S & T USA

[Figleaf]

In another thread, I noted that the dime was a French invention, cleverly imitated in the US. Here is a half dime 1857 showing how the concept came out. By this time, the US had developed a "tradition" of an allegoric liberty on its coins, shown here with a phrygian bonnet (freedom, a symbol of the French revolution) on a lance (attack) and a shield (defense). The coin is remarkably Dutch in its symbolism, as I will show with a later contribution.

Yet, the coin also has a feudal characteristic. Note that the value of the coin is spelled out in letters. One of the improvements of the French revolution was denominations in numbers. Note also, that even today, US coins do not use numbers for the denomination, which is all the more surprising in view of the melting pot dogma: immigrants should "americanize" as quickly as possible.

While the US supported the early phase of the French revolution, it turned away from its liberalism  because of the "terreur", gradually developing into the (in European eyes) pretty conservative society it is today. This coin manages to illustrates how the US is of two minds about the French revolution.

Peter

[Figleaf]

Here's the coin I was thinking of when I wrote that the US coin has Dutch symbolism. Liberty is seated on this coin also, with a liberty hat on a lance. However, in stead of a shield for defense, this coin uses a bible. That's not a coincidence. The US founding fathers were keen on a strict separation between church and state (a fact that is easily forgotten, sometimes even denied by those whose dogma is the opposite), while the Dutch gained their independence in a religious war.

Peter

[villa66]

...Yet, the coin also has a feudal characteristic. Note that the value of the coin is spelled out in letters. One of the improvements of the French revolution was denominations in numbers. Note also, that even today, US coins do not use numbers for the denomination, which is all the more surprising in view of the melting pot dogma: immigrants should "americanize" as quickly as possible....

It had been mentioned that there might be another old thread on American state sales tokens lurking on the site, so I went looking.

Instead I found this thread, which happens to address another current discussion about coin denominations expressed in words rather than by numbers. I think it's useful to bring it back because it seems to help explain why the "contemptuous" label was used. 

The thing is, I think it's exactly opposite of what Figleaf postulates. Instead, it's the very idea (and relative success) of the melting pot--and the reality that most immigrants (or their children) will "Americanize" as quickly as possible--that makes it okay for American coins to do what comes naturally.

v.


       

[villa66]

In another thread, I noted that the dime was a French invention, cleverly imitated in the US.

And just a note to say, so we don't inadvertently undo a lot of work, the notion that the American dime is a French invention has been thoroughly discredited here. The American decimal coinage was in place before the French had theirs.

It might also be good to mention that the Liberty cap on American coins is atop a pole rather than a lance. I suppose to wave around in a crowd? Maybe to lead a march. Or maybe just to be seen.

v.

[Prosit]

The issue I have always seen as likely wrong is that of associating American coins to French (or Dutch for that matter) is that it gives too much credit to the French (or Dutch) in my opinion. There is nothing much on those three's (or even others') coins of that time and even earlier that can't be traced back much much farther back in time.

Dale

[villa66]

I think that's very right. A lot of our stuff is a quite conscious revival of things Greek and Roman.

v.

[kena]

This might explain how American's feelings about the French Revolution changed.

http://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/french-revolution

Ken