The Many Depictions of Miss Liberty on U.S. Coins Since 1792

"Beauty," we've been told, "is in the eyes of the beholder!" Perhaps that's why at least 16 coin designers throughout this republic's history have adorned our coinage, from half cents through Double Eagles, with no less than 13 artistic type interpretations of what they think the symbolic lady looks like. And we're not even including depictions of Liberty on commemoratives such as the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition half dollar or the Statue of Liberty coins. Remarkably, within each grouping, prior to the 1830s, you can find some startling differences in Miss Liberty's features and general appearance, due to the individually hand carved dies used in minting.

Consequently, though somewhat less confusing than the myriad artistic renderings of eagles on our coinage reverses (noted in a Coin Values feature in April) no two representations of Liberty are the same. Take your pick: standing; walking; seated; classic head; coronet head; draped bust; facing left; facing right; wearing war bonnet; flowing hair; caught in a wind storm; etc.

No other image has appeared on more U.S. coins, obverse or reverse, than Miss Liberty. So it was no surprise when the French ship Isere delivered the 214 crates containing the statue known as Liberty Enlightening the World to America's shores from France more than a century ago, that Liberty's likeness on this magnificent sculpture would be that of a woman. The statue we're talking about is recognized the world over as the Statue of Liberty.