Symbollism on Morgan Dollar

BASEagle

Does anyone know what that is tucked into Miss Liberty's hair above her crown? It looks like wheat ears, oak leaves and cotton bolls. What is the symbollism of these items? Is there a reference book that explains this?

Thanks,

Mike

MrKelso

Olive brances.

coppercoins

I've never seen olive trees to have leaves that look like those. I'd say it's ivy of some sort....definately not olive leaves.

clevegreg

They are the leaves on a cotton plant, the cotton blossom is above.

Greg

airplanenut

Yes! My research comes in handy already! (this is going to be part of my paper...)

When the United States broke free from Europe, they began to have pride in their country and did their best to stop their imitation of Europe- they no longer felt inferior. This feeling flourished following the War of 1812.

You may have heard of the Hudson River School- a group of artists whose are reflected "uniquely American" aspects of life... they didn't feature religion or adorn people... they just showed people in their normal clothes doing normal chores, and they included American landscapes, as well.

Cotton, a plant grown only in the United States at this time (remember, with the Cotton Gin, the growable region for cotton manufacture was greatly increased), would have been something "uniquely American," as no one else could have it... therefore, items like this were featured on coinage...

You will also notice in the seated liberty dime wreath (and barbers, I believe) there are plants like corn and wheat... same thing as above.

Jeremy

MrKelso

<< <i>Yes! My research comes in handy already! (this is going to be part of my paper...)

When the United States broke free from Europe, they began to have pride in their country and did their best to stop their imitation of Europe- they no longer felt inferior. This feeling flourished following the War of 1812.

You may have heard of the Hudson River School- a group of artists whose are reflected "uniquely American" aspects of life... they didn't feature religion or adorn people... they just showed people in their normal clothes doing normal chores, and they included American landscapes, as well.

Cotton, a plant grown only in the United States at this time (remember, with the Cotton Gin, the growable region for cotton manufacture was greatly increased), would have been something "uniquely American," as no one else could have it... therefore, items like this were featured on coinage...

You will also notice in the seated liberty dime wreath (and barbers, I believe) there are plants like corn and wheat... same thing as above.

Jeremy >>




SEE i knew that
i was just waiting for J to come out and explain it away
Thats why i said Olive Brances....

Libertad

(ahem) The wheat and the cotton on the silver dollar symbolizes the deep feelings to unite the emerging country after the War Between the States, striving to present an economic symbol of unity during the reconstruction period. The wheat (Northern) and the cotton (Southern) on the brow of Liberty were designed to symbolize the united agrarian economy, both were needed to rebuild a country and demonstrate the dependence of both factions to progress. Sort of a yin-yang thing, and a nice touch.

Or so I have read.

airplanenut

Libertad,

What I said works, too They used those crops on coins before the civil war...

Jeremy

Conder101

Basicly the wheat and cotton were used to symbolize that we were a significant agricultural producing nation. They don't just stand for wheat and cotton but all agriculturial products.