| Author |
 Replies: 15 / Views: 1,883 |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2202 Posts |
The story goes that folks in 1909 didn't like the fact that Victor David Brenner had the audacity to slap his initials at the bottom of his design's reverse. Bad Victor! So the initials came off. Then, they were put back on the obverse in 1918 in incuse at the bottom of Honest Abe's shoulder. Does anyone know the story behind the story here? Why would people get their undies in a bunch about initials? And why did the initials go back again nine years later? |
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
1682 Posts |
From what I recall, is that public did not like the initials being so prominent on the coin. So all I think the Mint did wait until things settled down and put back on the coin in a more discreet location.
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
This is the same public that later decided that the initials JS on the Roosevelt dime stood for Joseph Stalin, and had been placed on the dies secretly by Russian agents. |
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
2202 Posts |
It seems almost like revisionist history. I mean, did they have a letter-writing campaign to get the initials removed? Did the people storm the mint with torches? Riots in the streets? It's really difficult to believe that enough people became that up in arms to warrant the retooling and replacing of dies over such a petty thing. Why would anyone really care at all?
Or perhaps a politician or two who had a beef with the mint quietly got the initials removed. That seems more likely.
Edited by jpsned
04/15/2018 10:27 am
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2202 Posts |
I just had a thought--it was, after all, a first-year-of-issue coin, and it commemorated Abe's 100th birthday. Perhaps the fact that the initials were so readable, people felt that Brenner was almost stealing some of Abe's thunder.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3540 Posts |
Believe it was Mint officials who were uptight with the designer initials being placed in such a prominent area of a coin.
|
|
Rest in Peace
10197 Posts |
The story I heard was more related to Barber and his "pals" losing the contest on design. Brenner was the outsider, sound familiar? Same poop, different day, same gubmint, and the same way! Why are folks so surprised at gubmint corruption and cronyism as if some new invention?  Edited by Crazyb0
04/15/2018 1:51 pm
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4233 Posts |
https://pastandpresent.com/2015/08/...controversy/ "no one really knows for sure what happened". I would tend to believe the Barber-Brenner jealousy/rivalry more than public outcry, since the public was eagerly awaiting the coin and who cares what the public thinks anyway.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2202 Posts |
|
|
Moderator
 United States
188213 Posts |
Quote: This is the same public that later decided that the initials JS on the Roosevelt dime stood for Joseph Stalin, and had been placed on the dies secretly by Russian agents. Seems plausible. Some People. Jeez.  |
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:Quote: This is the same public that later decided that the initials JS on the Roosevelt dime stood for Joseph Stalin, and had been placed on the dies secretly by Russian agents. And here I always thought it was Stalin that designed that coin.  Quote:
Does anyone know the story behind the story here? Why would people get their undies in a bunch about initials? And why did the initials go back again nine years later? People at the Mint are probably still laughing about all this. |
|
Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
Quote:
It seems almost like revisionist history. I mean, did they have a letter-writing campaign to get the initials removed? Did the people storm the mint with torches? Riots in the streets? It's really difficult to believe that enough people became that up in arms to warrant the retooling and replacing of dies over such a petty thing. Why would anyone really care at all? Admittedly I've never really researched the issue, but that's my feeling. I'm sure the mint officials had a problem hence the change, but I need to see real evidence that the public cared before I will ever believe that. I seriously doubt they cared at all and it was anyone but the mint officials who had a problem. Edited by basebal21
04/17/2018 11:24 pm
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4233 Posts |
Quote:
And why did the initials go back again nine years later? Maybe because Barber died. |
|
Valued Member
United States
314 Posts |
And don't forget the "hammer and sickle" on the Kennedy half. Red phobia had no limit for some people. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2202 Posts |
Quote:
And here I always thought it was Stalin that designed that coin. And I always thought that it was Stalin on the coin! |
|
Rest in Peace
10197 Posts |
I thought it was the one person none of us seem to know... *** Edited by Staff | The bad word filter is in place for a reason. Bypassing the filter and making the intended word obvious anyway is completely unacceptable. *** |
| |
Replies: 15 / Views: 1,883 |
|
Posted 04/15/2018 09:58 am
