MACNEIL'S STANDING LIBERTY QUARTER BRONZE CAST

One of the more singular pieces it has been our privilege to offer recently is an Original Bronze Cast of the Standing Liberty Quarter Obverse (lot ID 181001), roughly 150 mm in diameter and believed to be unique in private hands. This is among the rarest artifacts related to the widely popular Standing Liberty quarter series, an original bronze cast of Hermon MacNeil's obverse design as it appeared in August 1916. Few other relics of the Standing Liberty quarter's design production period survive in private hands, and arguably none harbor the appeal of this large bronze cast of the obverse design. This artifact will be offered in our January 4-9 FUN Signature Auction.

The imagery on this cast differs dramatically from MacNeil's original obverse models. In late June 1916, the sculptor began making adjustments to his design in the interest of sharpening details and increasing the aesthetic appeal. But the result was a drastic redesign of the entire obverse. The figure of Liberty was completely remodeled and brought up in sharp relief, and the inscription LIBERTY above her head was strengthened in definition and reduced in size. The shield rivets were more widely spaced, and the inner shield was replaced with an eagle. IN GOD WE TRUST migrated from the gateway walls to the sash drawn across Liberty's torso, and the walls themselves were simplified in their design. Liberty herself was given sandals, and the drapery was drawn up tighter around the shield. Dolphins representing the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans were added to each side of the date, accompanied by branches of laurel. The olive branch of peace disappeared from Liberty's outstretched hand, and her hair was restyled to flow in the wind. A chain-like border surrounded the periphery in place of the previous dot-and-dash pattern. The modified design showcased a captivating beauty that the former did not fully deliver.

A bronze cast of MacNeil's modified design was delivered to the Mint on September 9th, 1916. However, it was never produced in coin form. During the correspondence about the placement of MacNeil's monogram, the Mint was experiencing striking problems with the new Mercury dime, unable to get the coins to stack properly due to thickness issues and a wire rim problem. Documentation presented by Roger Burdette in Renaissance of American Coinage suggests that when the bronze cast of the quarter obverse arrived at the Mint, Chief Engraver Charles Barber examined it and discovered that working the model up to the mechanical requirements of the Mint would consume far too much time. Thus, Barber was instructed to revert to the original model for the obverse, which required far less modification to meet the Engraver's strict technical requirements. It was that design which later appeared on the mass production of December 1916.

Cataloging this piece in the Minot Collection catalog in 2008, Burdette stated: "One bronze cast reached the Philadelphia Mint. Another, the present example, must have remained in MacNeil's College Point, NY studio – a backup in case the first one were lost or damaged." As J.H. Cline notes in Standing Liberty Quarters, fourth edition, MacNeil's studio housed "a lifetime collection of complete sculptures, completed designs, partially completed works, and some of Hermon's most treasured works – either in picture form or the original castings." It would only make sense for the artist to retain a casting of what he believed would be the finished quarter dollar design.

It is thought that this bronze cast was among the artifacts recovered from MacNeil's studio after the sculptor's passing in 1947, by John A. Coughlin, a neighbor and professional illustrator. Coughlin is also credited with the preservation of several flying eagle sketches for the reverse of the quarter, later showcased in the Newman Money Museum, as well as MacNeil scrapbooks and letters preserved in the Smithsonian.

This cast, along with a similar bronze cast of a proposed reverse design, first came to light for collectors in 2008, when offered consecutively in Stack's Minot Collection sale, after reportedly being found at a garage sale in 2001. It appears plated in a light metal, possibly a nickel alloy, as noted by Burdette. The surface preservation is exceptional, with uniform silvery-bronze color and satin luster. For the Standing Liberty quarter specialist, about the only thing more exciting than having a chance to admire MacNeil's intended obverse design, is having a chance to acquire the original bronze casting. This piece is plated in Burdette's Renaissance of American Coinage, 1916-1921 (2005), and Q. David Bowers' Guide Book (2015).

To read the complete lot description, see:
1916 Standing Liberty Quarter Obverse Bronze Cast (https://coins.ha.com/itm/standing-liberty-quarters/1916-standing-liberty-quarter-obverse-bronze-cast-uncertified/a/1251-5616.s)

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