Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1916-07-21

Adolph Alexander Weinman, designer
Of the new United States fifty and ten
cent pieces, and Herman A. MacNeil,
designer Of the new twenty-five cent
piece. have given the following descrip-
/ tons Of their designs and the artistic
thought back Of the drawings.
Mr.. Weinman said:
while was given an entirely free
hand In the designing Of the coins. the
subject Of the designs was determined
by the law governing the coinage of
the United States, which law sets forth
just what is to appear upon the OBJ
verse and reverse Of each coin. The
manner Of representation Is, of course,
left to the artist, subject to the ap.
proval Of the director Of the mint and
the secretary Of the treasury. Thus
the diverse Of the half dollar bears an
impression emblematic of Liberty. with
an inscription Of the word Liberty
and the year of the coinage. The same
applies to the diverse Of the dime.
upon the reverse there Is the figure
or representation Of an eagle, with this
inscription. United States of America
1.-The character Of the subject for the
reverse Of the dime has not been men.
toned in this law on coinage.
In my design for the half dollar I
have represented Liberty In a full
length female figure enveloped In the
folds Of the stars and stripes. progress
ing In full stride toward the glorious
dawn Of new day. carrying branches
Of laurel and Of oak. symbolical Of
civic and Of military glory. Her right
hand Is extended in bestowal Of the
spirit Of liberty upon the land Of the
free and the home Of the brave
1.-THE design for the reverse Of the
half dollar shows the American eagle
perched high upon a mountain crag, his
wings unfolded, fearless In spirit and
conscious Of his power. Springing from
a rift in the rock L. sapling Of noun.
tain pine, symbolical Of America.
1.-THE design for the dime, owing to
the smallness Of the coin. has been
held quite simple. The diverse shows
q head Of Liberty with q winged cap.
The head u 6rm and simple In form.
the profile forceful
1.-The reverse shows q design Of q
bundle Of STATS with battle az, the
9ascea,' emblem Of unity and symbol
o3 strength and preparedness. Sur.
rounding the fasces u q full foliaged
branch Of olive. symbol Of peace"
Adolph Alexander Weinman, sculp-
tor. was born In Karlsruhe. Baden,
Germany. Dec. II. 1870. He obtained
bis education In Germany and In this
country.
Typifiss Prsparsdnsss.
Mr.. MacNeil said:
1T seemed to me q good plan to try
to typify in the issue Of the new coins
not only our country's development
artisdcally, but also to express, 30 far
as possible, the development Of the
country itself since the last issue. some
twenty-five years ago.
with this In mind. It seemed to me
that the idea most in the minds Of the
whole people these last few years was
an awakening from the slumber Of Sc
curity in their own strength. It is 4
we'll understood fact that strength
trained doubles its value and efficiency.
so in the diverse Of the coin suggested
the figure Of Liberty in the act Of IN
covering her shield to typify prepared
ness and had her also bearing the olive
branch to signify there was no aggres-
sive idea In It
From the point Of view of numismat-
les. as we'll as carrying out this idea. I
placed the figure stepping forward to
what might be called the gateway Of
the country. Artistically you will I'm.
derstand that It is very difficult thing
anyway. even without the prescribed
limitations. to express in so small q
thing us coin anything more than the
mere kernel Of an idea."
Herman Atkins MacNeil. sculptor.
was born in Chelsea. Mass. in 1860.
He was graduated from the Massachu-
sets State Normal school in 1886. He
was a pupil Of Chaplin at Julien acad.
envy and spent twelve years at the
Ecole des Reaux Arts in Paris