Q. David Bowers
As quoted by Lorado Taft, (Taft was one of America's best-known sculptors; unfortunately, he was never associated with coinage. Taft was interested in numismatics, particularly in medals and on at least two occasions welcomed groups of visitors consisting of American Numismatic Association convention attendees. The quotation is from The History of American Sculpture (New York, 1930), as in turn quoted by Cornelius Vermeule in Numismatic Art in America (1971, p. 101). Trygve Rovelstad, designer of the 1936 E1gin Centennial half dollar, studied under Taft and was considered to be an especially brilliant pupil.) Bartlett described the first version of his statue as follows: "Lafayette is represented in the statue as a fact and a symbol, offering his sword and services to the American colonists in the cause of liberty. He is shown sitting firmly on his horse, which he holds vigorously .... Lafayette's youthful face is turned toward the west, his sheathed sword being slightly uplifted and delicately offered. He appears as the emblem of the aristocratic and enthusiastic sympathy shown by France to our forefathers. His youth, his distinction, his noble bearing, the richness of his costume and of the trappings of his horse-everything serves to emphasize the difference of his race and his education. The statue was desired for the Fourth of July, 1900, but the order was given so tardily that it was impossible to have the bronze ready. Indeed, the one-third sized model was completed but six weeks before the date of unveiling. A colossal plaster model was therefore pre-pared and used upon the occasion. That even this could be accomplished in six weeks is remarkable, but the French are at home in such problems. The 'working model' was sawed into pieces and distributed in several establishments in Paris; thus the horse and rider developed in various parts of the city at the same time .... These scattered fragments were brought together only a day or two before the ceremony but fitted perfectly."
Bartlett, however, was dissatisfied and set about making major changes. lafayette's three-cornered hat was discarded as was his coat, the position of his arm and sword were changed, and a severer figure was created. A different type of horse was also employed, one less dashing and flamboyant. The new statue in bronze was installed in 1908 in the Place du Carrousel in the court of the Tuileries adjacent to the Louvre.
Unusual Features
A problem arose concerning the dating of the Lafayette silver dollar, for the Lafayette Memorial Commission desired that the pieces be struck as early as possible in the year 1899, but bear the date 1900 to coincide with the date of the Paris Exposition. Mint practice did not permit the antedating of a coin (Per Revised Statutes, 3517, which stated that coin inscriptions were to include "the year of the coinage." Among later commemoratives, particularly for certain Issues minted in 1930s and onward, this statute was widely ignored. For example, 1938-dated New Rochelle half dollars were minted in 1937.) so the issue was circumvented by placing on the reverse an inscription which read as follows: ERECTED BY THE YOUTH OF THE UNITED STATES IN HONOR OF GEN. LAFAYETTE/PARIS 1900. Actually this legend referred to the date the statue was erected, not to the striking of the coins, so it can be said that the coins themselves bore no date, a curious footnote in American numismatics.
Another aspect of the Lafayette silver dollar is that it depicts Washington for the first time on a legal tender coin made for public sale. Washington's portrait had been proposed for use on coins on numerous occasions including in 1791-1792 when United States coinage was being formulated prior to the opening of the Philadelphia Mint. In the 1860s his portrait was utilized on several varieties of pattern pieces. However, it was not until the Lafayette dollar became a reality that Washington's portrait actually appeared on a coin that achieved public distribution.
Still another interesting feature is the appearance of the denomination of the coin as LAFAYETTE DOLLAR, per the obverse inscription, rather than the standard ONE DOLLAR used before and since. This may have been inspired by the use of such wording as COLUMBIAN HALF DOLLAR and COLUMBIAN QUAR. DOL. to express the denominations of the commemorative half dollars and quarters issued for the World's Columbian Exposition.
Production of the Coins
Striking of all 50,026 Lafayette dollars was accomplished in one day, on December 14, 1899, at the Philadelphia Mint, utilizing an old press which spewed out the pieces at the rate of 80 per minute, equal to 4,800 coins per hour. (Contemporary accounts mention only one press. If just one press was used, minting would have continued into the evening.) Mer striking, Lafayette dollars were mechanically ejected into a hopper. No care was given to preserving the surface quality for collectors. As a result specimens with pristine surfaces are very elusive today.
An account from the Philadelphia Public Ledger, date not stated, described the striking on December 14, 1899: (As quoted by Tom Culhane, writing in The Commemorative, Fall 1988, page 29.)
"There was very little ceremony Friday, only a small group of Mint officials, members of the Memorial Association and representatives of the press being present. The coin press used was an old one in the Mint, and has been exhibited all over the country at international and state expositions. (Including at the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, where it had been used to strike brass medals which were sold for 25 ¢ each.) It was made years ago at Merrick's. It was operated by Miss Gleary.
"As the first coin, heated by tons of pressure put upon it, was taken from the dies, she handed it to Superintendent Boyer, of the Mint, and it was then inspected by the engraver [Charles E. Barber] and pronounced perfect. After showing it to Robert J. Thompson, secretary of the Lafayette Memorial Commission, it was given to Mr. Roberts, Director of the Mint, who had come on from Washington to be present on this occasion. Mer placing it in a suitable case it will be given to president McKinley, who will send it to the president of the French Republic."
An offer of $5,000 was made to the Treasury Department for the first Lafayette dollar struck, a reflection of the $10,000 offer that the Remington Typewriter interests had made for the first 1892 Columbian half dollar struck earlier in the decade. However, as noted, it was decided to send the first specimen to President William McKinley, who had it encased in a special presentation casket, which cost $1 ,000 and forwarded it by sea on the 5.5. Champagne to France. Robert J. Thompson, secretary of the Lafayette Memorial Commission, delivered the coin to President Loubet in a special ceremony intended to be held on Washington's birthday, February 22nd, but which took place in the Elysee Palace on March 3, 1900.