1916 Standing Liberty Quarter
The Quarter The Government Revoked!
The
United States Quarter The Government Revoked!
39 mm 1oz. Pure Silver Repro
The
United States Quarter The Government Revoked! No! Janet wasn't first to shock the nation with an exposed right breast! In fact,
another infamous "breast shot" that rocked the nation occurred way back in 1916!
... That year the United States Mint began unveiling
new coinage designs to replace the bland Liberty-Head coins minted from 1892 through 1916
(on the dime through half-dollar). The new designs were intended to acquaint the
public with more classical styles reminiscent of the ancient Greeks. As President
Theodore Roosevelt put it, they were to replace coins that "did not meet the artistic designs that
our foreign neighbors were using."
Undoubtedly, the most controversial design introduced, was that of
Herman Atkins MacNeil for the obverse (front) of the quarter-dollar denomination. It
featured a standing Ms. Liberty with an exposed right breast! However, as artistic
as the design was, it was greeted with shock! Even though it was approved by a joint
committee made up of the Treasury Department and the Commission Of Fine Arts, it caused
immediate controversy with the wives of government officials in Washington, D.C., and
became fodder for the Society for the Suppression of Vice.
According to Walter Breen, in his Encyclopedia Of United States &
Colonial Coins:
" ... though cherished by the general public, (the exposed breast) proved the downfall of MacNeil's design. Followers of the unlamented Anthony Comstock, who had waged war on "immorality," noticed that Ms. Liberty's drapery exposed her right nipple, including (on the sharpest strikings) a realistic areola. Through their Society for the Suppression of Vice, the guardians of prudery at once began exerting political pressure on the Treasury Department to revoke authorization for these "immoral" coins, and to withdraw them from circulation. By the time they reached Treasury Secretary William G. McAdoo, their success was in sight."
Though the Treasury Department never recalled the "nude"
coins they immediately called a halt to their production and modified the design to cover
Ms. Liberty's breast with a coat of medieval chain mail. The coat of chain mail
remained throughout the balance of the coin's mintage from mid 1917 through 1930 (after
which it was replaced by today's familiar Washington quarter designs)!
This gem quality reproduction celebrates the original MacNeil designs
of the 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter -- a rare coin sought after by millions of collectors
and worth thousands of dollars! It is struck in one-ounce of .999 fine silver (the
industry standard for pure) and is 1-1/2 " (39 mm) in diameter -- or larger than a US
silver dollar -- to show the designs to best advantage. The reverse shows
"COPY" in accordance with the Hobby Protection Act -- making the coin legal to
own.
Free Offer: Upon request, we will encapsulate this item in a high
quality, crystal clear, Air-titeŽ coin holder and include a clear display stand (as
illustrated by the encapsulated Hank Williams Jr. coin shown above) free of charge.
Please add $1.50 additional (for a total of $4.45) for p/h if this option is chosen as it
must be shipped in a crush-proof box.
Free counters provided by Andale.