The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-10
NEW COINS FOR UNCLE SAM.
Fresh Designs Wanted for the Dollar,
Half, Quarter, Dime and Penny.

et0drS0T1 OlIlS anu E6nQys
From the WASHINGTON Star.
Now is the time for artists all over the
country to get out their tools and see what
they can do at making designs for the new
United States coins that will soon be issued.
Within few days the bill that has already
passed the House will be approved by the
Senate-only the prolonged silver discussion
has delayed it-giving authority to the
director of the mint, with the approval of
the Secretary of the Treasury, to change
the patterns of Uncle SANS coins as may
seem to them desirable. When this shall
have been made law Director Leech will
advertise for designs. and the contest will
be thrown open to all, amateurs and pro-
fessionals, with awards of probably not
less than $500 for each one accepted.
Up to the present time the law has not
permitted any alteration in the coins of
the nation save by special act of congress
In each case. But the passage of the bill
referred to will give the director of the
mint, with the secretary's approval, power
to make changes according to his discretion
once in twenty-five years. Thus it will be
| rendered possible to steadily improve the
| beauty of American coins, which for the
most part are to-day considered very bad,
artistically speaking. To begin WITH the
design for the silver dollar is to be altered
entirely.
THE SILVER DOLLAR.
"We are going to have samethlng entirely
new for the. silver dollar" said Director
Leech to Star reporter yesterday. DE
signs on coins ought always to mean some
thing, but should like to know how that
Philadelphia schoolmarm's head signifies
liberty. We shall drop her and put in her
place something very ditferent-may be a
| head of Washington, but that remains to be
| wi Civ 70
the artists who contend, in order that the
greatest variety of ideas and suggestions
may be obtained. AS for the eagle on the
other side it must go. We want an eagle in
the place of it that is Of the heroic type and
doesn't look like turkey buzzard."
| How about the half dollar"
That, as we'll as the other subsidiary
coins-the quarter and the dime-needs al
teratIo1. OF course all three have the same
designs. The eagle on the back seems to me
a very creditable sort of bird, and l rather
think we shall retain it as it is but the slab
sided young female sitting on cotton bale
we shall do away with. don't in the least
know what we shall put in her place, but
we certainly don't want her,"
THE INDIAN TO GO.
Sand the penny!"
''The Indian must be wiped out 1t is
we'll executed head, artistically speaking:
but the law says that the design on the face
of the penny must tyqify liberty. / don't
see how an Indian typities liberty, unless 1t
is liberty very badly abused, With an over
dose Of bad whisky thrown in. We shall
put something in place of the red man,
though l haven't a notion what at present.
Let the competing designers make their
own suggestions. The nickel, as it is now,
is a pretty fair-looking coin, l think.
Whether or not it will be changed l have
not yet determined. The gold coins
will not be altered. They are admirable as
they are now. Because of their greater
value more trouble was taken origi-
nally in the designs for them. The stars
around the edges of the subsidiary coins
will be increased in number to correspond
with the number of states In the union as it
now is. Col. Bob Ingersoll, in the last num-
Der of the Arena, declares it an outrage
that the words In God we trust should ap-
pear on United States coin; but | am not
prepared to say that the motto will be
removed. When the bill has passed the
Senate giving me the authority advertise
ment will be made for designs for the coins
in open competition. Probably the Secre-
tary of the Treasury and myself will call
into consultation a number of first-rate
artists who will give us their judgment in
| the NATTER
ARTISTS OPPORTUNITY.
When the time comes competitors should
send In their designs, II possible In the shape
of models Of plaster, papier mache or any
convenient substance, and not merely
drawings. Here is great opportu-
nifty for some ingenious persons to
earn fame and pretty sum of
money by turning out one or two accept
able suggestions. Doubtless the adj
vertisement of the director Of the
mint will be accompanied by
some definite instructions as to
what is required in general way, so that
there will be something to go upon. If you
are ordinarily vain, you will hide some
where in the design you offer the initial of
your last name. On the silver dollar at
present is the initial IN. " of the designer in
two places one the edge of the neck of
Liberty, where it is cut off close to the hair,
and on the other side of the coin, where the
buzzard clasps the arrows and olive branch
in its claws. The $40 gold piece-hand-
soonest of all Uncle Sans coins-shows the
initials of the designer-"J. B. L."