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Contemporary description of "new" WLH
TommyType
Posts: 4,586 ✭✭✭✭✭
Just bopping through Wikipedia on random numismatic topics, so see how a non-hobby reference may differ. Found this contemporary description of the Walking Liberty Half, that I found interesting. What was THIS writer looking at?!
"The Huntsville (Alabama) Mercury, however, expressed its dislike of the new half dollar. In a piece entitled "New half dollar is sick", it stated:
The new coin is radically different from all other monies produced by the government mints. A suffragette is shown sowing small stars in a western field that hasn’t been plowed very deeply. The sun is setting and the old girl looks rather tired from her day’s labors, in fact perspiration can be seen trickling from her forehead. The lady wears sandals and her feet are rather dusty. She also appears, to have on overalls under her thin dress. She carries a load of firewood in one arm and wears a large napkin around her neck which leads to the belief that she left a small child at the house. The wind is blowing from the north and the sun has a blizzardly appearance. In great letters LIBERTY is spelled, extending more that half way around the entire surface. On the other side appears an eagle, grown to enormous size and marching madly toward Mexico, a cactus bush being shown in the background. The eagle has raised his wing, as if to strike; the old fellow looks like he could put up a good fight if aroused but he has a swell crop of feathers on his legs.[49]"
Link
Particulary interested in how he could see dust on the feet of Miss Liberty.
"The Huntsville (Alabama) Mercury, however, expressed its dislike of the new half dollar. In a piece entitled "New half dollar is sick", it stated:
The new coin is radically different from all other monies produced by the government mints. A suffragette is shown sowing small stars in a western field that hasn’t been plowed very deeply. The sun is setting and the old girl looks rather tired from her day’s labors, in fact perspiration can be seen trickling from her forehead. The lady wears sandals and her feet are rather dusty. She also appears, to have on overalls under her thin dress. She carries a load of firewood in one arm and wears a large napkin around her neck which leads to the belief that she left a small child at the house. The wind is blowing from the north and the sun has a blizzardly appearance. In great letters LIBERTY is spelled, extending more that half way around the entire surface. On the other side appears an eagle, grown to enormous size and marching madly toward Mexico, a cactus bush being shown in the background. The eagle has raised his wing, as if to strike; the old fellow looks like he could put up a good fight if aroused but he has a swell crop of feathers on his legs.[49]"
Link
Particulary interested in how he could see dust on the feet of Miss Liberty.
Easily distracted Type Collector
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I hope that Roger Burdette sees this. He may have to rewrite his entire Renaissance series!!!
Eric
I've wondered to myself how the American public would react if someone, (ANYONE), decided to retire the "dead presidents", and do a full design change like they did in 1913-1917. All new, artistic designs, not based on actual persons.
I have a feeling we would see similar critiques and complaints, with similar wild descriptions and accusations....