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James Earle Fraser pattern 1952 cent...

anablepanablep Posts: 5,096 ✭✭✭✭✭
I love Fraser's work on the buffalo nickel and am more impressed by his portrait on the pattern Lincoln cent.

Does anyone have a picture of the reverse?

From USPatterns.com:
The reverse showed an oak tree, "...as a symbol because Lincoln was a woodsman...It stands too for strength, ever renewing growth, and unity. Like a nation, it has roots, a trunk, branches, flowers and finally fruit."

I'd love to see it and was wondering if this should have been the design for 2009 or could be the design for 2010.

What artistry on this obverse!!

image
Always looking for attractive rim toned Morgan and Peace dollars in PCGS or (older) ANA/ANACS holders!

"Bongo hurtles along the rain soaked highway of life on underinflated bald retread tires."


~Wayne

Comments

  • sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    That is really nice. I love the thick rims.
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  • MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 24,241 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Calling Mr Eureka!!!

    I'm hoping njcoincrank has a picture for us...
    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
  • njcoincranknjcoincrank Posts: 1,066 ✭✭
    Thanks Andy...

    I do have the matching reverse plaster for this obverse. Only one thing is missing. Giving Laura Gardin Fraser credit for both of them. According to Joseph Lepczyk, who sold them at auction in October, 1980, Laura, not James Earl, was responsible for these designs.

    Sorry I don't have a picture to post here. But in the not too distant future Laura's reverse design, along with many other pieces, will be able to be seen on my web site. Stay tuned.

    njcc
    www.numismaticamericana.com
  • orevilleoreville Posts: 11,950 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Simply awesome, awesome, awesome.

    A Collectors Universe poster since 1997!
  • anablepanablep Posts: 5,096 ✭✭✭✭✭
    njcoincrank: thank you for the info. Didn't know it was Laura's design. She did the quarter dollar pattern that became a gold commem, correct? That design was terrific too. Can't wait to see the Lincoln reverse some day.
    Always looking for attractive rim toned Morgan and Peace dollars in PCGS or (older) ANA/ANACS holders!

    "Bongo hurtles along the rain soaked highway of life on underinflated bald retread tires."


    ~Wayne
  • njcoincranknjcoincrank Posts: 1,066 ✭✭
    Yes, Laura did the original design for the 1932 Washington qtr. I sold the reverse plaster a few years ago to a collector in Pittsburgh.

    njcc
    www.numismaticamericana.com
  • IGWTIGWT Posts: 4,975
    NJCC - How about a link to your website?
  • LostSislerLostSisler Posts: 521 ✭✭✭
    I do agree that this looks like Laura Fraser's work BUT, I've seen a drawing by Gilroy Roberts that looks exactly like this...

    Perhaps Fraser's design made it to the mint and Roberts was told to work on it, producing what I saw. I'll see if I can get ahold of images and see if there's a reverse to this...
    Because to Err is Human.
    I specialize in Errors, Minting, Counterfeit Detection & Grading.
    Computer-aided grading, counterfeit detection, recognition and imaging.
  • BBNBBN Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭
    I guess we get the shield on the reverse in 2010? why not use this obverse

    Positive BST Transactions (buyers and sellers): wondercoin, blu62vette, BAJJERFAN, privatecoin, blu62vette, AlanLastufka, privatecoin

    #1 1951 Bowman Los Angeles Rams Team Set
    #2 1980 Topps Los Angeles Rams Team Set
    #8 (and climbing) 1972 Topps Los Angeles Rams Team Set
  • TrainNutTrainNut Posts: 140 ✭✭


    << <i>That is really nice. I love the thick rims. >>

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If we must have dead presidents on our coins, why not something as nice as this? Cheers, RickO
  • coppercoinscoppercoins Posts: 6,084 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I do agree that this looks like Laura Fraser's work BUT, I've seen a drawing by Gilroy Roberts that looks exactly like this...

    Perhaps Fraser's design made it to the mint and Roberts was told to work on it, producing what I saw. I'll see if I can get ahold of images and see if there's a reverse to this... >>



    How about this?

    image
    C. D. Daughtrey, NLG
    The Lincoln cent store:
    http://www.lincolncent.com

    My numismatic art work:
    http://www.cdaughtrey.com
    USAF veteran, 1986-1996 :: support our troops - the American way.
    image
  • Looks much bigger in person. image

    Nice job piecing the shot together.

    Dave of the cornfields
  • tahoe98tahoe98 Posts: 11,388 ✭✭✭


    ........There is a photo of the reverse model on p.70 of Renaissance of American Coinage 1909-1915. It might also be illustrated on the USpatterns.com web site. from what i have been made to understand.image
    "government is not reason, it is not eloquence-it is a force! like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master; never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action." George Washington
  • njcoincranknjcoincrank Posts: 1,066 ✭✭
    Nice photo Chuck !!!image

    Thanks for taking it.

    njcc
    www.numismaticamericana.com
  • nycounselnycounsel Posts: 1,229 ✭✭
    wow, i wish the Mint was considering using this design for 2010.
    Dan
  • coppercoinscoppercoins Posts: 6,084 ✭✭✭
    A little detail about the image of the reverse above.

    I had the opportunity of photographing the original plaster this past weekend, thanks to Njcoincrank. The photograph shown is my original photograph edited for size, and flipped backward to show the design in proper alignment. The actual plaster is like a die - with everything in reverse relief and backwards, and measures approximately 10.5" across.

    Because I did not have the proper lenses or setup at the show to photograph a dinner plate size piece, I ended up setting the piece on a pad and photographing it from 3 feet away using the room lighting (which always sucks). The color may be a little off the original, which would be egg-shell white plaster partially covered in a bronze colored spray paint.
    C. D. Daughtrey, NLG
    The Lincoln cent store:
    http://www.lincolncent.com

    My numismatic art work:
    http://www.cdaughtrey.com
    USAF veteran, 1986-1996 :: support our troops - the American way.
    image
  • anablepanablep Posts: 5,096 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thank you for posting the reverse plaster.

    What a striking design this would have made.



    Instead we get token-like dollars and insipid low relief portraits.



    I'm afraid our coinage today is not worthy of carrying the name of the United States of America.
    Always looking for attractive rim toned Morgan and Peace dollars in PCGS or (older) ANA/ANACS holders!

    "Bongo hurtles along the rain soaked highway of life on underinflated bald retread tires."


    ~Wayne
  • MarkMark Posts: 3,536 ✭✭✭✭✭
    coppercoins (Chuck):

    Thanks so much for that picture. Even under the constrained circumstances at the show, your picture is better than 99% of what others could do in optimal circumstances!

    I think the reverse is a pretty design. I wonder how it would have struck up given the wide rims on the obverse. In particular, I wonder if each design individually looks good but the combination might not strike well. Ah well, sadly enough there is not much chance we'll ever find out how well (or how poorly) they strike. Too bad....
    Mark


  • LostSislerLostSisler Posts: 521 ✭✭✭
    Does anyone know why the design change was being considered in 52?

    This plaster is in the ANA collection. I believe that it is from Roberts though it may be Pietz (?).
    I think that this was "inspired" by the the Fraser work.

    image
    Because to Err is Human.
    I specialize in Errors, Minting, Counterfeit Detection & Grading.
    Computer-aided grading, counterfeit detection, recognition and imaging.
  • And look how the idiots at the mint have destroyed the current Lincoln obverse portrait. Hideous!

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