Q.David Bowers
Charles E. Barber's Liberty head quarter dollar made its debut in 1892. The design was continued without major change until 1916, although two minor reverse varieties were made of the 1892 issues. Three varieties, all from the San Francisco Mint, are remarkable for their low mintages: 1896-S, 1901-S, and 1913-S. The 1914 Proof quarter, with a mintage of just 380 pieces, represents the lowest recorded mintage figure for any Proof of this denomination since 1860.
In 1916 a new design, the standing Liberty type, the work of Hermon A. MacNeil, appeared. The obverse featured Liberty standing between two revetments, holding a shield in one hand and an olive branch in the other. The reverse showed an eagle in flight. Miss Dora Doscher, 22 years of age, 54 1/2" high, served as the model for the new design. The Numismatist noted that:
Through her own efforts she has developed from a half in-valid child to a most perfect type of American womanhood. Her days are spent in artistic and intellectual pursuits. She is a lecturer, scenario writer, and trained nurse. .. The measurements from which the late Karl Bitter modelled the figures for mounting the Pulitzer Memorial Fountain that stands in the Plaza in New York City were taken from Miss Doscher. Mr. Bitter's Diana that stands in the Metropolitan Museum of Art was modelled from the coin girl ...
The appearance of the new 1916 silver designs, the dime, quarter, and half dollar, were welcomed by nu-mismatists and others who had been very critical of the earlier Barber coinage. Indeed, the Mint was pleased as well, as the director's report for the year indicated:
By far the most notable achievement of the Mint service during the fiscal year 1916 was the selection, with your approval, of new designs for the dime, quarter dollar, and half dollar pieces. For the first time in the history of our coinage there are separate designs for each of the three denominations, and their beauty and quality, from a numismatic standpoint, have been highly praised by all having expertise in such matters to whom they have been shown. The striking of these coins for general Circulation will doubtless be well under way by the coming of the Christmas holiday season.
The process of selecting the new designs ... began on January last, when, with your permission, I conferred with the members of the Commission of Fine Arts. Noted sculptors were commissioned to prepare a number of sketch models, and from more than 50 submitted 3 sets were chosen. It is a pleasure to note that the models which you and I selected were also the choice of the members of the Commission of Fine Arts.
The dime and half dollar are the work of Mr. Adolph A. Weinman. The design of the half dollar bears a full-length figure of Liberty, the folds of the Stars and Stripes flying to the breeze as a background, progressing in full stride toward the dawn of a new day, carrying branches of laurel and oak, symbolical of civil and military glory. The hand of the figure is outstretched in bestowal of the spirit of liberty.
The reverse of the half dollar shows an eagle perched high upon a mountain crag, his wings unfolded, fearless in spirit and conscious of his power. Springing from a rift in the rock is a sapling of mountain pine, symbolical of America.
The design of the 25-cent pieces intended to typify in a measure the awakening interest of the country in its own protection.
The law specifies that on the obverse of the coin not only the word "Liberty" but a representation of Liberty shall be shown. In the new design Liberty is shown as a full-length figure, front view, with head turned toward the left, stepping forward to the gateway of the country, and on the wall are inscribed the words "In God We Trust," which words also appear on the new half dollar, mentioned above. The left arm of the figure of Liberty is upraised, bearing the shield in the attitude of protection, from which the covering is being drawn. The right hand bears the olive branch of peace. On the field above the head is inscribed the word "Liberty," and on the step under her feet "1916."
The reverse of this coin necessitates by law a representation of the American eagle, and is here shown in full flight, with wings extended, sweeping across the coin. Inscription: "United States of America" and "E Pluribus Unum" and "Quarter Dollar" below. Connecting the lettering above an outer circle are thirteen stars.
The design of the dime, owing to the smallness of the coin, has been held quite simple. The obverse shows a head of Liberty with winged cap. The head is firm and simple in form, the profile forceful. The reverse shows a design of the bundle of rods, with battle-ax, known as "fasces," and symbolical of unity, wherein lies the nation's strength. Sur-rounding the fasces is a full-foliaged branch of olive, symbolical of peace.
The obverse of the 1916 quarter, featuring the undraped bosom of Miss Doscher, aroused some unfavorable comment, with the result in 1917 it was modified by encasing her in a protective suit of armor. The reverse design was changed slightly by rearranging the stars.
The standing Liberty quarter was minted through 1930. There are several scarce issues in the series, including 1916, the 191817-S overdate, and 1927-S. The design presented difficulties in striking, so with the exception of certain early issues of 1917, most quarters produced at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco mints 1916-1930 show weaknesses in certain areas, particularly on the high parts of Miss Liberty's head.
With the approach of the bicentennial of George Washington's birth the Treasury Department proposed that a commemorative half dollar be made to honor the first president. Later it was decided that a quarter denomination would be made. Authorization came on March 4, 1931. It was recommended that Laura Gardin Fraser, wife of James Earle Fraser (designer of the buffalo nickel), be selected, for she had won a government competition for a Washington medal and also had de-signed several commemorative half dollars.
The administration changed, and Secretary of the Treasury Andrew Mellon rejected the Commission of Fine Arts' suggestion and the enthusiasm expressed by others concerning Laura Gardin Fraser's designs, and adopted one by John Flanagan.