Liberty Cap and Pole question.

CaptainRon

As I understand it, the liberty cap on a pole, is suppose to represent freedom. I guess derived from the time of the Ceasers in conjuction with the freeing of slaves. Was this something that was actually done with our forefathers, or just a remebered idea placed upon our currency to represent freedom. If it was actually used, was it also used at all, during the Civil during the freeing of African American Slaves.

If it was actually used, do any of these actual Liberty Cap and Poles still exist, in any of our nations museums.

Thanks a bunch
Ron

Pistareen

Hi Ron:

By the time of the Revolution, the liberty cap was just an allegorical device -- something you'd see in paintings, prints, or medals, but not something anyone actually wore. I have seen images from the era of the French Revolution where people are depicted wearing liberty caps, but since they are not photos it is difficult to say they actually wore them. Of course, if they did, it would be like someone today wearing a tricorn hat to show that they were a patriot or wearing a toga to show they were a philosopher.

Liberty poles were a bit of a different story -- nearly every town during the Revolution had a "liberty tree" or a "liberty pole" which would serve as a gathering place for rallies and such. I have seen these liberty poles depicted with a cap on top, but I think that was merely the allegorical way of showing what they were (rather than a may pole or something else). But physical real-life liberty poles were something that existed during the Revolution.

I hope that answers your question. The medal on my icon is the Libertas Americana medal, which shows a Liberty cap and pole and inspired the design of the earliest half cents and large cents. The designs were conceived by Franklin and executed by two French artists: E.A. Gibelin (who did some original rough sketches) and Augustin Dupre, the leading French medallist of the period, who did the final design, engraved the dies, and produced the medals.

JK

CaptainRon

Thank you much for the info.

Ron