Guest Column, April 2008

The U.S. Mint has announced plas to issue a new gold coin—but maybe new isn’t exactly the right word. In 2009 the Mint will release a one-ounce .9999 fine gold coin on a planchet the diameter of the $10 eagle (27 millimeters). It will feature the design of the Ultra High Relief, Roman Numerals, $20 gold coin designed by sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens in 1907. The coins are intended as attractive bullion pieces for investment and collecting.

Several Whitman Publishing authors have weighed in with their opinions of this planned coinage. They include:

Michael Moran, numismatic researcher and lecturer; winner of the American Numismatic Association’s ANA's Heath Literary Award; author of Striking Change: The Great Artistic Collaboration of Theodore Roosevelt and Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

Kenneth Bressett, a legend in the hobby community; longtime editor of the Guide Book of United States Coins (popularly known as the “Red Book”), and author of such recent books as the award-winning Money of the Bible and Milestone Coins: A Pageant of the World’s Most Significant and Popular Money.

Q. David Bowers, Whitman’s numismatic director; one of the most famous and respected numismatists of all time; author of most of the books in Whitman’s “Bowers Series” line (including, recently, United States Commemorative Coins, Morgan Silver Dollars, and Lincoln Cents), Obsolete Paper Money, the Expert’s Guide to Collecting and Investing in Rare Coins, and more than 40 other books, many of them award winners and standard references in their fields.

Bill Fivaz, longtime numismatic educator and researcher; member of the U.S. Treasury’s Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee; coauthor of the Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties; author of the United States Gold Counterfeit Detection Guide.

Jeff Garrett, one of the nation’s preeminent dealers in U.S. gold coinage; coauthor of such hobby best-sellers as 100 Greatest American Coins (with Ron Guth); United States Coinage: A Study by Type (with Ron Guth); Auction Records: U.S. Gold Coinage (with John Dannreuther); and the Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins, 1795–1933 (with Ron Guth).

MIKE MORAN

To read a review of Moran’s book Striking Change, click here.

“My first reaction was positive, and then I looked for the fine print. It did not take long. The Mint proposes to slightly alter the design by lengthening Liberty’s skirt and shrinking the Capitol outline. I would have to see that in a model, but my first impression is that Saint-Gaudens’s design should be left untouched. I would also want to know the source model for their current effort. The original dies were destroyed in 1910. The original model is at the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site in Cornish [New Hampshire]. Finally, I question the appropriateness of placing this design on a $10 gold-piece planchet. Perhaps it is a function of mechanical limitations, since better relief can be obtained on a smaller planchet. Perhaps it is simple economics or marketing, having to do with the steeply escalated price of gold. However, artistically this design works best on the $20 gold-piece planchet—and that is the one that should be used, if possible.

I have one last thought on the subject. I applaud [Mint Director] Edmund Moy’s calling for a new renaissance in coin designs following the issuance of the Saint-Gaudens high-relief gold coin. It is time to move on from a resurrection of coin designs from a century ago. We have progressed artistically from that era and our coin designs should reflect that progress.”

JEFF GARRETT

To read a review of Garrett’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins, click here.

“Collectors universally love the 1907 High Relief design. It is still considered by everyone our most beautiful coin. Probably the most fascinating aspect of this announcement will be the execution of the project. We all know the difficulties the U.S. Mint encountered striking the original issues in 1907. Technology has improved, but that does not always translate when dealing with fine art. Finally, I think the Mint has taken on a difficult project from the standpoint of comparison with the originals. The 1907 design is an acknowledged masterpiece. I would be extremely surprised if the final product compares favorably to the original. The numismatic community would be more impressed with original artwork, rather than another reproduction.”

KEN BRESSETT

To read about the California Gold Rush in Bressett’s Milestone Coins, click here.

“At the risk of sounding like a contrarian or iconoclast, I do not favor the trend of resurrecting old coin designs and using them again for commercial purposes. Artistry is ever changing, and coin designs should be fresh and new to reflect prevailing modes, skills, and the innovative imagination of the medallic-art community. While it is true that many of the designs on United States coins and trial pieces are of superb quality, they have always lost some of their charm when recreated by other artists, or different minting techniques.

Producing a controlled quantity of a reproduction of a rare and beautiful coin may seem like a collector’s dream come true, but it is a contradiction in logic. It might also be interpreted as a means of adding one more high-priced coin to the Mint’s already over-extended commercial enterprise.”

DAVE BOWERS

To read about Bowers’s Guide Book of Double Eagle Gold Coins, click here.

“Apparently it is the official view that no better coinage art has emerged since the early 20th century.

While I and many other numismatists enjoy the artistic designs from yesteryear, I cannot help but think that in the years since Augustus Saint-Gaudens created his 1907 double eagle (revivified on gold-eagle coins since 1986), and Adolph A. Weinman created his 1916 Liberty Walking motif (brought back with the silver eagles of 1986 to date), and James E. Fraser his ‘Buffalo’ nickel of 1913 (revived on the 2001 commemorative silver dollar, and on recent gold bullion coins), there might be some fresh American talent that could be drawn upon. I won’t even mention the 1878 copycat Morgan dollar reverse that was exhumed for the 2006 San Francisco Mint commemorative, or the Liberty Head $10 (which was fresh in 1838!) that was dusted off for the same occasion.

Presumably, all of the talented Mint sculptor-engravers on staff, not to overlook the Artistic Infusion Program people, must think that their work is consistently sub-par from what was done when our great-grandparents were alive.

Here’s hoping that in the future, living talent can create designs that we all think are beautiful. And, if we all believe that classic goddesses of Liberty from the past are gorgeous (and I think many of them are), how about creating new images of Miss Liberty in the classic style? Chief Engraver Frank Gasparro tried with a Liberty Cap design for the mini-dollar of 1979 [which can be seen in the 9th edition of United States Pattern Coins, and most numismatists loved it, but Congress found it to be politically incorrect and mandated that the grim-looking visage of Susan B. Anthony be used.

It would be interesting if a Mint staffer or consulting artist could give us his or her vision of a classic-style Miss Liberty. Who knows—perhaps someone can trump Saint-Gaudens and Weinman.”

BILL FIVAZ

Bill Fivaz knows real gold when he sees it. To take a few tips from his United States Gold Counterfeit Detection Guide, click here.

“While I agree with a couple of my compatriots regarding the need, or at least the preference, for new designs to further Director Moy’s ‘neo-Renaissance’ objective, I also feel there will be sufficient opportunity down the road for creative designs by the Mint staff and artists in the Artistic Infusion Program.

I look upon this, the 2009 Saint-Gaudens Ultra High Relief coin, as a stepping-stone to generate exciting new ideas for bullion, commemoratives, and business-strike coins in the coming years. It sets the bar at a high level for creative thinking and execution. What better design could we launch such a program with than what many consider the most beautifully designed coin ever produced?