Letter
Dear Mr. Moy:
In its meeting of 17 January, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed alternative obverse designs for the ninth through twelfth presidents in the 2009 Presidential One Dollar Coin Program. The Commission members expressed dissatisfaction with the images, which appear to be the simple representation of portraits from paintings and photographs without sufficient consideration of appropriateness for coin design. The Commission members recommended that traditional coin portraiture, in particular the profile view, be given further consideration in the depiction of our nation's leaders as has been done from antiquity through modern American coinage.
Consequently, the Commission did not offer recommendations on the designs for President Harrison and President Polk, although a minority of the Commission members expressed a mild preference for design #WH-08 for President Harrison. For President Tyler, the Commission recommended design #JT-01, which is closest to a profile view. For President Taylor, the Commission recommended design #ZT-01 which best captures the military bearing of a general who served as President.
The Commission looks forward to improved quality of future designs and would be pleased to review new alternatives for President Harrison and President Polk. As always, the staff is available to assist you with future submissions.
Sincerely,
/s/
Thomas E. Luebke, AIA
Secretary
Edmund C. Moy, Director
United States Mint
801 9th Street, NW, 8th Floor
Washington, DC 20220
cc: Kaarina Budow, U.S. Mint