Post Your Coins Depicting Weaponry!

1860 Darmstadt Thaler.

He is certainly very muscular! I can't imagine that Native Americans were built like Arny! That's one of my favourite coin designs though.

2010-D Sacagawea dollar

Next up is one of the three US Civil War-themed half dollars included in the classic US commemorative series: the 1936 Battle of Gettysburg 75th Anniversary coin. As the Pennsylvania battle took place in 1863, the 75th anniversary was a 1938 milestone (vs. 1936), but the coin's authorizing legislation included language that mandated the coin bear a "1936" date - the year of the coin bill's enactment.

The obverse of the Gettysburg coin depicts a pair of unnamed / unidentified soldiers, one for each side of the battle line. A portrait of a representative Union soldier is at the front of the conjoined pair, with a solider of the Confederacy presented behind him.

The coin's reverse presents the Union (left) and Confederate (right) shields with a fasces in between them; the fasces incorporates a double-bitted axe.

The fasces, a bundle of branches/rods tied together, often with an axe, dates to ancient Rome (possibly earlier) where/when it was mostly used as a symbol of power and authority. The rods were symbolic of the authority to punish, while the axe was symbolic of the authority to execute. The elements of the fasces were, on occasion, put to actual use for disciplinary beatings and/or beheadings.

1936 Battle of Gettysburg Half Dollar

Fantastic examples!

Excellent!

Next up is the 1936 Columbia, SC Sesquicentennial Half Dollar which was issued to commemorate "the sesquicentennial anniversary of the founding of the capital of South Carolina at Columbia, South Carolina."

On its obverse, Lady Justice, is depicted holding a balance scale in her upraised left hand while holding a sword, pointed down, in her right hand; surprisingly, she is not blindfolded.

The pans of the scale are level, indicating fair and equitable treatment for all under the law. The sword is symbolic of the enforceability of the law; it is a double-sided sword which indicates that it will defend and protect either party in a dispute. It is also shown positioned below the scales, which is meant to indicate that the law is enforced after the evidence is weighed and not before. A weapon of justice!

1936 Columbia, SC Sesquicentennial Half Dollar

The 1936 commemorative half dollar that celebrates the centennial of the founding of the city of Elgin, IL features a depiction of Trygve Rovelstad's Pioneer Memorial statue on its reverse.

The statue presents a family being led through the American frontier by a scout. At the left is seen the scout; he is holding his long gun, ready to use it to defend the faimly. Behind him is the father, using his right hand to motion toward something ahead of them while his left arm is around his young wife who is holding the couple's newborn in her arms. At the far right in the group is the older son of the family, he is shown holding a walking stick in his left hand as he looks behind the group, alert for possible danger. The artist intended the statue to symbolically present a young family as it made its way across the Illinois prairie to settle in the area that would become Elgin, IL.

The obverse of the coin presents the head of the scout seen in the statue; the scout is presented in profile, facing left.

1936 Elgin, IL Centennial Half Dollar





For more of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more about the Elgin, IL half dollar, see: Commems Collection.