New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-06
THE NEW. SILVER COINAGE.
WHAT THE DESIGNS WILL LOOK LIKE.
THE NEW ISSUE WILL BE MADE IN JANUARY
THE MINT HARD AT WORK.

THE NEW ISSUE WILL BIZ MADE IN JANCAht-
THE MINT HARD AT WORK.
Washington, Nov. 5.-Under the authority contained
In the Act Of Congress approved September 2o 1872
the Director Of the Mint has prepared new designs Tor
silver coins, which have met with the approval OK
the Secretary Of the Treasury and the appreciation Oh
all who have seen them Tho wv designs are IN
tended for the subsidiary silver coins. the haldoar
quarter dollar and dime. They were prepared by
Charles E. Barber the engraver Of the mint, and the
models have been executed under the personal super
vision Of the Director. 1t Is said Mt the Treasury
Department that the new designs are unquestionaby
beautiful and decided improvement upon the present
designs.
The new designs may be described follows: On
the observe. face Of the coin, is ideal female
head representative Of Liberty, looking to the right
with calm and dignfed expression. having an olive
wreath aroupd the head and a Phrygian cap on the
back Of 1t. On band fllet the front OF the
head is inscribed the word Liberty" and the head
the top of the coin Is the MOTIF In God We Trust
Around the medallion arc thirteen stars. representing
the thirteen original states, and at the bottom the date
of coinage. On the reverse or back Of tlc coin ap-
pears the seal Of the United states, adopted In 1882
which may be described us follows An eagle, dis
played, with open wings, charged on the breast
shield argent, six pallets glIles chief azure. holding
In the dexter claw olive branch representing Peace
and in the sinister claw sheaf OF thirteen arrows rep
resertng War In its beak the eagle holds scroll
containing the motto " E. Pluribus Unum7 unsigned
above and about the head with thirteen stars envroned
by clouds.
This will be the design OF the hafdollar and quarter
dollar while the dime will have for The diverse, face
tile same head a. the halfdoar and quarterdoar,
except that place of the stars there will be the in
scrpton United stntes OF Amenca" The motto In
God We Trust will be omitted from the dime The
reverse OF the dime will be the at present in
The design for the reverse OF the half-dolar and
quarter is return N the design OF almost the
first coinage of the country while the female head on
the face OF the coins is far beautiful than
which has yet appeared coins. Director Lecch
says: ID has often Leen said that the design on our
early coinage superior to some modern, and this
seems to be IA case in point as what can be more
appropriate for the designs OF National coinage
than the great seal. carrying with IT, it undoubtedly
does the mark of It's genuinelcss and worth As the
volume Of subsidiary silver coinage at present Is
vast the minis being engaged to their utmost capacity
the reconage Of the large stock Of uncurrent silver
coins In the Treasury great number OF dies are re
quired and the work OF engraving die i OF neces
sity slow and tedious process, and would be sure 10
have variations If each separate die was en-
graved the practice is to have prepared first hub
mother die, which is piese Of tempered Steel on
resents. This hub being hard be forced by great
pressure into finely anncaled piece Of steel. thus
producing working die for actual coinage The en-
craving department OF the mint at Phi adepha Is nj
present employing all its energy 10 have the dies with
the designs ready 10 begin coinage by January.