Evening star., 1905-09-13
TASTE IN CURRENCY.
Editorial Art Critic Finds Fault With
New $50 Note.
From the Philadelphia Ledger

From the Philadelphia Ledger.
The United States has been unfortunate
In It's coinage and currency. The mochani-
cal execution of our coinage is all that need
be desired but our mint has never risen 10
the opportunity which many governments
in all ages have improved. to make the
coins of the nation works Of art and things
of beauty. With all the frequent changes
of design, we have not one coin that We
can feel proud to put beside the contonl-
rorary coinage of European countries. not
to mention the rich art of ancient or OF
medieval times.
The same artistic poverty affilc;s
paper currency. The engraving is eNQu-
site; the design IS usually uninteresting
and often positively bad. Some years ago
an intelligent effort was made TO improve
the character of the treasury notes. ana
competent artists actually were employed.
The work was new and unfamiliar and
though the notes were vastly superior to
anything done before since, there were
some technical objections to the designs
which furnished the officials with pre-
text for discarding artistic advice and fall
Ing back on their own machiue-made COM
monplace.
Their latest offense IS in the new twenty
dollar gold certificate. which is the more
offensive because more pretentious thaa
anything they have hitherto attempted.
The certificate heretofore issued such
a thing as a job printer of restricted taste
might have set up with type, but II had the
merit of legibility. 1t simply certified, IN
plain letters. that there have been de-
posted in the treasury of the United States
twenty dollars in gold coin, repayable to
the bearer on demand" There was a Wig
nette of Garfield at one end and big -
at the other; and that was all. Nothing
more was required. II the effect was poor.
II at least innocuous.
The certificate has q heavy, dark
scroll border in which appears nothing but
the words United States OF America" the
preceding words being too small TO be read
without glasses, with the - in each corner
so nearly of the same value with the other
ornamentation as to be hardly perceptible.
Another - appears in bright yellow at the
top, and 'in gold COIN also in yellow, at
the bottom, the remaining phraseology be-
ing changed to payable to the bearer on
demand''-not "repayable"-a change more
curious than important. None of this IS
distinct. There is exquisite little
craving from Stuarts Washington in the
center but the blank space is smeared with
ugly yellow. and the back Of the note is
printed in yellowish brown, with seal
in the center that suggests brewers sign.
This note combines the two cardinal faults
OF uglness and obscurity. 1t Is overloaded
with bad ornament that overwhelms the
really beautiful execution OF the central
portrait, and the aggressive use of color is
absolutely taStelesS. while, worst of all,
the note does not plainly express Its pur-
pose or Its value. Fortunately twenty
dollar gold certificate Is not intended for
popular circulation, that Its debasng ef-
feet will probably be limited. But its gem
eral vulgarity is not less discreditabe to
the authority that issues 1t. and the credit
of the United States demands that the
execution of the national currency be taken
out of ignorant hands and intrusted TO some
one with al least glimmering of artistic
judgment.