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Today’s post is most decidedly for the numismatically inclined. I wanted to do some stock photos of collector coins, not necessarily for documentary or sale purposes but rather for artistic purposes as you might see on the cover or on a page within a numismatic magazine. I would have to say that anyone in America who is interested in collecting coins would have interest in the Morgan Silver Dollar (1878-1904 + 1921). The coin, which in early years of its production was shown as unpopular, has become one of the most popular and collected series of all time. Derogatory complaints were rampant from calling it nothing but a cartwheel ( I assume referring to the heavy 1797 UK 2 Pence Copper known as a Cartwheel) to the Buzzard Dollar referring to what was viewed as a scrawny eagle on the reverse. Who knows about these things as this particular coin comes in finishes that are absolutely glorious as satiny business strike, mirrored proof like, deep mirror proof like (DMPL) and actual proof examples depending on the state of the dies. And, what can you say about the worn circulated coins, well perhaps they were tossed onto a poker table in a saloon out west when gold and silver were king? All I can say is that it was a great thrill as a child when my father gave me a real silver dollar. Magical!
The example I took the close up of Miss Liberty’s profile is a DMPL coin and as such offers lovely contrast between the mirrored fields and the frosty cameo of Lady Liberty. The face belongs to Anna Willess Williams part of whose story I’ve pasted below from an article series on Anna Williams, George T. Morgan’s model, which Dave Bowers of Stack’s Bowers, the noted Rare Coin Auction House, is offering on that company’s blog. The excerpt being dated May of 1896 is a piece of history in of itself.

The Numismatist, May 1896, printed this item:
“To Marry A Goddess, the Young Lady Whose Profile Appears on Uncle Sam’s Silver Dollars:
“The announcement that the Goddess of Liberty is about to be married has aroused new interest in the woman whose face is known to more people than that of any other woman of the American continent. Every man, woman or child who has a silver dollar carries the handsome profile of the Philadelphia schoolteacher, Miss Anna W. Williams. Her classic features have been stamped upon millions of silver disks.
“It is twenty years since the pretty blonde girl became world-famous. It was then stated that Miss Williams’ profile was the original of the Goddess of Liberty on that much abused, much admired and equally much disliked Bland silver dollar. The friends of the young woman placed every obstacle in the way of possible identification, but failed in their object. The story of how Miss Williams came to be the Goddess of Liberty may be retold, now that it is said she is soon to become a bride.
“In the early part of 1876 the Treasury Department secured, through communication with the Royal Mint of England, the services of a clever young designer and engraver named George Morgan. Upon his arrival in this country Mr. Morgan was installed at the Philadelphia Mint and was assigned the task of making a design for the new silver dollar. After many months of labor the young engraver completed the design for the reverse side of the coin upon which he represented the American eagle. His attention was then turned to the other side, and his original inclination was to place on it a fanciful head representing the Goddess of Liberty. But the ambitious designer was too much of a realist to be satisfied with a mere product of fancy. Finally he determined the head should be the representation of some American girl and forthwith searched for his beauteous maid.
“It was a long search, although pleasant. He told his friends of his desires, and one of them spoke of the really classic beauty of Miss Anna Williams. The English designer was introduced to the girl. Mr. Morgan was at once impressed by her beautiful face and studied it carefully. Then he told her what he desired, and she promptly refused to permit herself to be the subject of the design. Her friends, however, induced her to pose before an artist. After five sittings the design was completed.
“Mr. Morgan was so enthusiastic that he declared Miss Williams’ profile was the most nearly perfect he had seen in England or America. His design for the Bland silver dollar was accepted by Congress, and so the silver coins have been pouring from the mints all these years adorned with the stately face of a Quaker City maiden.
“Miss Williams is a decidedly modest young woman. She resides on Spring Garden Street, not far from the school in which for years she has been employed as an instructor in philosophy and methods in the kindergarten department. She is slightly below the average height, is rather plump, and is fair. She carries her figure with a stateliness rarely seen and the pose of the head is exactly as seen on the silver dollar. The features of Miss Williams are reproduced as faithfully as in a good photograph.—New York Mail and Express.”
To read the complete article, see:
Anna Willess Williams, The “Silver Dollar Girl” (www.stacksbowers.com/NewsMedia/Blogs/TabId/780/ArtMID/
2678/ArticleID/64920/Anna-Willess-Williams-The-%E2%80%9CSilver-Dollar-Girl%E2%80%9D.aspx)
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This image is not a DMPL coin but a Mint State business strike example. The fields are satiny with the revolving highlight referred to as cartwheel luster. Luster is due to the pressure created in the minting process which causes the metal to flow outward with very fine parallel lines. These catch the light in such beautiful ways and the delicacy of these fine lines is lost when the coin is handled and is one of the defining characteristics of an uncirculated coin.
The image from an artistic point of view was intended to contrast the gold tones and design of the old brass box I placed the coin on with the pretty shimmery silver of the silver dollar.
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This is the reverse side of a Morgan Dollar with its eagle design. The coin caught some reflected blue from the daylight I put the coin in which made a colorful contrast. The background is dark with a burgundy hue to show off the coin a bit.
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I played with this profile with various scaling and color treatments for fun. This is the same as the top image scale wise but I enjoyed the bi-color filter I used on it with a light tone to the cameo and some deep blues along the legend and stars to fade it off a bit.
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To be immortalized on a such a silver dollar….cannot think of a cooler thing that could happen to a person.
Judy
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Tags: Anna Willess Williams, coin, coin collector, DMPL, George T Morgan, Morgan Silver Dollar, numismatic, numismatics, silver and gold, silver coin, silver dollar, USA coinage