5 Dollars from Philadelphia Designer: Bela Lyon Pratt (American, 1867–1917, Art School Certificate of Completion, 1888, B.F.A. 1899)
Engraver: Charles E. Barber (American, born England, 1840–1917)
Mint: Philadelphia (Pennsylvania)

1908

Numismatics

By appointment, Pratt Study Room


Bela Lyon Pratt’s design for the half-eagle ($5 gold piece) was also used for the quarter-eagle ($2.50), and it represents his response to President Roosevelt’s call for a radical redesign of American coinage. (The larger denominations, predictably, were given to Augustus Saint-Gaudens.) Pratt’s design immediately proved controversial: its incuse surface, for example, was said to harbor germs. Still, the design was maintained until the end of American gold coinage in 1932.

Medium

Gold

Dimensions

8.34 g, 6:00, 21.5 mm

Credit Line

Transfer from the Yale University Library, Numismatic Collection, 2001, Gift of Millicent Todd Bingham

Accession Number

2001.87.3437

Geography

Made in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Culture

American

Period

20th century

Classification

Numismatics

Disclaimer

Note: This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Yale University Art Gallery’s complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of records is ongoing.

Numismatics

Obverse Description

Obverse Description: LIBERTY (incuse) at 11:30-12:30, six stars to l. and seven to r.; date 1908 below. Bust of Indian in feathered headdress l. Engraver's initials BLP above "0" of date.

Reverse Description

Reverse Description: Eagle standing l., wings closed on fasces with olive branch. Above, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. To l., E / PLURIBUS / UNUM; to r., IN / GOD / WE / TRUST; below, FIVE DOLLARS.
Provenance
Millicent Todd Bingham, to 1969; Yale University Library, New Haven, Conn., 1969–2001; Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Conn.
Bibliography
  • American Art: Selections from the Yale University Art Gallery (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Art Gallery, 2023), 186–87, no. 87, ill
Object copyright
No Copyright - United States
Additional information

Object/Work type

coins, dollars (coins), money

Technical metadata and APIs

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