Saturday Trivia: hendecagons *answer posted*

[WoodenJefferson]

Question:

 

What US "Flowing Hair" pattern coin was originally intended to be a hendecagon?

 

 

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Today's Prize:

 

Hope Diamond 45.53 Carats

 

For those who do not trust the Post Office to deliver your PR-70 Rev. Proof S.A.E. read on.

 

Natural blue diamonds are a light greyish blue shade, a more "steely" colour than sapphire. The most famous blue diamond is the "Hope" diamond in Washington's Smithsonian Institute. This stone is steeped in legends. Its last owner was New York jeweller Harry Winston. He purchased it to donate to the Smithsonian and only owned it for one day. While his insurance company and armed couriers were discussing the cost and method of delivering the priceless gem to Washington, Harry strolled down to the post office and posted the diamond in a cigarette packet as ordinary mail!

[PerryHall]

The small dollar pattern by Gilroy Roberts with the flowing hair liberty carrying the cap on pole. Unfortunately it was replaced by the SBA design.

[midwest]

While his insurance company and armed couriers were discussing the cost and method of delivering the priceless gem to Washington, Harry strolled down to the post office and posted the diamond in a cigarette packet as ordinary mail!

 

Actually it was sent by registered mail (scroll down to the bottom of the page)

[WoodenJefferson]

Perry, your close, but no cigar, MidWest, you get the Postal Inspector Jr. badge for locating the original Hope Diamond package.

 

 

Try again.

[PerryHall]

Perry, your close, but no cigar, MidWest, you get the Postal Inspector Jr. badge for locating the original Hope Diamond package.

 

 

Try again.

 

Was it the pattern with Martha Washington to test various coinage metals? Or am I getting colder?

[WoodenJefferson]

Perry, your close, but no cigar, MidWest, you get the Postal Inspector Jr. badge for locating the original Hope Diamond package.

 

 

Try again.

 

Was it the pattern with Martha Washington to test various coinage metals? Or am I getting colder?

 

Colder Perry>>>>go back to your original answer and look at the two things you mentioned...one half of the answer is correct.

[WoodenJefferson]

Perry, your close, but no cigar, MidWest, you get the Postal Inspector Jr. badge for locating the original Hope Diamond package.

 

 

Try again.

 

Was it the pattern with Martha Washington to test various coinage metals? Or am I getting colder?

 

Colder Perry>>>>go back to your original answer and look at the two things you mentioned...one half of the answer is correct.

This one ran long enough...looks like I stumped the band.

 

~What US "Flowing Hair" pattern coin was originally intended to be a hendecagon?~

 

Answer:

 

Flowing Hair Liberty design by Frank Gasparro

 

One of the more interesting designs proposed in 1977 for the dollar coin was the "Flowing Hair Liberty Head" obverse with the "Eagle in Flight" reverse, proposed by United States Mint Engraver, Frank Gasparro. The central design on the obverse was comprised of a Liberty Head and Liberty Cap (Phrygian) on a Pole, while the reverse despicted an eagle flying over a mountian with 13 stars within the suns rays.

 

Unfortunatly, Gasparro's original design lost out to the Susan B. Anthony portrait with the reverse an adaption of the Apollo 11 insignia patch. The same reverse design on the SBA can be seen on the Eisenhower dollar.

 

Still utilizing the theme of an 11 sided coin, Gasparro designed the Susan B. Anthony dollar with an 11-sided rim bordering the edge of both sides. The original design called for the coin itself to be an 11-sided hendecagon, but vending machine manufacturers protested this plan, claiming that available vending machine technology could only accommodate round coins without extensive retooling.

 

The United States was not the only country to incorporate the hendecagon design into their coinage.

The new one-dollar Canadian coin was introduced to the public in May, 1987, in a special ceremony at the Mint's Winnipeg facility. The first 100 million of Canada's shiny new coins were shipped across the country later in July. In the next two years, the mint put more than 185 million "loonies" into circulation. As a result, the Bank of Canada announced in June 1989 that they would no longer be issuing the $1 paper bill.

 

The eleven-sided, yellow-gold coin utilizes the very best in Canadian resources and talent. Nickel from Inco Metals Company of Sudbury was chosen for its durability and low cost. Bronze-plating was completed by Sherritt Gordon Mines of Fort Saskatchewan. Each of the coins is 26.5 millimeters in diameter and 2 millimeters thick. They weigh just 2 grams more than a twenty-five cent piece.

 

The $1 coin is now recognized across Canada as practical and convenient legal tender, proving it wasn't such a "loony" idea after all!