As a nod to the Storming of the Bastille this week (July 14, 1789), we are taking a look at the French influence on U.S. coin design.
Many collectors speculate that both the Walking Liberty half dollar and the Winged Liberty Head dime share similarities with the La Semeuse 1 Franc coin, designed by Louis Oscar Roty and created in 1897.
The Walking Liberty half dollar and the Winged Liberty Head dime were designed by Adolph A. Weinman and were first used for these coins in 1916. Weinman’s apprenticeship and studies certainly included the modern sculptural and engraving trends of his time. The bold stride and gesture of the Roty design can be seen as an influence on the style and grace of the Walking Liberty of Weinman’s design.
The Winged Liberty dime is often referred to as the Mercury design because the obverse motif is confused with the Roman god, Mercury – “the winged messenger of the gods.” The obverse actually shows Liberty wearing the Phrygian cap (an emblem of Liberty in the French Revolution) with wing. According to Weinman this represented “freedom of thought.”
The coin designs by La Semeuse and Weinman have elegantly represented their respective countries.
