The Eagle on Our Nation's Coins
by Staff Editor
All current American coins from the quarter to the dollar have an eagle in the design on the reverse side. In the past U.S. coins from the half-dime to the $20 gold have used an eagle design. This custom was established by law in the early history of the country because the American eagle is the national bird. It was President George Washington who decided that unlike other countries, our coins should not picture a king or president, but should show something symbolic of Liberty.
Over the years there have been numerous different styles of eagles displayed on United States coins. Some would say that those shown today are not particularly attractive, lifelike, or even accurately portrayed. They are a pretty good cross section of what has been used ever since the beginning of our coinage in 1793. Some were better, some were much worse. There was only one copper coin that ever showed the bird. It was the famous Flying Eagle cent that was minted in 1857 and 1858. That eagle was one of the most attractive and lifelike of any ever used on any coin.
Good or bad in its artistic merits, we are lucky that the eagle was chosen as the national bird and used as a symbol on all our money. Things could have been worse, like the turtle that was used in ancient Aegina on their coins, or the wolf that is seen on many Roman coins. As a matter of fact our founding fathers came mighty close to choosing the turkey as the nation’s bird. There was good reason: It is a native bird, it was a good source of food for the Pilgrim founders and it is not a vicious predator like the eagle.
Benjamin Franklin was the most outspoken proponent for selecting the turkey to represent the country. Had he won out over the eagle fans, we would be the only nation today using that bird as an emblem on its money. In selecting the eagle we join a choice group of countries spanning the ages from ancient Egypt right up to the present. All of them consider the eagle to be the king of birds and a symbol of power and majesty. For Americans it proclaims the might of our nation and freedom to soar to boundless heights.
Courtesy of The American Historic Society Coin Collector's Newsletter
