January / February 2009

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With this first issue of 2009, we commence a three-part series exploring the devices and symbols utilized on some of the most important United States coins of the last 150 plus years.

In Part I, we explore four U.S. gold coins that feature various renditions of Native American Indians. Of the four, the two coins designed by Bela Lyon Pratt, (the $2.50 & $5 Indian Heads), are the only ones to feature authentic representations of Native American Indians. The other two, James Longacre's $3 Indian Princess and Augustus Saint-Gaudens $10 Indian Eagle feature more classical renditions of LIBERTY adorned with Indian headdresses. The Bela Lyon Pratt coins are the only two coins in U.S. history to feature "incuse" devices, which means they are sunken rather than raised as on all other U.S. coins. We hope you enjoy this detailed look at the devices and symbols used on these classic American coins.

$3 Indian Princess

Minted From: 1854-1889
Minted At: Philadelphia, Dahlonega,
New Orleans & San Francisco
Designer: James Longacre
Weight: 5.015 grams
Diameter: 20.5 mm
Composition: .900 gold & .100 copper
Net Weight: .14512 oz pure gold
Edge: Reeded to prevent gold shaving by unscupulous holders.

1) "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" inscribed around the top rim of the obverse denoting the coin as US legal tender.
2) The head of the Indian Princess is crowned with a circle of feathers held together by a band, which carries the inscription LIBERTY.
3) Longacre's design depicts Lady Liberty as an Indian Princess with tightly curled neck length hair.
4) The legal tender denomination of "3 DOLLARS" is inscribed just above dead center of the coin's reverse.
5) The mint year date is inscribed dead center on the coin's reverse.
6) Surrounding the dollar denomination and mint year on the coin's reverse is a wreath of tobacco, wheat, corn and cotton, which represents the major agricultural crops of the era.
7) The mint mark location is just beneath the bottom of the wreath. On the pictured coin, there is no mint mark, which indicates this coin was minted at Philadelphia.

FACT:
The Mint Act of February 21, 1853 authorized the creation of the $3 Indian Princess gold coin, originally conceived to encourage the purchase of three-cent postage stamps in sheets of 100. The idea never caught on and the $3 Indian went on to become one of the lowest mintage series of all U.S. gold coins.

$2.5 Indian Head Quarter Eagle

Minted From: 1908-1915 & 1925-1929
Minted At: Philadelphia and Denver
Designer: Bela Lyon Pratt
Weight: 4.18 grams
Diameter: 18 mm
Composition: .900 gold & .100 copper
Net Weight: .12094 oz pure gold
Edge: Reeded to prevent gold shaving by unscupulous holders.

1) Inscribed around the top rim of the obverse is the word LIBERTY.
2) The obverse features the first realistic depiction of a Native American Chief in war bonnet ever used on a U.S. gold coin. Like the other devices on the coin, the Indian figure is incuse, meaning sunken rather than raised.
3) The obverse features THIRTEEN STARS representing the original colonies, which are divided by the LIBERTY device at the top rim.
4) The initials BLP of designer Bela Lyon Pratt.
5) The mint year date runs along the obverse's center bottom rim.
6) "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" is inscribed around the top rim of the coin's reverse denoting the coin as US legal tender.
7) The motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" is inscribed near the right rim of the reverse just to the right of the eagle's back.
8) The central device on the reverse is a majestic eagle, which has traditionally been symbolic for the freedom represented by America.
9) The motto "E PLURIBUS UNUM", which is Latin for "out of many, one," is inscribed on the reverse just to the left of the eagle's breast.
10) The mint mark location is just to the left of the arrow tips. On the pictured coin, there is no mint mark, which indicates this coin was minted at Philadelphia.
11) The eagle sits atop a bundle of arrows around which is wrapped an olive branch. Together, these two symbolize America's military strength and readiness to defend its interests and its desire for peace.
12) The legal tender denomination of "2 1/2 DOLLARS" is inscribed along the bottom rim of the coin's reverse.

FACT:
On April 2, 1792, a bill passed the U.S. Congress that established that the unit for the $2.50 legal tender coin denomination be described as a "quarter eagle".

$5 Indian Head Half Eagle

Minted From: 1908-1916 & 1929
Minted At: Philadelphia, New Orleans,
Denver & San Francisco
Designer: Bela Lyon Pratt
Weight: 8.359 grams
Diameter: 21.6 mm
Composition: .900 gold & .100 copper
Net Weight: .24187 oz pure gold
Edge: Reeded to prevent gold shaving by unscupulous holders.

1) Inscribed around the top rim of the obverse is the word LIBERTY.
2) The obverse features the first realistic depiction of a Native American Chief in war bonnet ever used on a U.S. gold coin. Like the other devices on the coin, the Indian figure is incuse, meaning sunken rather than raised.
3) The obverse features THIRTEEN STARS representing the original colonies, which are divided by the LIBERTY device at the top rim.
4) Designer, Bela Lyon Pratt's initials, BLP.
5) The mint year date runs along the obverse's center bottom rim.
6) "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" is inscribed around the top rim of the coin's reverse denoting the coin as US legal tender.
7) The motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" is inscribed near the right rim of the reverse just to the right of the eagle's back.
8) The central device on the reverse is a majestic eagle, which has traditionally been symbolic for the freedom represented by America.
9) The motto "E PLURIBUS UNUM", Latin for "out of many, one," is inscribed on the reverse just to the left of the eagle's breast.
10) The mint mark location is just to the left of the arrow tips. On the pictured coin, there is no mint mark, which indicates this coin was minted at Philadelphia.
11) The eagle sits atop a bundle of arrows around which is wrapped an olive branch. Together, these two symbolize America's military strength and readiness to defend its interests and its desire for peace.
12) The legal tender denomination of "FIVE DOLLARS" is inscribed along the bottom rim of the coin's reverse.

FACT:
On April 2, 1792, a bill passed the U.S. Congress that established that the unit for the $5 legal tender coin denomination be described as a "half eagle".

$10 Indian Head Eagle

Minted From: 1907-1920, 1926,
1930, 1932 & 1933
Minted At: Philadelphia, Denver
and San Francisco
Designer: Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Weight: 16.718 grams
Diameter: 27 mm
Composition: .900 gold & .100 copper
Net Weight: .48375 oz pure gold
Edge: 46 raised stars (1907-1911) and 48 raised stars (1912-1933) representing the states in the Union.

1) Inscribed around the rim of the obverse are THIRTEEN STARS denoting the original 13 colonies of the United States.
2) The head of the Indian figure is crowned with an Indian War Bonnet held together by a band, which carries the inscription LIBERTY.
3) Saint-Gaudens used a classical Liberty profile rather than an authentic Indian for his main obverse device.
4) The mint year date is inscribed along the obverse rim at the bottom center.
5) "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" is inscribed around the top rim of the coin's reverse denoting the coin as US legal tender.
6) The motto "E PLURIBUS UNUM", which is Latin for "out of many, one," is inscribed on the reverse just above the eagle's back.
7) The central device on the reverse is a majestic eagle, which has traditionally been symbolic for the freedom represented by America.
8) The motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" is inscribed near the left rim of the reverse just to the left of the eagle's breast.
9) The mint mark location is just to the left of the arrow tips. On the pictured coin, there is a "D" mint mark, which indicates this coin was minted at Denver.
10) The eagle sits atop a bundle of arrows around which is wrapped an olive branch. Together, these two symbolize America's military strength and readiness to defend its interests and its desire for peace.
11) The legal tender denomination of "TEN DOLLARS" is inscribed along the bottom rim of the coin's reverse.

FACT:
On April 2, 1792, a bill passed the U.S. Congress that established that the unit for the $10 legal tender coin denomination be described as an "eagle".