Finally Got My Isabella - Pics and History Of....
richardshipp
Posts: 5,647 ✭✭✭
After months of searching and trying I was finally able to secure an Isabella that met my criteria:
1. It couldn't break the bank.
2. It had to have great eye appeal and moderate toning (no blast white ones)
3. Prefered a PCGS graded one.
I must say that I never imagined that I'd buy anything (actually could afford anything) from Anaconda. However, thanks to Brandon my new piece is on the way. These are his pictures and I'm sure far exceed anything that I could produce. I would also like to thank Mark Feld for being a sounding board on more than one occasion.
Below the pictures is an excellent article by Raymond F. Hanisco on the Isabella.
Excerpts from article by:
Raymond F. Hanisco
BellaOnline's Coin Collecting Editor
The Isabella Quarter
The Isabella Quarter was not only one of the first U.S. commemoratives coins, but it was the first commemorative quarter, and one of the most unusual. It celebrates the women’s role in industry,, it was issued in 1893 in conjunction with the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
By 1890, Susan B. Anthony was lecturing throughout the country on behalf of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. At the same time, Bertha Honoré Palmer, the wife of Potter Palmer of the Palmer House in Chicago, was focusing her attentions on improving the education and economic status of women, and was backing the ideological principle of equal pay for equal work. Susan B. Anthony enthusiastically petitioned both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate for a ‘Board of Lady Managers’ to oversee women’s activities at the fair. Congress approved funding for a Women’s Building and related expenses, and Bertha Honoré Palmer was appointed as president of the ‘Board of Lady Managers.’
Bertha Honoré Palmer then turned her attention to Congress’ Appropriations Committee. Following the lead of the souvenir Columbian Exposition commemorative half-dollar, to be produced to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America, Mrs. Potter lobbied and procured funding in the form of 40,000 commemorative quarters. In keeping with the female theme, she insisted on a female effigy on the coin, and what could be more fitting then Columbus’ benefactor, Queen Isabella of Spain.
In March 1893, the Mint Director Edward O. Leech informed the ‘Board of Lady Managers,’ that they needed to forward the likeness of Queen Isabella to be used on the commemorative quarter. In this way, it would save both time and money in production. Having some idea of the politics within government, it has been reported that Susan B. Anthony advised Mrs. Palmer to ignore the Mint Director’s request and to pursue the commemorative quarter through normal channels. Bertha Palmer wanted to keep with an all female input into the design, and selected a New York artist, and student of the famed sculptor, Augustus St.Gaudens, by the name of Caroline Peddle to create the design. This action greatly offended the Chief Engraver, Charles Barber, and all chances for approval of Peddle’s design was quashed. Charles Barber chose artist Kenyon Cox, who had painted several murals and illustrations at the exposition, to prepare sketches from which Barber personally created models and dies for the new quarter.
The Philadelphia Mint began production on the 40,000 quarters on June 13, 1893 about six weeks after the Columbian Exposition opened. Estimates of somewhere between 40 to 100 proof struck coins were made in addition to the 3 special documented proof quarters. The three special documented proofs were coins #400 (for the 400th anniversary of Columbus discovering America), #1492 (the year of Columbus’s discovery), and #1892 (for the anniversary year). These special proofs were presented to the ‘Board of Lady Managers.’
The Isabella Quarters were sold as souvenirs for $1.00 each at the Women’s Building on the fair grounds. Even though an estimated 27.5 million visitors (including about 25% of the population of the United States) attended the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, only a small quantity of the quarters sold. Ultimately, 15,809 pieces were returned to the mint for melting, which left a net mintage of 24,191 Isabella Quarters (including proofs).
The Isabella Quarter was the first U.S. coin to feature the portrait of an actual female; the first commemorative quarter; and, the only U.S. coin to feature a woman on both sides of the coin. The Isabella Quarter is a key coin to any collector of U.S. commemoratives coins, as well as to many woman collectors for what it represents
1. It couldn't break the bank.
2. It had to have great eye appeal and moderate toning (no blast white ones)
3. Prefered a PCGS graded one.
I must say that I never imagined that I'd buy anything (actually could afford anything) from Anaconda. However, thanks to Brandon my new piece is on the way. These are his pictures and I'm sure far exceed anything that I could produce. I would also like to thank Mark Feld for being a sounding board on more than one occasion.
Below the pictures is an excellent article by Raymond F. Hanisco on the Isabella.
Excerpts from article by:
Raymond F. Hanisco
BellaOnline's Coin Collecting Editor
The Isabella Quarter
The Isabella Quarter was not only one of the first U.S. commemoratives coins, but it was the first commemorative quarter, and one of the most unusual. It celebrates the women’s role in industry,, it was issued in 1893 in conjunction with the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
By 1890, Susan B. Anthony was lecturing throughout the country on behalf of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. At the same time, Bertha Honoré Palmer, the wife of Potter Palmer of the Palmer House in Chicago, was focusing her attentions on improving the education and economic status of women, and was backing the ideological principle of equal pay for equal work. Susan B. Anthony enthusiastically petitioned both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate for a ‘Board of Lady Managers’ to oversee women’s activities at the fair. Congress approved funding for a Women’s Building and related expenses, and Bertha Honoré Palmer was appointed as president of the ‘Board of Lady Managers.’
Bertha Honoré Palmer then turned her attention to Congress’ Appropriations Committee. Following the lead of the souvenir Columbian Exposition commemorative half-dollar, to be produced to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America, Mrs. Potter lobbied and procured funding in the form of 40,000 commemorative quarters. In keeping with the female theme, she insisted on a female effigy on the coin, and what could be more fitting then Columbus’ benefactor, Queen Isabella of Spain.
In March 1893, the Mint Director Edward O. Leech informed the ‘Board of Lady Managers,’ that they needed to forward the likeness of Queen Isabella to be used on the commemorative quarter. In this way, it would save both time and money in production. Having some idea of the politics within government, it has been reported that Susan B. Anthony advised Mrs. Palmer to ignore the Mint Director’s request and to pursue the commemorative quarter through normal channels. Bertha Palmer wanted to keep with an all female input into the design, and selected a New York artist, and student of the famed sculptor, Augustus St.Gaudens, by the name of Caroline Peddle to create the design. This action greatly offended the Chief Engraver, Charles Barber, and all chances for approval of Peddle’s design was quashed. Charles Barber chose artist Kenyon Cox, who had painted several murals and illustrations at the exposition, to prepare sketches from which Barber personally created models and dies for the new quarter.
The Philadelphia Mint began production on the 40,000 quarters on June 13, 1893 about six weeks after the Columbian Exposition opened. Estimates of somewhere between 40 to 100 proof struck coins were made in addition to the 3 special documented proof quarters. The three special documented proofs were coins #400 (for the 400th anniversary of Columbus discovering America), #1492 (the year of Columbus’s discovery), and #1892 (for the anniversary year). These special proofs were presented to the ‘Board of Lady Managers.’
The Isabella Quarters were sold as souvenirs for $1.00 each at the Women’s Building on the fair grounds. Even though an estimated 27.5 million visitors (including about 25% of the population of the United States) attended the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, only a small quantity of the quarters sold. Ultimately, 15,809 pieces were returned to the mint for melting, which left a net mintage of 24,191 Isabella Quarters (including proofs).
The Isabella Quarter was the first U.S. coin to feature the portrait of an actual female; the first commemorative quarter; and, the only U.S. coin to feature a woman on both sides of the coin. The Isabella Quarter is a key coin to any collector of U.S. commemoratives coins, as well as to many woman collectors for what it represents
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Comments
Luster: Usually very nice but thicker deep toning can affect the luster. Also, prooflike examples exist.
Strike: Typically very strong with all details of the design fully struck. The weakest areas seem to be Isabella's hair on the obverse and the thread over the figure's thigh on the reverse.
Patina: Moderately thick with many pieces exhibiting deep teal and maroon tones. Search for pieces that have original, usually perhiperhal original color, that is not too dark.
This commemorative quarter was struck as a souvenir during the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition for the Board of Lady Managers. The obverse displays Queen Isabella which made this the first U.S. Coin to depict a foreign monarch. The reverse depicts a woman kneeling and holding a distaff showing woman's industry. The American Journal of Numismatics in October 1893 commented on the reverse design that it was "mournfully suggestive of the old anti-slavery token, AM I NOT A WOMAN AND A SISTER."
Isabella quarters were never introduced into circulation so many of them today remain in the lower mint-state grades. Some of the examples do show evidence of mishandling that probably was incurred during or near the time of the 1893 Exposition by those who purchased the coins as souvenirs.
Isabella quarters are the only commemorative coin of the 25c denomination. In 1932, the Washington Quarter was initially produced as a 25c commemorative coin but the design was continued and was accepted as the general issue to replace the Standing Liberty Quarter design.
Queen Isabella's Cheek and the lower part of the crown on the obverse generally took the most wear on the obverse while the curved strand of fiber passing over the woman's thigh is a key area for wear on the reverse. Contact marks are usually found in the fields on both the obverse and reverse. Since these coins were well taken care of by their owners at the time they were produced, most examples today are quite problem-free.
The mint authorized the striking of 40,000 examples and 40,023 were struck including the assay coins. A total of 15,809 were melted leaving a net total of 24,214 coins produced. The original packaging for these coins was envelopes for the Board of Lady Managers. A private presentation box issued by a bank is noted to exist.
You're gonna love her!
"Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen
That's a beautiful quarter.
The period of Spanish History under the reign of Ferdinando and Isabella (los Reyes Católicos) is a very interesting one, full of triumph and conflict for the Empire.
The regions of Aragon and Catalonia were united with the marraige of Ferdinando y Isabella, and Cristoból Colón, Columbus to us Americans, sailed under their standard to the New World. Unfortunately, there is also the matter of la Inquisición being established in Castille and the overtaking of Moorish Spain, a dark part of Spanish History certainly.
Thanks for sharing a cool coin and a neat piece of history.
-Amanda
I'm a YN working on a type set!
My Buffalo Nickel Website Home of the Quirky Buffaloes Collection!
Proud member of the CUFYNA
Good guy to deal with ... Whats the grade on that coin 62-63
Mike
<< <i>hehe Last Time I bought a coin from Brandon & Anaconda I had to Mortgage the house
Good guy to deal with ... Whats the grade on that coin 62-63
Mike >>
Why so harsh?
<< <i>Harsh ... hahaha ..
You looked at the grade didn't you?
I think this is an execellent example for the grade......
hit on the cheek and the wear on the robe belt a few too many brush marks on the reverse
BUT I LIKE IT ... and I am not a big fan of Rotting (Toning) coins
An AU with the That look and That strike would look good in anyones collection ... good catch
after looking at probably hundreds of coins over the past 2-3 years my conclusion is this------with a total mintage of less than 25k there are probably just 5-10k survivors and maybe fewer than 5k, Mint State examples may total less than 1,000 and the majority of those have been dipped white and stripped of their luster(which was weak to begin with) leaving a small number of attractive coins for a coolector to choose from.
you have done well, grasshopper!!!