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Another version of this coin presents a bust of George Clinton in place of the Eagle but the goddesses of Liberty and Justice are kept. Clinton was Governor of New York and eventually became Jefferson's Vice President in his second term.
Emperor Claudius and Standing Libertas with Freedom Cap.The SC means the coin was struck by authority of the Senate. Libertas, Lady Liberty, the Roman Goddess of Individual Freedom was on many Roman coins. Rome had adopted the Greek Gods, but she made one of her own, a Goddess of Liberty. And Individual liberty at that. (A poster at Thomas Brewton's historical revisionism blog recently told me that individual freedom, dignity and respect were unheard of before the Gospel. That's plainly false. Rome's Libertas, the goddess of individual freedom predates Christianity by a couple of centuries. From the very beginning Rome's Lady Liberty was represented with a Pileus and a Staff. A Pileus is the cap worn by a freed slave that says, "I'm a free citizen of Rome". Like all the Goddesses on Roman coins, Libertas shared the attributes of other goddesses at times. Goddesses shared wardrobes. Libertas has also been portrayed with a sword, a sceptre, scales of justice, and sometimes a torch, signifying the light of kowledge and freedom. Rome adopted Athena and called her Minerva, Nike was called Victoria or Victory, and Demeter was called Ceres but it had no specific Greek Goddess of Freedom to adopt so it synthesized its own from the attributes of Minerva and others. Libertas was born from political issues and that is also why Americans chose her and the Eagle for their coins. With these first two coins the reverse is the Goddess Libertas with her staff and freedom cap. On Claudius' reverse the legend says LIBERTAS AUGUSTA. The title of Augusta denotes a woman with significant imperial power. Empress Pulcheria, regent of Emperor Theodosius the Younger and wife to Emperor Marcianus is an example. Minting coins with Libertas on Roman coins was a political statement by many who succeeded tyrants. American coins presented Libertas in much the same way.
Emperor Vitelius and Standing Libertas holding Freedom Cap and Staff: The reverse of Vitelius' coin says LIBERTAS RESTITUTA. I am restoring Liberty, Vitelius says. Some of the coins say LIBERTAS PUBLICA meaning Public Liberty; liberty for all. It was a social and political issue during the reign of many emperors. The new republic of the United States went beyond its Capitol city's architecture being full of classical themes; its coins adopted classical mythology and some of ts politics for its symbolism. Libertas was the obverse for the majority of American coins for quite a long time. Only when President's heads were added did that change. Like Roman on their coins, the Americans presented different versions of Liberty. Busts, standing, and seated. On the reverse so much of the time was the Eagle, also common on Roman and Greek coins. Many an American coin has Liberty on the obverse and the Eagle on the reverse. In fact, most coins have an Eagle.
Here is a coin from about 140 years prior to Paul's Epistles. On the obverse is the goddess Libertas with a Pileus to the left. The reverse features a chariot and a warrior with sword.
Here is another coin from around the same period as the coin above with goddess Libertas and a Pileus. Reverse shows Venus and Roma with Staffs. Roma has sword & foot on the Wolf's neck. The Wolf signifies tyranny. This is similar to some American themes which featured Minerva with her foot on a Lion's neck. The Lion represents the tyranny of Brittania
1776 Continental Dollar: The first coin authorized by the Continental Congress after the signing of the Declaration of Independance was the 1776 Continental Currency, called the Continental Dollar. Designed by Benjamin Franklin, America's first coin was a one of beautiful simplicity. There was a sort of monetary anarchy in the United States so the Congress decided that issuing the Continental Dollar would help unite the nation by bringing some kind of standardization to the monetary system. Every state had different currencies and none of the states assigned the same value to the Spanish Silver Dollar, an important currency in a hemisphere where most nations were Spanish speaking. The widely used Spanish Dollar was recognized and used by the businesses of the North American continent. It is where we get the term bit because the Spanish Dollar was also called Pieces of Eight. There was no consistency in American currency at this time. The coin had a small Sun which is shining rays onto the Sundial beneath it. Around the outside of the obverse is the statement, CONTINENTAL CURRENCY. Under the Sundial the legend reads MIND YOUR BUSINESS, not the IN GOD WE TRUST which was pushed by Christian fundamentalists after the Civil War. There is also the name FUGIO on the coin which is also found on the Congressionally authorized Fugio Cent of 1787. On the reverse side of the Continental Currency coin there are thirteen rings strung together the edge like links in a chain, signifying unending, unbreakable unity. The names of the thirteen states are ingraved on the thirteen rings. In the very center it says, horizontally, WE ARE ONE. Around those words is AMERICAN CONGRESS.
In 1783, Benjamin Franklin released his LIBERTAS AMERICANA commemorative coin. Conceived by Franklin, engraved by Frenchman Augustin Dupre, it was minted in Paris. The coin was a celebration of the victories of Saratoga and Yorkstown in 1777 and 1781, and the honoring of the French in their relationship with the United States. The French had a big hand in the mnilitary successes of the Americans. In a letter of March of 1782 to Robert Livingston, fellow committee member for drafting the Declaration of Independance, Franklin wrote: "This puts me in mind of a medal I have had a mind to strike, since the late great event you gave me an account of, representing the United States by the figure of an infant Hercules in his cradle, strangling the two serpents; and France by that of Minerva, sitting by as his nurse, with her spear and helmet, and her robe specked with a few fleurs de lys. The extinguishing of two entire armies in one war is what has rarely happened, and it gives a presage of the future force of our growing empire." On the obverse, the coin featured the Goddess Libertas with a freed Roman slave's liberty cap. It would appear that the reverse of the coin ended up with more of a role for Minerva because the first letter makes no mention of the British Lion. Personifying France is Minerva with her sword and shield who is defeating a Lion, the symbol of Britain. Below her is Hercules, representing the infant nation of the United States killing two snakes, meaning two armies. The Hercules story comes from Greek mythology when Zeus' wife Hera, tries to kill off Hercules with venomous snakes. Hercules was one of the twins born of Zeus to a human woman. This is the same story depicted on the pedestal of the 1840 statue of Washington as Zeus, which is now in the Smithsonian Museum. On the other side of the pedestal is Apollo, the Sun God, and also a product of Zeus and a human woman. Dieties and humans have been mating long before Christianity's virgin birth.
In 1783, a coin was minted with the capitalized legend NOVA CONSTELLATIO, which means New Constellation. When we hear that word constellation, the first thing that comes to mind is the stars but the stars aren't what is meant. America's intellectuals at this time are under the influence of, and with glad tidings abounding, the European enlightenment. And the Americans have outdone the Europeans at the 'enlightenment business'. Slower but surer and more careful with their revolution, the Americans gambled on the future with an idea. Filtered by the Atlantic, the best ideas of the enlightenment thrived in American intellectual and political circles in the second half of the eighteenth century. America would not have to worry about the Romanticists of France that turned the French enlightenment into a nightmare. In enlightenment America, where most were unchurched, even religion had respect with its enlightenment deism. Deism honored the Almighty, revered Providence, pretended no ear to the voices of the heavens, and rejected the tales and demands of traditional religions and their organizations as superstition and enslavement.
The American leaders were anything but evangelical as a majority. Only New England was hyper-religious and would fight to keep their state churches while joining the fight to be free of Britain. The founding Americans who were truly Republican in the classical sense crafted a new order that is aptly declared as Nova Constellatio. A new constellation of ideas founding a new order of government. A new configuration. A new order. Nova Constellatio was the first motto and phrase in declaring a New Order for the Ages that the Constitution certainly was. The obverse of the coin featured what appears to be the Egyptian Eye of Providence at the center, radiating rays outward like the Sun, and thirteen stars equidistant from the center. Its similarity with the Egyptian Eye can't be missed.
On the reverse was a wreath a the words in capitals, LIBERTAS and JUSTITIA, the Roman names of the Goddesses of Liberty and Justice. The wreath has always been a common element depicted with Goddesses. Oak leaves are sacred to Zeus//Jupiter. Wreaths or branches are very common in Roman coins. Roman Eagles as well as American Eagles usually have a branch. With Roman coins even a thunderbolt shows up, representing the power and authority of Zeus.
Shown in this Gold coin, in 1785, the Nova Constellatio's reverse changed to the American name of the Goddess of Liberty, Columbia. Columbia is on a pedestal and is balancing the scales of justice in her left hand. In her right hand is a staff bearing an American Flag with a Freedom Cap at the top. The coin was called IMMUNIS COLUMBIA. America's classically educated intellectuals were under the influence of the European enlightenment. And the Americans out-did the Europeans at the enlightenment business of liberty, diversity, and humanism. Slower but surer the Americans gambled on the future with new ideas for the future of governmewnt organization and of the liberties of man. Filtered by the Atlantic, the best ideas of the enlightenment thrived in American intellectual and political circles in the second half of the eighteenth century. America would not have to worry about the anti-enlightenment reactionaries and tyrants of France that turned the French Enlightenment into a bloody nightmare. Between the rights of man, influenced by Paine and Jefferson, to the Guillotine, the French Enlightenment abandoned enlightenment principles for revenge by a totalitarian regime. In enlightenment North America, where most were unchurched, religion had respect with its enlightenment deism. Deism honored the Almighty, revered Providence, pretended no ear to the voices of the heavens, and rejected the tales and demands of traditional religions and their organizations as superstition and coercion. The Americans were anything but evangelical as a majority. Only New England was deeply conservative about church and state alliances and would fight to keep their state churches while also joining the fight to be free of Britain. That matter would have to wait until the early 19th century when Massachusetts and then Connecticut finally banned their state church establishments.
In 1787, the obverse of Immunis Columbia changed from the Eye of Providence to the Goddess of Liberty sitting upon a Globe while holding scales, staff, cap and flag. This is almost the same Liberty found on the reverse of the 1785 coin. The difference with Liberty on this coin is that Liberty is now sitting on a Globe of the world instead of a pedestal.
The reverse became the first heraldic Eagle on American coinage. Like many Roman coins, the Eagle is clutching the Olive Branch of Peace in one claw and arrows in the other. The arrows are similar in theme to the Roman Eagle with a thunderbolt. As far as I can tell, the 1787 Immunis Columbia is the first coin of the United Sates to have the Goddess Liberty on the obverse and a Heraldic Roman Eagle on the reverse. It was the beginning of a long trend of Americans emulating Roman coins.
Also in 1787, the American Congress authorized the issue of the FUGIO CENT, generally known as the Franklin Cent because the coin is very similar to the Continental Dollar of 1776. It has a much larger Sun and Rays beating down on a much larger Sundial. The MIND YOUR BUSINESS motto is also much larger, being situated under the pedestal of the Sundial at the bottom of the obverse. On the reverse of the Fugio Cent we again see the interlocked rings signifying the unity of the states. In the center of the reverse side is the same statement found in the Continental Dollar, WE ARE ONE. Instead of saying American Congress around the center, it says UNITED STATES or the reverse. Like the Nova Constellatio, the Fugio Cent had several variations. On one coin it had the Eye of Providence as is found on the Nova Constellatio. Most Fugios did not have the names of the states inscribed on the rings.
Another 1787 coin, the Excelsior Cent, was issued first in the state of New York and then in surrounding states. It is believed to have been coined by John Bailey, the partner of the famous Goldsmith, Ephraim Brasher. Questions remain as to who minted the coin because the petition to the State of New York had both of their names on it. Since 1778, the State Motto had been EXCELSIOR meaning ever upward. On the obverse of the Excelsior Cent there was a shield in with a Sun is rising over three mountains and a sea before it. Above the shield is an Eagle perched on a globe. On the left of the shield is the Goddess of Liberty. Here we see goddess Libertas with her staff and a Roman free slave's Freedom Cap on top. On the right of the shield is a blindfolded Goddess of Justice with her balanced scales and her sword of justice. The legend underneath says EXCELSIOR. On the reverse is the date and a Heraldic Eagle and its shield, clutching an Olive Branch of Peace and a group of arrows. Around the outside is written E PLURIBUS UNUM, meaning One From Many which is the same message as the Continental Dollar and Fugio Cent declares, WE ARE ONE.
New York, along with Virginia, were truly tuned into the Enlightenment thought and the neo-Classical revivial of the times. They were not beholden to the old order and made that quite clear. Article 35 of New York's Constitution of 1777 made some real headway towards the creation of the new legal framework for a new society. NY was the first state to disestablish their state churches and cut ties from England's traditions. Both ended religious tests before the rest of the states. In Article 35, the NY constitution makes clear that revolutionary era New Yorkers are doing away with "all such parts of the said common law, and all such of the said statutes and acts aforesaid, or parts thereof, as may be construed to establish or maintain any particular denomination of Christians or their ministers, or concern the allegiance heretofore yielded to, and the supremacy, sovereignty, government, or prerogatives claimed or exercised by, the King of Great Britain and his predecessors, over the colony of New York and its inhabitants, or are repugnant to this constitution, be, and they hereby are, abrogated and rejected."
Echoing some of Jefferson's sentiments, Article 38 stated, "whereas we are required, by the benevolent principles of the rational liberty, not only to expel civil tyranny, but also to guard against that spiritual oppression and intolerance wherewith the bigotry and ambition of weak and wicked priests and princes have scourged mankind.." The Constitution of 1777 also replaced the term Creator with Nature's God, an Enlightenment term denoting deism and natural religion. Thomas Jefferson, clearly not a Christian in the conventional sense, used the same terms in much the same way.
In the same year, Ephraim Brasher minted America's first Gold Doubloon. On the reverse (shown), there is an Eagle holding a branch in one and arrows in the other. Around the edge, like the Excelsior Cent, is written E PLURIBUS UNUM. Around the same time, a coin with a politician's head appeared as an Excelsior Cent. This was rare at this time of anti-Monarchal sentiments. It featured George Clinton on the obverse. The scene with Libertas, Justitia and the Eagle on the Globe is on the reverse with this coin. The positions of Liberty and Justice are reversed on this coin. Justitia, with her Sword and Scales of Justice is on the left and Libertas with her Staff and Freedom Cap is on the right. On the obverse (not show) we see a similar scenario found in the shield of the Excelsior Cent. From over the seas, we see a Sun with rays spreading forth, rising over hills or mountains. A new day has come. The Sun's rays upon a Sundial expresses the same message. Around the edge of the obverse it reads NOVA EBORACA COLOMBIA EXCELSIOR. Nova Eboraca means New York. Columbia is the Americanization of Libertas.
The first official coins of the United States were dated in 1792. It was a half-dime that had the Roman Goddess of Liberty on the obverse and an Eagle on the back. The inscription around the head reads: LIBERTY PARENT OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. Again, not In God we Trust which did not appear on our coins for another century and was not law until the 1950s. This law was due to radical Christian elements doing their best to claim the USA is legally a Christian nation or make it one, anyway. By law, it is not. By heritage, it has strong Christian currents.
Shown here is a 1793 Libertas Half Cent. See how similar the obverse is to Franklin's Commemorative Libertas-Americana coin of 1783? This was a major American coin theme. It is clear that the designers wanted that particular look of the goddess Libertas with a prominent Pileus, the Roman symbol of personal freedom. The reverse presents with a classical wreath.
These next coins show us the initial evolution of Libertas and the Eagle after the ratification. But Justitia and Libertas were there since 1783. Busts of Libertas with Eagles dominated most coins for a long time in the USA. The exceptions were Half-cents and cents, on which, until the Lincoln Monument (another pagan temple!) replaced it, a wreath of leaves encircled the reverse. (When you won an event in the ancient Olympics, you were crowned with a wreath.) We called the last of these wreath coins, the Wheat Penny. Below the 1795 Gold Half Eagle, are coins from the reign of Commodus and Galba. Like the American coin, the Heraldic Eagle holds a wreath in its beak, as if to announce victory.
1795 Gold Half Eagle: Liberty wearing Freedom Cap Eagle presenting wreath. In 1836, a new expression of Libertas o the obverse was presented. It was the Seated Libertas. Seated Liberty lasted for eighty years until the Standing Liberties beginning in 1917. St. Gaudens' 1907 Standing Liberty set that ball rolling. Most Roman coins with Libertas had her standing, but there were seated Liberties, too. Seated Goddesses were common on the reverse of Roman coins. The emperor was on the front and a Goddess or two or an Eagle was on the reverse. Those were the most common combinations on Roman coins. There was seated and standing Victoria (Nike). There was seated and standing Justitia (Themis). There were versions of Ceres, Concordia, Fortuna, Providencia and many more.
1797-1804: $20 Liberty Eagle. Liberty wears a Roman freedom cap. Reverse is beautiful Heraldic Eagle with shield and stars resembling first Seal of the United States
Emperor Commodus with Heraldic Eagle presenting Wreath of Victory
Emperor and Heraldic Eagle presenting wreath
Emperor Septimius with Heraldic Eagle presenting Wreath
Emperor Caracalla and Heraldic Eagle
Egypt in the Roman Empire: Ptolemy and Heraldic Eagle gripping the Thunderbolt of Zeus/Jupiter
Heraldic Eagle of Roman Egypt with Thunderbolt
Ancient Greece: Athena and the Owl of Wisdom. Rome adopted Athena as Minerva. Throughout the Library of Congress, there are many representations of Athena/Minerva with the Owl of Wisdom. The first official American Statue of Liberty was Minerva with a Freedom Cap on her breastplate. It was called Minerva as the Patroness of Liberty. (Library of Congess image)
Legionary Eagle between Roman military standards
