Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-06-22
New Styles in Cash
BY Frederic Y. Haskin

July first, all half dollars, quarters and
dimes out by the United States minis
are to bear new designs. For twenty.
five years now the American people
nave been circulating the same old
styles OF coins. and coins. like every
thing else, go out OF date. The half
dollar, for instance, 10 reported by the
mint authorities to be growing more
and more unpopular and in order that
1t may not meet the same fate as the
old fashioned two-cent piece, 1t Is to
attract the public attention by new
design. Out of fifty or more models
submitted by several sculptors to Sec
re'ary McAdoo and voted upon by the
Fine Arts commission, the designs Of
Adolph A. Weinman were accepted for
the half dollar and dime, and that of
Hermon A. MacNeil for the quarter
dollar. Both men are sculptors of note.
whose work Is we'll known throughout
the country. ...., e... '-.,
On the diverse side of the new de-
sign for the half dollar is a full length
figure of liberty against background
of the stars and stripes unfurled to the
breeze, striding toward the dawn of a
new day and bearing laurel and oak
branches, symbolical of civil and mill.
tary glory. On the reverse side is an
eagle perched on cliff, with wings un.
folded, while from the rock springs
sapl;ng of mountain pine similar to
that used on the flrst pine tree shil.
lings Of Massachusetts.
The design of the new quarter was
, doubtless inspired by the nations In
terest in preparedness, As the law pro.
vides that the figure of liberty as well
as the word shall adorn this coin, lib.
erty is depicted approaching the gate
way of the country, her left arm up
raised and grasping a shield in pro-
tecting attitude while her right arm
bears the olive branch Of peace. On
both the half dollar and the quarter
are the words, I'm God We Trust" The
reverse side of the quarter also shows
an eagle, with wings extended. and
bears the inscription. United States
of America" and e Plur1bus Unum'
below. There is an outer circle OF olive
branches intertwined with ribbon un.
furled to the breeze.
The new dime is not elaborate In de-
sign, bearing on it's diverse side the
profile of liberty and on the other side
the "Fasces'' design. which Is bundle
of rods and battle ak sign1fylng
unity. 1t is also decorated with the
familiar olive branch of peace.
The coinage laws Of the United
States provide that there may be
change of design every twenty-five
years, requiring only that each coin
shall bear the figure Of liberty. The
last change enacted was in 1891. Any
change made during the ensuing TWEEN.
ty-f1ve years requires a special act OF
congress- Thus congress authorized
the Philadelphia mint to strike spe-
cial coin or medal to honor the Wright
brothers for their success with the
aeroplane. Congress annually author.
ICES the minting of many special med
ais and coins for various historical So
cieties and expositions. ri.
There is the Mckinley memorial SO.
ciety, for example, made up. OF Amerl-
cans who are devoted to the memory
of the martyred president. The Phila.
delphia mint strikes a special Mck1n-
lev medal which it sells to the society
for one dollar, and which the society
in turn sells to philanthropists and col
lectors for two dollars. In this way,
considerable fund was raised not long
ago with which the society erected q
splendid monument to Mckinley tn his
,, birthplace at Niles, Ohio. The various
expositions follow practically the same
plan, A coin worth nifty dollars may
be sold to them at that price by a
United States mint, and the same coin
| brings hundred dollars at the expo.
sition. The government redeems 1t, OF
course, at the original price of nifty