The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-11
THE new ST, GAUDENS COINS
CENTS, BESIDES THE GOLD EAGLES
AND DOTBLE EAGLES.


WI bNNN v Nsh''
The announcement that the new United
Siatcs coins designed by the late Augustus
Saint Gaudens have been accepted by
the Government will be greeted with great
satisfaction by all who rave been interested
in the project for an Improvement of the
prcsent coinage. but more particularly by
the members Of the American Numismatic
Society Of thisc city. who have been largely
instrumental in bringing about the change.
Mr.. Saint Gaudens was commissioned by
President Roosevelt more h n year ago
10 furnish new designs for certain coins
arpi took in hand three denominations -
the double eagle, the eagle and the one
cent piece Work was delayed on the de-
signs and it was only recently that the dies
were cut, from which n number Of specimens
we're struck. these showing the principal
devices on the diverse and the reverse, but
without any inscription. IL seems that
certain mint difficulties had to be overcome,
The designs being in unusually high relief.
owing TO the unfinished nature OF the coins
the mint authorities did not feel at liberty
TO make public these designs, and indeed
but little official reference was made to
them until President Roosevelt, several
days before Mr.. Saint Gaudens's death, in
a letter TO n committee of the American
Numismatic Society acknowledging the
receipt of a series of resolutions ~petitioning
for a complete change in the whole United
States coinage. announced you will be
pleased to know that we are now complet-
ing a new coinage of the eagle n the
double eagle, designed by Saint Gaudens,
than whom certainly there is no greater
artistic genius living in the United States
or elsewhere
Information has Just been obtained. APP
parently from Mr.. Saint audens's son, that
the artist had also completed the design
for the bronze cent. The indian head is
retained but a radical improvement is
made by introducing a characteristic head
~ an American Indian with real head
dress instead Of the present design. which
really is the Caucasian type, the face hav-
ing been posed for by a little daughter Of
James B. Longacre. the mint engraver.
who designed the present cent piece in
Philadelphia in 1859.
The head of Liberty is retained IN the
double eagle and the eagle. bat idealized,
and it is said that the portrait was posed
for by a Miss Mary Cunningham. a member
Of Mr.. Saint Gaudens's household. On the
reverse Of the twenty dollar gold piece is
an erect eagle, sucn as mas Deen uSeu on
previous United States gold coins. but Of
original design and execution. The present
gold piece Of this denomination was de-
signed by Mr.. Longacre in is4e. the year
b. denomination was first authorized by
Congress.
The ten dollar gold piece il very diff
ferent from the present design. which is the
work Of Mint Engraver William Kneass.
and has been in constant use since 1888.
The Saint Gaudens gold piece shows on the
diverse the same idealized head OF Liberty
as borne by the double eagle. hut on the
reverse is a flying eagle somewhat after
the style Of that borne by the eagle cents Of
1857 and 1858. but more particularly the
pattern half dollars and dollars struck at
the mint in 1888 and 1888. the work OF De-
-lgner Christian Gobrecht. The latter en-
Graver used as a model the live eagle
Peter. known in Philadelphia as the Mint
Bird" which for a number Of years few all
about the city, but each night came home
to roost at the mint. and which was after
ward caught in some of the mint machinery
and killed.
The new designs are all said to be ex-
tremely beautiful. and admirers of the
eminent sculptor are much pleased to learn
that they are suitable for adoption. 80 that
Mr.. Saint Gaudens may have still another
lasting and fitting monument 10 his genius.