Survey of Circulating United States Coins


            
           DESIGN ELEMENTS
                   
                  I. Obverse:
                    A. "Liberty" above female portrait 1792-1808.
                    B. "Liberty" in Head Band, 1808-1933.
                    C. Seated figure with "Liberty", 1839-1891.
                    D.  Four "non-liberty" Exceptions, 1856-1883.
                           E. Liberty in Head Band Returns 1859-1933
                    F. Liberty above Figure Returns, 1908-present.
                    G. Historic Figures,1909-present.

                 II. Reverse:
                    A.  Central Denomination in Wreath.
                       1.  Spelled out;  2. Arabic numerals;  3. Roman numerals
                    B. Eagles.
                      1. Facing eagle; 2. Perched Eagle; 3. Eagles in motion.
                    C.   Other: 1. Buffalo, 2. Fasces, 3. Buildings, 4. Torch, 5. Liberty bell


         I. OBVERSE

A. "Liberty" above female portrait 1. Flowing Hair (Portrait Truncated at Neck) (1793-1797)     Appeared in the following series:      Half Cent (1793, 1794-97, Cent (1793-96), Half  Dime (1794-95),      Half Dollar (1794-95),  Dollar (1794-95) 1 Cent 1793-1797      1795 Liberty Cap Cent 1.00 Silver 1794 - 1795        1795  Flowing Hair Dollar 2. Bust types. (1792, 1795-1808)  1. Draped Bust (1792, 1795-1808)   half cent (1800-1808), large cent (1796-1807),  half dime (1792, 1796-1805),  dime (1796-1807),  quarter (1796-1807), half dollar (1796-1807)  silver dollar (1795-1804)  2. Capped Bust - Gold (Not represented)  Quarter Eagle(1796-1807),  Half Eagle(1795-1807),  Eagle (1795-1804) Large cent 1796-1807              1797 One cent

B. "Liberty" in Head Band Silver & Minor coins 1808-1857, Gold coins continued this motif through1933. Capped Bust Half Dime (1829-1837) Dime (1809-1837) Quarter Dollar (1815-1838) Half Dollar (1807-1839) Quarter Eagle (1808-1834) Half Eagle   (1807-1834) 1832 Half Dollar “Classic Head” Half Cent (1809 -1835), Large Cent (1808 - 1814) Quarter Eagle  (1834-1838) Half Eagle  (1834-1838) 1832 Half Cent “Matron Head” Large Cent (1816-1835) 1835 Large Cent Braided Hair “Coronet types” Half Cent (1840-1857), Large Cent (1835-1857) One Dollar Gold (1850-1854) Quarter Eagle (1840-1907) Half Eagle  (1839-1908) Eagle (1838-1907) Double Eagle (1850 -1907) 1856 Large cent 1853 gold dolllar 1907 $10  1895 $20 gold Liberty with Feathered Crown $1 & $3 Gold (1854-1889) 1859 Gold Dollar 1860 $3 Gold 1853 Civil War Token

C. Seated figure with "Liberty" in Shield or Ribbon  1836-1891 5c (1837-1873); 10c(1837-1891);  20c(1875-1878);  25c(1838-1891); 50c(1839-1891); $1.00(1836-1873); Trade Dollar (1873-1878) 1836-1838 No Stars 1837 dime 1838-1840 No drapery at elbow 1838 Dime Drapery at elbow 1840-1891 1875-S Twenty cents Arrows 1853-54  1873-74 1853 Quarter dollar Legend Replaces Stars Half  Dime 1860-1873 Dime 1860-1891 Liberty on Ribbon 1875-S Trade Dollar

D.  Four "non-liberty" Exceptions 1856-1883 1856-58  Flying Eagle Cent 1864-73 2 cents 1851-1873 3 cents silver 1866-1883  Shield Nickel

E. Liberty in Head Band Returns 1859-1933 1c (1859-1909); 3 c (1865-1889);; 5c (1883-1912). 10c, 25c, 50c (1892 -1916);  $1.00  (1878-1921); $10 91907-1933) Indian 1c (1859-1909) 3 c Nickel 1865-1889   5c "Liberty'  1883-1912 Barber 10c, 25c,50c 1892-1916 Morgan $1.00  (1878-1921) $10 Gold 1907-1933

F. Liberty above Figure Returns 1908-present     1. Liberty - Female or male character (historic or not) 1908-1947 Indian Head 5c, $2.50 Gold,  $5 Gold, Crowned Female Head; $1

Indian Head 5c 1913-1938 $2.50 Gold, $5 Gold 1908-1929 Winged Liberty Head 10c;  1916-1945 Peace  Dollar 1921-1935  Standing Liberty 25 c  1916-1931  St. Gaudens $20     1907-1932 Walking 50 c   1916-1947

G. Historic Figures 1909- present

Lincoln cent 1909 Washington quarter  1932 Jefferson Nickel  1938 Roosevelt Dime 1946 Franklin Half Dollar 1948-1963 Kennedy Half Dollar 1964 1971 Eisenhower Dollar

                 


         II. REVERSE
                      A.  Central Denomination in Wreath
                           1.  Spelled out

Half Cent 1793-1857     1806  Half Cent Chain  of 13 Links 1787, 1793 1787 cent  Large cent 1793-1857             1797 One cent  Small  cent 1856-1959           1909 S VDB Lincoln cent  Half Dime 1837-1873      1838 5 c silver Dime 1837-1915

2. Arabic numerals 2 cents 1864-1873                1867 2 cents 5 cents 1866-1883         1/4 Gold 1852-1856         California Gold 1/4 dollar ND (1853) BG 222 $1 Gold 1849-1889        1853 Gold $1.00   $3 Gold 1854-1889         1860 $3.00 Gold piece   3. Roman numerals 3 Cents Silver 1851-1873       1862 3 c silver   3 Cents Nickel 1865-1889             1881   3c Nickel              5 Cent Nickel 1866 - present            1905 Liberty nickel  - received in change from "SEPTA" vending machine February 2002 ,

      B. Eagles (pre 1800 gold not represented)
       1. Facing eagle

1794-1795 5c. 50c, $1.00 1795-1798 5c, 10c, 25c. 50c, $1.00 1798-1807 5c, 10c, 25c, 50c,  $1.00, $2.50, $5, $10 1807-1891 5c, 10c, 25, 50, $1.00 No motto 25c, 50c, $1.00 1831-1866 Rays 25 cents, 50 cents 1853 Motto 1866-1891

20c, Trade Dollar 1873-1883 $2.50, $5, $10 1808-1907 Also a popular reverse for 1850's merchants' tokens. $20 1850-1907  1892-1926 25c, 50c 1932-1998 Washington Quarter Morgan Dollar 1878-1921 Half Dollar 1948-1963 Half Dollar 1964-present

2. Perched Eagle.   $2.50. $5 (incuse)     1908-1929 $10 1907-1933 1921-1935 Dollar

3. Eagle in motion. Dollar 1836-1839 $20 1907-1932 Quarter Dollar 1916-1931 Half Dollar 1916-1947 Dollar 1971-1981

      C.   Other: Buffalo, Fasces, Buildings, Torch, Liberty bell

Buffalo 1913-1938 Fasces 1916-1945 Monticello 1938-2005 Torch 1946-present Liberty Bell 1948-1963 Lincoln Memorial 1959-present