Q. David Bowers
In an interview published in the Coin World Almanac, (6th edition, pp. 210-211.) Ms. Jones told how she and her engraving staff at the Mint, affectionately referred to as "my guys," reacted to the challenge to design the 1983 Olympic silver dollar: "We did not do the discus thrower on purpose, because it had been done and redone over and over again. 3 But at a certain point, after Secretary Regan had seen everything, he still wasn't satisfied and he said he wanted some drawings using the discus thrower."
She and her staff members submitted several ideas. Jones's multiple-image motif was liked by Regan, but a complaint was registered that the Olympic rings on the right side of the obverse lacked the stars, for simplicity and clarity of design: "He insisted that the stars be placed with the Olympic rings as he said it was the official logo of the Los Angeles Olympic Games. That was a terrible job because the stars had to be much bigger than they should have been, because of the reduction process. To me it just fouled up the whole coin because it complicated and overloaded the design."
The Commission Reviews the Dollar The Commission of Fine Arts commented as follows concerning the designs first submitted: (Letter from J. Carter Brown, chairman, to Francis B. (Barry) Frere of the Mint, October 27, 1982, reporting on the Commission's meeting held October 13th.) "Obverse: Triple image discus thrower motif is acceptable, but question whether relief of main figure is strong enough to differentiate it from the other two. Placement of figure also needs further study. Reverse: Design of eagle is weak, especially portrayal of shoulder area .... Once again the Commission would like to request that designs for coins and medals be submitted well in advance of any press conferences. Only in this way can our review be constructive and allow for revisions to be completed before the designs are released to the public. We note that we first saw these coins on 13 October, and the press conference was scheduled for the following day. A similar situation occurred with the George Washington coin. The Commission will be happy to review revised designs at its meetings on 10 November or 14 December, 1982. We suggest that the submission of clay maquettes [models] would be helpful."
Minutes of the November 10th meeting related the following: "Ms. Jones showed a drawing of the eagle on the reverse of the 1983 coin and a clay maquette of the discus thrower on the obverse, the latter so that members could better understand the degree of relief intended. She noted that the lettering had been modified and would be the same on both sides of the coin. The obverse was unanimously approved, and although the eagle on the reverse was considered much improved, the chairman suggested bringing the line of the chest out slightly, so that the bird did not seem to be tipping forward."
Mint Director Pope Discusses Olympic Coinage
In an interview with the authors Mint Director Donna Pope discussed Olympic coin designs in general and the reverse of the 1983 silver dollar in particular: "The problem with the Olympic coinage was changes. The whole idea of designing an Olympic coin was a big problem because legislation had not been finalized as to how many coins would be struck. Some people in Congress wanted many dozens of coins. I was thinking that, if this came to pass, we could have a different sport on each of the coins. When legislation was finally passed, it came down to just three coins.
"We then had a problem as to what we would put on them. If we put swimmers on them, then runners would be angry. If we put runners, etc., people associated with other sports would be angry. In reviewing sketches sent by the Mint Engraving Department, I felt that there were not enough good ones to send to the secretary of the Treasury for his consideration. One of the designs submitted by one of the engravers looked like all he had done was paste a picture of a swimmer on a round object.
"On the reverse of the 1983 silver dollar Elizabeth Jones's first eagle was different from the one that came out. Secretary Regan wanted a strong portrait. It ended up with an eagle's head-I never particularly liked it."
Production of the Dollars
1983-dated Olympic silver dollars were subsequently produced in an alloy of .900 fine silver and .100 copper, the standard last used for circulating coinage of this denomination with the Peace dollar in 1935.
The first Philadelphia Mint Olympic silver dollars (bearing a P mintmark which was to be used on later commemoratives produced at the Philadelphia Mint as well) were sold at Independence Hall on January 28, 1983. 294,543 pieces were eventually distributed plus an unspecified number reflecting possible further sales from "U.S. Postal Service Philatelic outlets and credit card charge backs" according to a statement later distributed by the Bureau of the Mint.
Of the 1983-D silver-dollar coins, 174,014 were produced at the Denver Mint and were first offered in the autumn of 1983.
The San Francisco Mint conducted a ceremonial striking of the first Proof coins on February 10, 1983, when Mint Director Donna Pope struck the first coin upon receiving a signal by telephone from President Ronald Reagan (see commentary below). Subsequently 174,014 Uncirculated pieces and 1,577,015 Proofs were made.' Proofs made during the first few days of coinage at the San Francisco Mint required three blows of the press in order to strike up properly; within a week adjustments were made so that just two blows were needed. (Per a commentary by Walter Breen in The Encyclopedia Of United States Silver & Gold Commemorative Coins, p. 363. Further from the same source: "According to a former San Francisco Mint employee, some 1983-5 Proofs were made with dies aligned 1800 from normal. All discovered were destroyed; a few may have escaped.")
President Reagan and the First-Strike Ceremony
In response to a query as to whether presidents Reagan or Bush had ever expressed a personal interest in commemorative coins. Mint Director Donna Pope replied: "Concerning President Reagan, when we held the first striking ceremony on the 1983 Olympic silver dollar coin in San Francisco, he was in the Oval Office or a Cabinet meeting when he placed a phone call, which was broadcast at the ceremony. He made remarks about the Olympics and their significance to all Americans, then said, 'Donna, start the presses.'