Are the Matron Head large cents really seen as extremely ugly?
Longacre
Posts: 16,717 ✭✭✭
I was taking a read through the Breen Half Cent book, and he comments on all of the die blunders that Robert Scot made with particular half cents. Breen then comments that he thought that Scot's eyesight was getting poorer and poorer as the years went on. Breen then states, "this may account for some of the hopeless cruditity of hs later work-- especially such creations as the device punch for 1816 cents, which has been characterized as the ugliest thing to appear on American coins before the Booker T. Washington and Washington/Carver half dollars."
Personally, I kind of like the matron head cents. Is there a general consensus that this design was not one of the US's best? I can think of a lot of other coins that are ugly, but I was curious.
Personally, I kind of like the matron head cents. Is there a general consensus that this design was not one of the US's best? I can think of a lot of other coins that are ugly, but I was curious.
Always took candy from strangers
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
0
Comments
So maybe my eyesight ain't up to snuff either.
Yeah....I think Matron Head is ugly..looks like a cross between the Hulk and a very angry mother-in-law...
I knew it would happen.
<< <i>I like the matron head cents, but then I also have a full set of SBA dollars and both versions of the Shriver commem. >>
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Tom, formerly in Albuquerque, NM.
As far as what Breen sez, consider the source. And I don't mean that in a complimentary way from either a personal or research perspective.
I was taking a read through the Breen Half Cent book, and he comments on all of the die blunders that Robert Scot made with particular half cents. Breen then comments that he thought that Scot's eyesight was getting poorer and poorer as the years went on. Breen then states, "this may account for some of the hopeless cruditity of hs later work-- especially such creations as the device punch for 1816 cents, which has been characterized as the ugliest thing to appear on American coins before the Booker T. Washington and Washington/Carver half dollars."
Personally, I kind of like the matron head cents. Is there a general consensus that this design was not one of the US's best? I can think of a lot of other coins that are ugly, but I was curious.
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There is no proof at all that Scot did the 1816 cent design and, in fact, it is more likely that John Reich was the engraver. It is
on record that Reich’s eyesight failed in 1816 and he resigned for this reason in early 1817.
Denga
It took years before I could actually begin collecting them as a series, but I really do think it's an attractive design.
I wouldn't want to date her (probably not her daughter either since the apple doesn't fall far from the tree) but as a coin design, I like it alot.
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She sure isn't going to win any beauty contests, but the Matron Head is my favorite designs of all the Large cents and one of my top 5 favorite designs of any US Coin series.
I met Breen when I was young and he was not a very nice person in my opinion. Then about a year later, he was arrested for a really disgusting decision on his part. I think his poor judgment found its way into his research as well.
Nick
As a design maybe but an interesting series to collect -- only coins made in 1816.
The Matron Head large cent is as pretty as a British smile.
I'd take Anne over "the matron" any day
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
and in response to that improvement we get such endearing terms as "Booby Head" to describe the design????
my impression of this design type is that the hair detail is great but the overall portrait is very homely. what makes matters worse for me is that it ran for quite a long time and adorned two different coins. that's a fact that's most often overlooked with 19th Century coinage----------multiple coin designs which ran for extended periods. i always find it puzzling when the designs of the current time are ballyhooed that noone seems to mind the years and years and coins and coins that all looked the same.
I have always loved the Matron Heads. This is a series that I will focus on in the future.