace dollar book, but its hard to ignore the exact same lips, with the downward slant of the upper lip, the exact same shape and slope of the nose. The eye bridge and general glance disposition. If anything the bun is the least likeness as she wore a low bun while the dollar had a high bun.

 

 

[RWB]

The newspaper photo was set up to resemble the coin. Read the darn book and stop promoting false information.

[leeg]

The newspaper photo was set up to resemble the coin. Read the darn book and stop promoting false information.

 

I did a Google search on this for grin's and giggles. False information was provided by all.

 

It will be very difficult to change all this in our life times. We need to let EVERYONE know the truth EVERY TIME we see false information. As a coin collecting community, in large numbers, we can force a change.

 

 

[brg5658]

The newspaper photo was set up to resemble the coin. Read the darn book and stop promoting false information.

 

SNAP!

[mumu]

The newspaper photo was set up to resemble the coin. Read the darn book and stop promoting false information.

 

I only promote opinions. That's all I got. I had no idea photoshoping was in vogue in 1921.

[RWB]

Mumu - Sorry, I was a little harsh on you.

 

It is incredibly frustrating to see incessant presentation of false numismatic information as if it were fact. In truth, the Nike Erini information was publicly available in 1922 - but it was not a "good story" for popular consumption -- no drama or suggestive themes, hence the Sunday Supplement posed photo.

 

Accurate information on Peace dollars - the best that is currently available - was published in 2004. Eleven years later, little has changed.

 

[mumu]

Mumu - Sorry, I was a little harsh on you.

 

It is incredibly frustrating to see incessant presentation of false numismatic information as if it were fact. In truth, the Nike Erini information was publicly available in 1922 - but it was not a "good story" for popular consumption -- no drama or suggestive themes, hence the Sunday Supplement posed photo.

 

Accurate information on Peace dollars - the best that is currently available - was published in 2004. Eleven years later, little has changed.

 

I will admit ignorance to the photography technology of the time. My assumption is that there was no post photo editing to the level where you could approach the likeness of the model to the coin. And your mention to setup here confirms my assumption that any likeness prep was done to the actual woman herself. In which case the physical characteristics remain there and are undeniable. But even as such, my post was more provocative as for though rather than as for fact, as clearly no one would think that the goal of the coin was to present the actual person Teresa D F as the representative of the coin. And I thought my use of the term gray area was sufficient to imply that.

 

PS. I already own your book so the issue behind the blitz wasn't going to be solved by purchase. If the matter of the photo prepping was discussed, it probably escaped my memory as a meaningless footnote since my read many years ago.

[RWB]

Strange....

[BillJones]

Dead presidents appear on regular issue coins because politicians decide who gets on those coins most of the time. The presidency is the one office where one is assured of having a place in history, even if that individual turns out to be one of the worst presidents of all time.

 

Just visit the Disney "Hall of Presidents" at the Magic Kingdom. Everyone one of them are up there from James Buchan who gets on many people's "worst list" to Abraham Lincoln, makes some, but not all's "best list." (If you want to read a strongly dissenting check out economics professor, Thomas DeLorenzo's book on Lincoln. So far as Delorenzo is concerned, Lincoln was among the worst ever, and is responsible for the mess we are in today.) I almost have to laugh when they sum up their presentation about these "43 remarkable men" and I see Buchanan, Pierce and Harding ** staring back at me.

 

At any rate the presidency is the goal of many hack politicians. Just look how many of them have made a run for it when they decide to retire from office. It's on the bucket list of more people in Washington that you would like know. Therefore immortalizing those who were the best or at the most influential seems to them to be most appropriate.

 

** The one thing I'll give Harding credit is that he knew from the beginning that he was in the wrong place. He didn't really want the Elephant Party nomination in 1920, but his wife and buddies pushed him into it. After he got into office he wondered out loud if there was a book that help him with a complex economic question. Harding summed up one of the problems when he said that he could deal with his political enemies, but was his friends, his "G-- D--- friends" that gave him the most trouble. That was pretty perceptive.

 

Went came to Buchanan and Pierce, they were clueless as to how bad they were. Pierce, who wanted to run for a second term after a disastrous first one, got the heave ho from his own party at the 1856 nominating convention. After he had lost, he was quoted as saying, "Well I guess there's nothing else to do but get drunk."

 

Buchanan stated that he thought that "history would vindicate his presidency." If anything the judgment about his time in office has only gotten worse over years. In 1962 he was rated #29 out of 31 (The last of the "below average" presidents) in Arthur Schlesinger's presidential poll. Today he finishes consistently at the bottom.