A classic coin from the USA

Obverse

The obverse of the coin features a left-facing portrait of George Washington, above the year, with the mintmark (where present) to the right. My coin doesn’t have a mintmark so was minted at Philadelphia. Above is the text “LIBERTY” and to the left “IN GOD WE TRUST”.

“In God We Trust” dates to the Civil War. It first appeared on coins in 1864. The legislative requirement is newer, signed into law by Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1955. The bill introducing the requirement stated “Nothing can be more certain than that our country was founded in a spiritual atmosphere and with a firm trust in God,” further adding that “While the sentiment of trust in God is universal and timeless, these particular four words ‘In God We Trust’ are indigenous to our country.”

The inclusion of the word “Liberty” on the coins dates back to early US coinage: When creating legislation for a national mint in 1792, Congress decided that coins should represent the concept of liberty on the obverse rather than a real person. Many felt that putting presidents on U.S. coins was too similar to Great Britain’s practice of featuring their monarchs. Instead, they wanted coins to reflect the country’s founding principal of liberty.

The Coinage Act of 1792 stated that all circulating coins have an “impression emblematic of liberty” and the inscription “Liberty.” For more than 100 years of American coinage, that emblem would be the mythical goddess Liberty. In 1932, the decision was made to honour first president George Washington on the quarter. This continued until 1999 when they were replaced wit the state quarter series. Pre 1964 coins are particularly collectible as they were made with .900 silver. Later coins, such as this 1974 coin were made with copper-nickel clad copper.

As the first president of the United States, having George Washington on a coin seems fairly straightforward. He is also featured on the dollar bill. In general however, living people cannot, legally, appear on US coins. George Washington himself declined to have his portrait on the first U.S. Silver dollar. As well as being convention, there is a specific reason for the law. In 1864, the first superintendent of the National Currency Bureau, Spencer Clark, was tasked with finalising images for fractional notes – needed as metal was in short supply due to the civil war. Congress intended to put William Clark on a bill, who organised the Louisiana purchase. Instead, the legislation only read “Clark”, and the Bureau superintendent took the liberty of using his own image on a 5c bill. This didn’t go down well, hence the specific law of 1866.

Reverse

The reverse features: An eagle, wings spread, and standing on a shaft of arrows with two olive sprays beneath the eagle, is surrounded with the face value, the motto “E PLURIBUS UNUM” and the lettering “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA”.

The eagle is basically straight off the Great Seal of the United States, also featured on the dollar bill. Similarly, “E Pluribus Unum”, Latin for “Out of many, one”, also features on the Great Seal of the United States. As such, it appeared on very early coins in the 1790s. Although, it took 80 years before it was signed into law in 1873.