US Coin 'Renaissance Era' Faves

[Steve D'Ippolito]

I did vote for the Walker, but my second choice would be the Standing Liberty, followed by the Saint and $10 Indian.

 

It's possible that "renaissance" refers to an coinage art renaissance (re-evoking the older greek coinage styles) rather than a United States coinage art renaissance. Nevertheless MMarotta's point is well taken. Personally I've always called these coins the "classic" designs rather than the renaissance designs. It's amazing to see non-collectors' reaction to these coins when they seem them in mint state condition.... and compare them to the artistic crap in our pockets today.

 

Charles Barber's attitude towards these coins, that they were failures, is interesting and at first seems ridiculous, but it turns out that he was thinking in terms of how much of the design would disappear as the coin wears and he does have a point. His designs have little to no detail on the high points (one reason they tend to be "blah" to most people) and thus the design holds up well under wear. If you think Barber dimes/quarters/halves are ugly, I am not surprised, but check out a mint state example if you haven't already. I've noticed that a lustrous mint state Barber is surprisingly beautiful to look at, and my half dollar in MS 64 is one of the favorites in the type set I am building. (Now if I could just find more seated liberties of ANY denomination to start filling it in.... National Money Show--Sacramento was a bust for those.)

 

As for the symbolism on the mercury dime... only the reverse is a symbol of collectivism (and possibly not, originally, since the association with fascism couldn't have been an issue before 1923). It got replaced in 1946 by symbols of collectivism on both sides, since the torch is just a "sanitized" fasces. (OK maybe Roosevelt was not intended to be a symbol of collectivism. )