What is your favorite 20th century coin design and/or series?

[SkyMan]

What is your favorite 20th century coin design and/or series? This includes commemoratives.

 

If you feel like it, is there any particular reason this is your favorite?

 

The coin must have been started in the 20th century. For example Lincoln cents would count, but Indian head cents would not.

 

My favorite would be Franklins. Four reasons I like them... They were the largest coin produced during my birthyear; they can have some very tough coins to find if you try and collect in dcam; they look really nice as a black and white dcam; there are some really nice looking toners out there that are difficult to find yet still only cost 3 figures... Oh, and a 5th reason, old Ben was a REALLY cool dude.

[Zoins]

Here are my top 4 from the 20th Century.

1. Indian Half Eagle: a real indian like the buffalo nickel, raw Americana, incuse design.
2. St Gaudens Double Eagle: beautiful art on the obverse and reverse. What more is there to say?
3. Mexico 50 Peso: gorgeous angel design
4. Mexico Caballito Peso: very cool and unique(?) design for a circulating coin

[michael]

indian ten

 

incuse half eagle

 

st gaudens double eagle

[MikeInFL]

Proof incuse indians. ...Mike

[just-john]

being in AZ all the indians 21/2 -5-10 gold -nickle- new buffalo

[PerryHall]

I agree with the gold choices already made. I also like the Pan Pac $2 1/2 gold commem with Liberty riding on the back of a hippocampus.

[zrlevin]

My Top 5:

 

1. Indian Eagle

2. Incuse Half Eagle

3. Mercury Dime

4. Walking Liberty Half

5. Standing Liberty Quarter

[gedis3]

I really only have a top 4 that I like from the 20th century...

 

1. Mercs

2. Frankies

3. Buffs

4. Walkers

[cpm9ball]

I really like the design of the Walking Liberty 50c, but I just can't afford some of them in better grades. So, my next logical choice would be the Silver American Eagle. It has the beautiful image of the Walking Liberty and all of them in proof and mint state, except for the 1995-W, are very affordable.

 

Chris

[James_OldeTowne]

As far as to collect, I Iike:

 

#1 Standing Liberty quarters

#2 Buffalo nickels

#3 Mercury dimes

#4 Washington quarters

 

... but various commems are more aesthetically pleasing, such as the $50 Pan Pacs, Oregon Trail halves, and the San Diego. Interestingly, Saints are not that exciting to me.

[jtryka]

The Susan B. Anthony Dollar and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Commemorative Dollar.

[Tyrock]

I'd say the Walking Liberty halves and the St. Gaudens $20 gold.

[rbrown4]

1. Standing Liberty Quarters

2. St. Gaudens

3. Washington Quarters

4. Mercury Dimes

5. Walking Liberty Halves

[WoodenJefferson]

The Susan B. Anthony Dollar and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Commemorative Dollar.

 

I was wondering...was this answer for real? Did you just slip this in here thinking nobody would ask?

 

I'd like to hear your reasoning if you feel that these two are your favorites?

 

Walker's/Franklin's/Kennedy's do it for me...one day before I kick, I hope to complete my set of raw Walkers...it's been a real challenge.

[Hoot]

The Susan B. Anthony Dollar and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Commemorative Dollar.

 

Nice, Jeff.

 

1) Buffalo nickel

2) Pratt's Indian

3) 1925-S Califonia half dollar

4) Walking Liberty half

5) 1935-S San Diego (California-Pacific) half dollar

6) Panama-Pacific quarter eagle

7) Panama-Pacific half union

8)

 

I could go on and on.

 

Hoot

[jtryka]

You know, everyone always raves over designs by Saint-Gaudens and Weinman which are simply idealized an unattainable depictions of female beauty, and I just thought, where are the coins for the ugly betties? Seems to me, my choices reflect an honest assessment of the ageless beauty of the American woman.

[MunkyMan95]

I prefer the designs on 19th century coinage, but if I had to choose...

 

1) Saint Gaudens $20 reverse (LOVE that eagle!)

2) Buffalo nickel

3) V nickel reverse

4) Walking liberty half

5) Peace Dollar

[123cents]

1. Walking Liberty Half Dollar

2. Indian Eagle

3. Indian Half Eagle

4. St. Gaudens Double Eagle

[Hoot]

Seems to me, my choices reflect an honest assessment of the ageless beauty of the American woman.

 

I'd hardly characterize Anthony as a beauty of an American woman! Even her grand niece thought of her as plain, at best. Here's a quote from an article I wrote for Coin Values on the SBA and Gasparro's Liberty:

 

"Gasparro had initially prepared models from a photograph of the youthful Anthony at 28 to 30 years of age, about which the grand-niece commented, “The Mint is prettifying her.” The niece apparently remembered her great aunt from the time she was middle aged, onward. Thus, Gasparro modified the model of Anthony to reflect her image in her middle years, around “the age of 50,” said Gasparro. This latter image met with the grand-niece’s approval."

 

The grand niece was a consultant to the Mint and to Gasparro for the final selection of the SBA coin design.

 

Hoot

[pendragon1998]

I suppose I ought to step into the ring for ol' Susie. I think she wasn't terribly bad looking when she was younger, and I don't hate the series - I collect it - but honestly, I wouldn't call SBA dollars the most attractive coins of the 20th century.

 

Some of my favorites are the Buffalo nickel, "Mercury" Dimes, and some of the reverses on the US platinum coins. I am also, as one might surmise from my avatar and sig image, a big fan of the UK silver Britannias.

[Zoins]

Seems to me, my choices reflect an honest assessment of the ageless beauty of the American woman.

 

I'd hardly characterize Anthony as a beauty of an American woman! Even her grand niece thought of her as plain, at best. Here's a quote from an article I wrote for Coin Values on the SBA and Gasparro's Liberty:

 

"Gasparro had initially prepared models from a photograph of the youthful Anthony at 28 to 30 years of age, about which the grand-niece commented, “The Mint is prettifying her.” The niece apparently remembered her great aunt from the time she was middle aged, onward. Thus, Gasparro modified the model of Anthony to reflect her image in her middle years, around “the age of 50,” said Gasparro. This latter image met with the grand-niece’s approval."

 

The grand niece was a consultant to the Mint and to Gasparro for the final selection of the SBA coin design.

 

Hoot

Great quote from your article Hoot! Very informative

[MercP]

Call me a Peace lover.

I have to take up for my favorite series. I like the design. It's a nice big coin. You can still find MS examples of most dates for reasonable prices. If you love the trill of the hunt you could look for gem examples or VAM's. In my opinion a often overlooked and underappreciated coin.

 

1922 Peace Dollar Obverse

1922 Peace Dollar Reverse

1921 Peace Dollar Obverse Toned 1921 Peace Dollar Reverse Toned

[James_OldeTowne]

I suppose I ought to step into the ring for ol' Susie. I think she wasn't terribly bad looking when she was younger

I have to agree here. Somewhere, I once saw a photo of her in her younger years, and she apparently was not at all unattractive. However, the SBA rendition is given at about the worst possible profile angle possible.

[TJ'S Coins]

1) St. Gauden's Double Eagle

2) Connecticut Commemorative

3) Walking Liberty Half

4) Standing Liberty Quarter

5) Oregon Trail Commemorative

6) Buffalo Nickel

7) Pratt's Gold Half Eagle

8) Peace Dollar

9) St. Gauden's Eagle

10) Bridgeport Commemorative (reverse)

[Zoins]

I suppose I ought to step into the ring for ol' Susie. I think she wasn't terribly bad looking when she was younger

I have to agree here. Somewhere, I once saw a photo of her in her younger years, and she apparently was not at all unattractive. However, the SBA rendition is given at about the worst possible profile angle possible.

Perhaps SBA didn't have a good relationship with her grand niece and this is the niece's revenge? If so, it's a pretty good one.

[CoinCurious]

1) Vermont Commemorative - The reverse is excellent.

2) Peace Dollar

3) Franlkin

[MikeKing]

I'd have to say hands down, it's the Standing Liberty Quarter, but the original one, you know, without the dressup.

[jtryka]

Seems to me, my choices reflect an honest assessment of the ageless beauty of the American woman.

 

I'd hardly characterize Anthony as a beauty of an American woman! Even her grand niece thought of her as plain, at best. Here's a quote from an article I wrote for Coin Values on the SBA and Gasparro's Liberty:

 

"Gasparro had initially prepared models from a photograph of the youthful Anthony at 28 to 30 years of age, about which the grand-niece commented, “The Mint is prettifying her.” The niece apparently remembered her great aunt from the time she was middle aged, onward. Thus, Gasparro modified the model of Anthony to reflect her image in her middle years, around “the age of 50,” said Gasparro. This latter image met with the grand-niece’s approval."

 

The grand niece was a consultant to the Mint and to Gasparro for the final selection of the SBA coin design.

 

Hoot

Great quote from your article Hoot! Very informative

 

We can always count on Hoot to quote himself...

[Hoot]

We can always count on Hoot to quote himself...

 

Damn Jeff! Harsh! I'm required to quote myself when citing CV, since I no longer own the story. Besides, I was really quoting Ms. Anthony's niece. Did someone wake you up with an ice pick today?

 

Hoot

[World Colonial]

US coins, $10 Indian. World Coins, Mary Gillick Elizabeth II "Young Head portrait