The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1917-03-01
Middlewest Trust Co. Gets
Shipment Of New U.S.. Coins


Middlewest Trust Company has re-
quarters and dimes from the United
States mint at Denver, for distribu.
ton among its customers.
i 1t will be of interest to the readers
of the Times-Record to read the fol
lowing account of the coinage of this
money
Under the laws governing the coin
age of the United States the designs
and devices on any coin may not be
changed within Is years after the
adoption of the existing ones. The
emblems now in use on the half dol
lar, quarter and dime were adopted in
1891.
The law prescribes that the chang.
, ing of designs on coins shall be super
vised by the director of the mint and
approved by the secretary of the
! treasury. The selection of the new
designs has required good deal Of
patience and care, owing to the uni
! versal interest in the subject and its
historical Importance.
! Although the law does not require
that the fine arts commission be con-
suited in connection with the chang
ing of designs for coins, Secretary
to submit the designs to the commits
sion for it's criticism, and the selec.
tions were passed upon by the commits
sion as most satisfactory from an ar
tistic point of view.
| Several sculptors were commission
ed to submit sets of sketch models.
From more than so Of these models
; Secretary McAdoo and Director Wool
! ley selected three and in this radical
departure has been made, as hereto
, fore the diverse side of the half dollar,
quarter and dime have always carried
the same design, an emblem symbolic
of liberty, and the reverse of the half
dollar and quarter dollar, an eagle of
; the same design. Only the reverse of
the dime has been different. Director
, Woolley suggested varying the de-
signs in order that the half dollar
might be given more individuality and
thus restore it's waning popularity.
Strange to say, it has practically fall
en- into disuse.
| The design of the half dollar bears
full length figure of Liberty, the
to the breezes as a background, pro-
dawn of new day, carrying branches
Of laurel and oak, symbolical of civil
and military glory. The hand of the
figure is outstretched' in bestowal of
the spirit of liberty.
The reverse of the half dollar shows
an eagle, perched high upon a noun
tain craig, his wings unfolded, fearless
in spirit and conscious of his power.
Springing from rift in the rock is a
sapling of mountain pine, symbolical
of America.
The design of the quarter dollar is
intended to typify in measure the
awakening interest of the country to
its own protection.
The law specifies that on the OBJ
verse of the coin not only the word
Liberty" but a representation of
Liberty shall be shown.
In the new design Liberty is shown
as full length figure, front view,
with head turned toward the left,
stepping forward to the gateway of the
country, and on the wall are inscribed
the words "In God We Trust" which
also appear on the new half dol
lar mentioned above The left arm of
the figure of Liberty is appraised, bear
ing the shield in the attitude of protec-
ton, from which the covering is be.
ing drawn. The right hand bears the
olive branch of peace. On the field
above the head is inscribed the word
Liberty" and on the step under her
feet, 1916"
The reverse of this coin necessitates
by law representation of the Amer.
lean eagle, and it is here shown in full
flight with wings extended, sweeping
across the coin. It is inscribed unit.
ed States of America" and "E Pluribus
Unum," and Quarter Dollar" below
Connecting the lettering above on out
or circle are olive branches with rib
bon that is stirred by the breeze as the
bird flies.
The design Of the dime, owing to the
smallness of the coin, has been held
quite simple. The diverse shows q
head Of Liberty with winged cap. The
head is firm and simple in form, the
profile forceful.
The reverse shows design of the
bundle Of rods, with battle az, known
as "fasces," and symbolical Of unity