PLATE II.

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The exclusion of the French from North America by the Treaty of Paris in 1763 and the self-confidence acquired by the Americans in the Seven Years' War paved the way for the Independence of the American States; the arrogant legislation of the English Parliament caused a smouldering irritation which was finally exploded by the Quebec Act of 1774 which followed the series of Boston riots culminating in the "Tea-party" of 1773. The Declaration of Independence was made by the Thirteen States at Philadelphia in 1776; suggestions at this time for a federal coinage only resulted in the issue of proofs and tokens of which some bear the bust of Washington. In 1783 the Treaty of Versailles gave liberty to the United States. The coinage of the United States began in the year 1792; a selection of pieces to illustrate the ordinary denominations is shown on [Plates IV.] and [V.] The gold pieces are the Eagle or Ten Dollars ([Plate IV.], Fig. 24) and its parts, the Half Eagle (Fig. 25) and Quarter Eagle (Fig. 26); and the Gold Dollar (Fig. 27), which was first issued in 1849 and suppressed in 1890. The Silver Dollar of 1795 ([Plate IV.], No. 28) has fifteen stars round the head of Liberty to denote the number of the states, which had been increased in 1791 to fifteen by the inclusion of Vermont and Kentucky; Fig. 29, the dollar of 1797, has sixteen stars, Tennessee having been admitted to the Union in the previous year; on later dollars thirteen stars only, the number of the original states, appear. From 1873 to 1887 the ordinary dollar was replaced by the Trade Dollar ([Plate V.], Fig. 30), which was designed for commerce with the Far East. Figs. 31 and 32 show the Half and Quarter Dollar, Fig. 33 the Dime, or Ten Cents, and 34, 35 and 36 the Cent. These pieces have been chosen partly with a view to showing the various representations of Liberty at different periods. When the law which initiated the coinage came before the House of Representatives a clause ordering that every coin should bear the bust of the president in power at the time of its issue raised such a storm of indignation that the head of Liberty was substituted for that of the president; the early coins represent the head with wild flowing locks ([Plate V.], No. 34), the dollars of 1795 and 1797 ([Plate IV.], Nos. 28, 29) have a bust with the hair tied at the back by a bow of ribbon, and the same head is seen on the Ten-Dollar piece wearing a high cap ([Plate IV.], Fig. 24). The Quarter Eagle of 1836 ([Plate IV.], Fig. 26) shows the hair dressed in thick curls and bound by a fillet inscribed "Liberty," and on the Half Dollar of the same year ([Plate V.], Fig. 31) she wears also a small cap. On the Half Eagle of 1845 ([Plate IV.], Fig. 25) the hair is tied up in three curls at the back of the head and a stephane takes the place of the fillet; on the Cent of 1856 ([Plate V.], Fig. 35) the head is similarly treated, but a double coil takes the place of the curls; on the gold Dollar of 1862 ([Plate IV.], Fig. 27) the hair again hangs loose and she wears a crown of plumes. On the Quarter Dollar of the following year ([Plate V.], Fig. 32) the full figure is represented seated supporting a shield and holding a staff and cap, and on the Trade Dollar ([Plate V.], Fig. 30) a similar figure is seen holding an olive spray and seated among goods of commerce. On the small Cent of the same year, 1878 ([Plate V.], Fig. 36) the head again is shown wearing a fillet and Indian feathers; on the Dime of 1892 ([Plate V.], Fig. 33) the hair is tightly bound in a cap wreathed in laurel. The reverse of the gold and silver coins bears an eagle sometimes supporting the shield, except the gold Dollar, which, like the copper coins, has simply the denomination within a wreath. The small nickel Cent was introduced in 1857 bearing an eagle on the obverse, which was changed in 1859 to the head of Liberty as seen on [Plate V.], Fig. 36; in 1864 the nickel Cent was supplanted by a copper coin of the same type.

PLATE III.

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