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 Replies: 9 / Views: 1,435 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2200 Posts |
Just pondering how certain coins became known by their current nicknames. For example, the Liberty Head design dimes, quarters and halves minted from 1892 to 1916 (1915 for the halves) at some point began to be called "Barbers." And the Liberty Head dime minted from 1916 to 1945 was given the nickname "Mercury." And the Liberty Head dollar minted from 1878 to 1921 at some point got stuck with the appellation "Morgan." It's curious how these coins how these coin designs deviated from their official designations and acquired their designer's names, or other nicknames. It'd be interesting to know at what point it happened and how. Did the mint fashion the names or was it collectors? Or someone else? (To make matters even more odd, I have an old Whitman Barber dime folder with the title "Liberty Head, Barber, or Morgan" dime. So at one point the Barber dime was also called Morgan. Go figgah!) |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
People are just people. Look at all the names people use on this web site. Why jpsned? Why don't people use names like Joe, Mary, or Pete? Why do people say LOL instead of lots of laughs? It's because people are people.
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Moderator
 United States
188110 Posts |
One thing I have noticed is that at some point Turban Head became Capped Bust.
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Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
The historical evidence for name assignment and variations are reviewed in most books on type coins. They may not pinpoint specific dates for those linguistic changes, but they often give reasons for those changes. The examples you've listed are but a small sample of those transformations. Some names, such as fish scales for Three Cent Silver, or V nickel for the more commonly referred to Liberty nickel, have more of a Nick name. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2200 Posts |
moxking, are there any citations like the ones you mentioned (in type coin books) on the Internet?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
As kids, we used to get excited about finding a "Wheatie" or a "Merc" The little kid in us like nicknames.
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
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Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
I have three books especially for type coins, and all have some historical basis for when, where, and why certain denominations and types are as they are. I've never seen that info on the net. Maybe a key word search? Other books about a specific denomination, such as Overton and Penny Whimsy give tons (at least pounds) of more specific information. Perhaps your goals in researching this subject might gain further references of interest. ANA members have Monstrous amounts of on-line info. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2200 Posts |
Actually, I looked up Mercury dimes on Wikipedia, and they have a nice summary of how the name came to be. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
719 Posts |
America's British heritage may have something to do with it. Nick-naming-est people on the planet!
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Replies: 9 / Views: 1,435 |
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Posted 03/13/2018 11:03 am
