When Augustus Saint Gaudens passed away in August 1907 he left behind more than the beautiful ten and twenty dollar gold pieces that carried his name. He left behind a generation of sculptors who had studied under him and carried forward his ideas. One of them was Bela Lyon Pratt.

Pratt studied at the Art Students League in New York where Saint Gaudens was one of his instructors. He later worked in his studio. Of all the teachers Pratt encountered none shaped his future more than Saint Gaudens. Historians note that this relationship was central to Pratt’s career and remained strong until the master’s death. It is no surprise then that when the United States Mint turned to a new designer for the smaller gold pieces in 1908 Pratt was given the task.

The two coins he created, the two dollar and fifty cent quarter eagle and the five dollar half eagle, were unlike any other circulating coins in American history. Instead of raised devices the portraits and inscriptions were cut into the surface. This recessed design is called incuse relief. The idea was promoted by Dr. William Sturgis Bigelow, a close friend of President Theodore Roosevelt, and Pratt executed it with skill. To this day these remain the only circulating United States coins struck with sunken relief.

On the obverse Pratt placed the image of a Native American facing left wearing a feathered war bonnet. The reverse shows a standing eagle on a bundle of arrows with an olive branch. His initials BLP are set quietly above the date. The quarter eagle was produced from 1908 to 1915 and then again from 1925 through 1929 at Philadelphia and Denver mints. The half eagle was struck from 1908 until 1916 and once again in 1929. You can find these gold half eagle coins from all the mints of the time period such as Philadelphia, Denver, New Orleans in 1909, and San Francisco.

Collector reception

The debut of the incuse design in 1908 was met with mixed reaction. Some members of the public and even bankers claimed the sunken surfaces would gather dirt and germs. Others thought the look of the coin was unattractive compared to the bold raised relief of earlier designs. The press at the time recorded these criticisms. Despite the controversy, the coins circulated without problem and the design proved durable in everyday use.

Over time collectors began to appreciate the originality of Pratt’s work. While the incuse style remained unique to these two series, the quarter eagle and half eagle became respected for their artistry and their role in Theodore Roosevelt’s coinage renaissance. Today they are seen as one of the most innovative chapters in American numismatics. What was once considered odd or even dangerous is now regarded as a bold statement in design and a fitting tribute from a pupil to his mentor.

Sources

• Smithsonian Archives of American Art. Bela L. Pratt Papers, 1876–1986. Collection summary and finding aid.

• Library of Congress. Bela Lyon Pratt Papers, 1884–1918. Manuscript Division, Washington, D.C.

• CoinAppraiser.com. “Bela Lyon Pratt Biography.” Rare Coin Knowledge Center.

• Greysheet. “A Much Maligned but Innovative Design.” 2021.

• United States Mint. “Indian Head $2.50 and $5 Gold Coins.” Mint historical records.

• Roger W. Burdette. Renaissance of American Coinage 1905–1908. Seneca Mill Press, 2006.