Standing Liberty Quarters

Charles E. Barber was Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1879 until his death in 1917. He succeeded his father, William, who had been Chief Engraver for ten years. Willliam's best known design was the Trade Dollar.

Charles Barber was born in London in 1840, emigrating to the United States when he was 12 years old. His father went to work for the US Mint in Philadelphia. Upon the death of his father Charles was considered for the Chief Engraver position along with George T. Morgan. Barber received the nod.

During his tenure Barber designed the 1883 Liberty Head nickel and the 1892 dime, quarter, and half dollar which became known by his name. Barber also designed commemorative coins and medals as well as coinage for Hawaii, Cuba, and Venezuela.

Many people were not enthralled with Barber's designs. President Theodore Roosevelt requested a redesign of the dime, quarter, and half dollar. Although certain groups sought to have famous sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens design the coins, Barber was vehemently opposed. Over Barber's objections, the MCMVII High Relief $20 coin was produced featuring the Saint-Gaudens design.

Charles E. Barber died in February of 1917, and was succeeded by George T. Morgan, the man who had been his rival for the position thirty eight years before.

Hermon Atkins MacNeil (1866-1947) was an American sculptor born at Chelsea, Massachusetts.

MacNeil taught industrial art at Cornell University from 1886 to 1889, and was a student of Henri M. Chapu and Alexandre Falguière in Paris. Returning to America, he aided Philip Martiny in preparing sketch models for the World's Columbian Exposition.In 1896 MacNeil won the Rinehart scholarship, passing four years (1896-1900) in Rome.

In 1906 MacNeil became a National Academician. His first important work was The Moqui Runner, followed by A Primitive Chant, and The Sun Vow. These were all figures of the North American Indian. A Fountain of Liberty, for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, and other Native American themes came later; his Agnese and his Beatrice, which are two fine busts of women, and his nude statuettes, echo his time spent in Rome and Parisare also of note. One of his principal works is the sculpture in Columbus, Ohio, in honor of President William McKinley.

His best known work is the design for the Standing Liberty quarter,

Type 1 (minted 1916-1917) featured Liberty on the obverse and an American eagle in flight on the reverse. Liberty carries an upraised shield in her left hand and an olive branch in her right hand; most notably, this coin was the only circulating coin to feature Liberty with a bare breast. Some indications are that the bare breast offended the sensibilities of the time. Some correspondence, however, indicates that MacNiel was not pleased with the design, stating that it was not up to his normal standard. The following year, a Liberty, Type 2 (1917-1930) was issued with several design changes, most notably covering Liberty's chest with chain mail. On the reverse, the Eagle was moved more to the center of the coin, the stars were re-sized, and three of the stars were moved under the Eagle.