Left Facing versus Right Facing...?

DieClash

So why are some coins' bust images facing left and others facing right? And who decided which coins would have heads looking left versus heads looking right?

Consider the current circulating coinage, only one series has an obverse deadhead looking left, whilst all other deadheads are looking right! Even the Jefferson forward-looking portrait is looking slight right!

Can you guess which circulating coin is looking left?

I've observed that most 20th century coins have obverse portraits facing right with a minority facing left whilst most 19th century mintages face left with few exceptions.

What's up with that? Any numismatic historians have a theory? Please weigh in!

For example, Ike and Kennedy face left on modern 20th century coins, and these hardly circulate, whilst the rest of the current circulating coins face right.

Most 19th century coins face left, whilst most early 19th and late 18th century coins have obverse images of Liberty facing right! Why is this so? Have any numismatists researched this? I'm curious as to what factor determines which direction the portraits on the obverse of our coins face, East or West?

barbershopper

Huh??

JT

EagleEye

I would think it was the artist who decided.

On recent Presidents, the influence was likely from a portrait the artist used in creating the design. For Liberty heads they were influenced by previous works that inspired the artists, like the Libertas Americana medal, artists sketches or even some foreign coins (Chuck Barber's creations and the Seated Liberty come to mind)

richbeat

I'm not sure I follow you. Of the current circulating coins (or current coins that are meant to circulate), only Lincoln on the Lincoln cent faces right (right profile). Sacagawea faces right but she's looking at you. I don't consider the current Jefferson nickel obverse to be facing right. Kennedy, Washington and Roosevelt are left profile.

Anyway, it's like Rick Snow said: artist interpretation and what he/she was working with.

Steve27

Just keep in mind that when the Lincoln was first issued, the Liberty Nickel, and Barber dime/quarter/half dollar all showed the right profile.

ricko

Now this question should shake up the numismatic world... right vs left, hmmmm likely a hidden meaning there... perhaps a secret society passing a message to the 'new world order'?? Cheers, RickO

ProofArtworkonCircs

British monarchs alternate, but Edward VIII would have violated the convention.

WoodenJefferson

In the 1950’s Sunset Boulevard, Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) says,
"All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up,"

Good thing we don't have these problems, 99.99% of the peoples portraits used on coins are already dead.

edit: Oh yeah, Gen. Washington is facing left on the quarter.