Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-07-18
NEW HEAD FOR A DOLLAR.
CONGRESS HAS DECIDED TO
CHANGE THE DESIGN


A Chance for the Coin Artists-They Can
send In Their Ideas. and the Govern
msnt May in Turn Reward Them.
Firm in the belief that the present is a
pt Rod Of advancement in art. and in
spI. d by an overpowering ambition to
elevate the esthetic tastes of the masses,
the lawmakers at Washington have
passed bill authorizing the director of
the mint to change the pattern and de-
signs of all coins except those of gold,
and this esthetic measure bids fair to
become law.
Just at present the indications are that
the new law will give general satisfac-
ton. For long time people engaged in
the rather pleasant occupation of hand
ling coins have insisted that irrespective
of their purchasable value the coins of
the nation should possess claims to
artistic excellence. Furthermore, it is
claimed and not denied that from purely
esthetic point of view the American coin
will not bear comparison with its foreign
rivals, and that even the penny of de-
spised Canada outclasses Uncle Sans"
in size, weight, and beauty.
The proposed act requires the Secretary
of the Treasury and the director of the
mint to see that the designs ON all coins,
with the exception of the double eagle
gold piece, be changed at least once in
every 25 years. Any American citizen,
irrespective of color, age, or politics, is
allowed to furnish the authorities at
Washington with original designs for
the new coin. All native designers, pro-
fessional or otherwise, are then given
chance to make bid for glory and
money prize. The amount of this prize
is to be fixed by the Secretary of the
Treasury. The Secretary and the director
of the mint are to constitute the board
of award. They are to pass Judgment
on all the designs offered, and their de-
cision is to be final In other words,
these two gentleman are given the power
to transform the outlandish looking eagle
into mild hammered gamecock, or put
one of the imported gayety dancers in
the position now occupied by the young
woman in the flowing drapery.
Colonel Bosbyshell, the superintend-
ent of the Philadelphia Mint, talked
entertainingly of the features of the pro-
posed law. . suppose, said the col
onel, that, considered from purely
artistic standpoint, the proposed changes
in the designs of our coins are necessary.
The designs for coins in England, France,
and other countries are often changed,
and as natural sequence the coins of
these countries are masterpieces of the
stampers' art. On the contrary, our
coins are antique and commonplace in
the matter of design. Although the bill
is not as yet law, and it will be some
thing less than year before the new
dies are cut and ready for use, we are
daily receiving letters and draughts of
proposed designs from people ambitious
to have a finger in the proposed changes.
don't know what financial inducements
the Government intends offering to these
amateur coin builders, but do know
that there are great many contestants
who seem content to strive for the glory
alone.
@Yes, there have beensome novel ideas
offered already. One man, an architect,
with an Office on Arch street, Philadel-
phia, has scheme for a combination
gold and silver coin. His idea is to put
a gold medallion on the face of silver
piece, and grade the amount of gold
used to the face value of the coin in ques-
ton. For instance, there would be just
10 cents worth of gold and silver in
dime, and dollars value of metal in a
silver dollar. The architect hasn't given
me the details of his scheme as yet, but
] must confess that it bears the merit of
novelty. A great many people who i'm
agine they know a great deal about coins
lose sight of the fact that design that
looks remarkably well on paper is prac-
tically worthless for our purposes. A
coin engraver-and there are only three
in this country-is the sole judge of what
can be done in the way of reducing de-
signs Unlike the medal engraver the
coin man must give you a design with
only an apparent relief, whereas the
medal man has to deal only with positive
and absolute reliefs. The three coin en-
gravers in this country are in the employ
of the Government, and they average in
wages 5000 apiece. It is very fair pay,
but they earn their money. After the
Washington officials have selected the
designs it viii take year or more to
sink the dies and get them working prop
erly."
The head on the standard dollar was
the work of q Philadelphia artist, Mr.
Thomas Eakins, and the foundation for
the design was the profile of Miss Nan
ME Williams, who is at present or was
recently Philadelphia school teacher.
&c May Thank Her stars.