In the running for the best reverse design by the US Mint in 80 years

WingedLiberty1957

The $25 Palladium Eagle. Just a gorgeous beast. I love the reverse design fantastic concept and detail. And how can you find fault with the beautiful Merc dime obverse.

Catbert

I like the reverse change on this year's silver eagle too.

Maywood

It is nicely executed but hardly original, it only took the Eagle around 80 years to bend his neck. Considering how many talented artists there are just in America it boggles my mind wondering why we can't come up with fresh, new and stimulating designs.

ricko

@Maywood... I totally agree. I really like the Eagle on coins... However, as you stated, with the vast quantity of talented artists in this country, why, why, why can we not have " fresh, new and stimulating designs.". I hate to see the coins designs 'commercialized'. Please, just give us art, America oriented art.... Cheers, RickO

jesbroken

@Maywood and @ricko
I also agree, either we have lost the artistic design of the early coin artists, or the powers that be will not allow actual art to survive.
Jim

WingedLiberty1957

i didnt realize how similar the $25 eagle was to the WL half reverse. It's close isnt it. Glad they at least changed it a bit. I do agree tho, that we should be able to do better than what we have now, esp in circulating coins.

WingedLiberty1957

I would like to see this 1951 pattern reverse used on the 1c.

Jzyskowski1

Is it just me or does the eagle look like its hanging it’s head 🧐
And why is it chewing on a branch. It’s a fairly nice design but I agree that we could use some new designs 😀
The ase type 2 reverse has the eagle hanging it’s head, also🧐
Look at the proud, head held high, eagle on the type 1ase and the WLH 🧐

stawick

@Catbert said:
I like the reverse change on this year's silver eagle too.

Luv the Pd, but OUCH it hits the bank hard!

It took me a while to come around to the new ASE eagle. Some people complain about the "clipped" wing, but I kinda like the angled landing profile.
I still havent warmed to the type II AGE eagle head-shot. I prefer the gold "Bronc" coin eagle head, oh well.

johnny9434

id love to see some of them designs used on something for circulation, just saying

TomB

It's kind of sad, or at least jarring, when we might think the best design the US Mint has come out with in the last eight decades features the obverse of a coin whose centennial we celebrated a half-dozen years ago paired with the reverse of a medal issued 115-years ago!

airplanenut

It's a lovely design even if not original, but part of that is because it's high relief. I think many current designs would be vastly improved simply by adding a bit of relief.

Vasanti

@Catbert said:
I like the reverse change on this year's silver eagle too.

Me too. Its a shame that the new reverse for the Gold Eagle is so damn ugly.

Project Numismatics

@airplanenut said:
It's a lovely design even if not original, but part of that is because it's high relief. I think many current designs would be vastly improved simply by adding a bit of relief.

Agree - some of the state quarter designs are very attractive and would benefit even more from higher relief. DE, CT and WY come to mind.

robec

My favorite reverse has always been the from the Walker. I do like the change on the ASE. Although similar I love the eagle on the $25 palladium. I think what sets it apart from the others is the high relief. It’s hard to beat that combination.

Maywood

@jzyskowski1 said: **Is it just me or does the eagle look like its hanging it’s head **.

The upheld head design of the Walking Liberty Half-Dollar is actually an unnatural look. If you consider that a Bald Eagle hunts fish from a few hundred feet in the air then looking down is the way to do it. If they looked up they'd be crashing into trees while they starved to death.

telephoto1

@airplanenut said:
It's a lovely design even if not original, but part of that is because it's high relief. I think many current designs would be vastly improved simply by adding a bit of relief.

I think part of the problem with high relief on circulating coins now is the same issue that the Peace Dollar had in 1921... Banks complained because stacks of them would constantly fall over. I'm just hoping that the new 2026 redesigns will have some actual unique and attractive designs rather than some CAD-created generic stuff.

telephoto1

As to the OP... very pretty reverse but it's a fairly obvious rework of the Walker reverse.

TomB

@telephoto1 said:
As to the OP... very pretty reverse but it's a fairly obvious rework of the Walker reverse.

The reverse is from a medal that pre-dates the issuance of the WLH by nearly a decade.

telephoto1

@TomB said:

@telephoto1 said:
As to the OP... very pretty reverse but it's a fairly obvious rework of the Walker reverse.

The reverse is from a medal that pre-dates the issuance of the WLH by nearly a decade.

Hmmm. Well if so, then perhaps Weinman kinda plagiarized the medal...

TomB

@telephoto1 said:

@TomB said:

@telephoto1 said:
As to the OP... very pretty reverse but it's a fairly obvious rework of the Walker reverse.

The reverse is from a medal that pre-dates the issuance of the WLH by nearly a decade.

Hmmm. Well if so, then perhaps Weinman kinda plagiarized the medal...

Weinman designed that, too!

airplanenut

@telephoto1 said:

@airplanenut said:
It's a lovely design even if not original, but part of that is because it's high relief. I think many current designs would be vastly improved simply by adding a bit of relief.

I think part of the problem with high relief on circulating coins now is the same issue that the Peace Dollar had in 1921... Banks complained because stacks of them would constantly fall over. I'm just hoping that the new 2026 redesigns will have some actual unique and attractive designs rather than some CAD-created generic stuff.

I'm not intending to argue that there isn't a valid reason for the designs/strike properties we get on coins today, but just noting that there's a balance between functionality and art, and since the primary point of coins is their function, that's winning over art. That said, many of our dead presidents have had minor changes made to their busts over the years, which I think lowers the attractiveness of the coin. Silver Washington quarters look really nice to me. The switch to clad changed that, especially as the design was tweaked in later years and then the spaghetti hair that came with the state quarters. Lincoln and Jefferson were similarly altered over time.

It would be interesting if they could make a coin with tall enough rims that a high relief design could work, but of course, that comes with an increased production cost, so I doubt it would happen.

telephoto1

@TomB said:

@telephoto1 said:

@TomB said:

@telephoto1 said:
As to the OP... very pretty reverse but it's a fairly obvious rework of the Walker reverse.

The reverse is from a medal that pre-dates the issuance of the WLH by nearly a decade.

Hmmm. Well if so, then perhaps Weinman kinda plagiarized the medal...

Weinman designed that, too!

OK...so Weinman drew all his eagles basically the same at the time, apparently.

telephoto1

@airplanenut said:

@telephoto1 said:

@airplanenut said:
It's a lovely design even if not original, but part of that is because it's high relief. I think many current designs would be vastly improved simply by adding a bit of relief.

I think part of the problem with high relief on circulating coins now is the same issue that the Peace Dollar had in 1921... Banks complained because stacks of them would constantly fall over. I'm just hoping that the new 2026 redesigns will have some actual unique and attractive designs rather than some CAD-created generic stuff.

I'm not intending to argue that there isn't a valid reason for the designs/strike properties we get on coins today, but just noting that there's a balance between functionality and art, and since the primary point of coins is their function, that's winning over art. That said, many of our dead presidents have had minor changes made to their busts over the years, which I think lowers the attractiveness of the coin. Silver Washington quarters look really nice to me. The switch to clad changed that, especially as the design was tweaked in later years and then the spaghetti hair that came with the state quarters. Lincoln and Jefferson were similarly altered over time.

It would be interesting if they could make a coin with tall enough rims that a high relief design could work, but of course, that comes with an increased production cost, so I doubt it would happen.

Agreed 100% on the less attractive designs. As to the thicker rims to accommodate the higher relief... laying aside the cost- the vending machine industry would not be too happy either, to put it mildly.

Maywood

The Mint made it's bed and now collectors who appreciate the beauty of coin designs are forced to sleep in it. Concessions first to the banking industry and then to vending machine companies have really hamstrung the depth of design.

Sweetpie

@TomB said:

@telephoto1 said:

@TomB said:

@telephoto1 said:
As to the OP... very pretty reverse but it's a fairly obvious rework of the Walker reverse.

The reverse is from a medal that pre-dates the issuance of the WLH by nearly a decade.

Hmmm. Well if so, then perhaps Weinman kinda plagiarized the medal...

Weinman designed that, too!

FYI its the AIA (American Institute of Architects) medal from 1907.

FlyingAl

@telephoto1 said:

@TomB said:

@telephoto1 said:

@TomB said:

@telephoto1 said:
As to the OP... very pretty reverse but it's a fairly obvious rework of the Walker reverse.

The reverse is from a medal that pre-dates the issuance of the WLH by nearly a decade.

Hmmm. Well if so, then perhaps Weinman kinda plagiarized the medal...

Weinman designed that, too!

OK...so Weinman drew all his eagles basically the same at the time, apparently.

Don't mess with perfection!

santinidollar

The new reverse on the American Gold Eagle ain’t too shabby either.

MonsterCoinz

Either of these.

messydesk

@Maywood said:
... Considering how many talented artists there are just in America it boggles my mind wondering why we can't come up with fresh, new and stimulating designs.

Yes, but the admonition that immediately comes to mind is to be careful what you wish for.

ElKevvo

That palladium is a really nice design!

K

erscolo

It is my belief that any new design would pale in comparison to those introduced a bit more than a century ago. There is also the high probability they would pander to the political correct spectrum with a dose of woke. I do like the palladium coin, though admit it is beyond my budget.

PeakRarities

@mach1ne said:
Either of these.

As much as I love the small eagle reverse on the early gold issues, and hope to own a nice example some day, I do think that it’s a poor representation of an “eagle”. The resemblance is much closer that of a goose.

messydesk

@airplanenut said:
It's a lovely design even if not original, but part of that is because it's high relief. I think many current designs would be vastly improved simply by adding a bit of relief.

It's actually more original than the original. The design on the Palladium reverse was Weinman's 1907 design for the American Institute of Architects' award medal.

scotty1419

Its nice to see more 'emotion' and 'feel' in the designs. I feel like the 90s and early 2000s were a lot more computerized and lacking humanity - ie the Washington Quarter etc.

BryceM

I like the design, but like many who have commented here, it's basically a variation of what is on the Walker. The best reverse design of the last 80 years is on the Eisenhower (and Susie B.) IMO. The new ASE reverse is nice.

It's interesting to me that public perception of "new" designs was generally quite poor historically. It's not difficult at all to find contemporary accounts complaining about the Merc dime and Buffalo nickel. Today they're beloved classics. Almost all of our favorite designs weren't too popular when first introduced.

That said, I would like to see some fresh ideas. We have plenty of American critters that would feature nicely on coinage. Pronghorn antelope, otters, elk, deer, condors, badgers. We also have plenty of other American people/traits/ideals that deserve better than a passing mention on some quickly forgotten $1 coin or chuck-E-cheese quarter. How about giant Sequoias, SpaceX rockets, bridges, Rock&Roll, Jazz, Broadway shows, or computers and technology?

Big, bold changes. $20, $10, $5, $2, and $1 coins. Fresh ideas. Retirement of Washington, Kennedy, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt. Retirement of everything smaller than a quarter. It would be nice to be able again to carry enough change to fill up your tank and get a meal. It's high time to ignore the the vending machine industry and metal production lobby and take care of the actual needs of American commerce.

Jzyskowski1

@BryceM
Beaver is holding his little paw up but I’ve explained that Canada has kinda run away with that issue 🦫😁

airplanenut

@messydesk said:

@airplanenut said:
It's a lovely design even if not original, but part of that is because it's high relief. I think many current designs would be vastly improved simply by adding a bit of relief.

It's actually more original than the original. The design on the Palladium reverse was Weinman's 1907 design for the American Institute of Architects' award medal.

I only meant not original in that it was used before, rather than being a totally brand new design.

Onastone

@WingedLiberty1957 said:
The $25 Palladium Eagle. Just a gorgeous beast.

I totally agree. As many have stated here, the high relief really adds beauty.

@telephoto1 said:

I think part of the problem with high relief on circulating coins now is the same issue that the Peace Dollar had in 1921... Banks complained because stacks of them would constantly fall over.

Is that really true? How many 1921 HR Peace Dollars can you stack before they fall over? Were tellers making tall piles of dollar coins??? I can't test it out though, I don't have enough of them to make a wobbly stack!!!

@stawick said:

It took me a while to come around to the new ASE eagle. Some people complain about the "clipped" wing, but I kinda like the angled landing profile.

Yep, that's me. I must have OCD or something, the clipped wing drives me crazy. I tried to think outside of the box, artist's license, innovative design....I just don't like the wing clipped. It kind of reminds me of the 2005 nickel
that had Jefferson off center, close up, and clipped....but it's growing on me.

@WingedLiberty1957 said:
I would like to see this 1951 pattern reverse used on the 1c.

Me too....that's beautiful and would make a wonderful change.

TimNH

The reverse is very nice, but the Mercury head has always disturbed me. Wings coming out of the side of someone's head, that's just not right.

justcollecting

@TimNH said:
The reverse is very nice, but the Mercury head has always disturbed me. Wings coming out of the side of someone's head, that's just not right.

You need to watch more Ancient Aliens. lol

messydesk

@TimNH said:
The reverse is very nice, but the Mercury head has always disturbed me. Wings coming out of the side of someone's head, that's just not right.