Show the sew silver designs it is not lively that another competition will ever be tried for the production of designs for united states coins said assistant director of the mint preston the one enst ended was too wretched a failure doubtless it was the first contest of tho sort ever opened by any government to tho public at large tha result is not very flattering to the boasted artistic development of this country inasmuch as only two of the suggestions submitted were good enough to receive honorable mention so the affair has been handed over to the engraving force of the philadelphia mint which will produce the dies required according to such patterns as its awn sense of the beautiful suggests the designs for uncle sams coins hitherto have been produced at the money malang establishment at phila il elphia where the dies for all the mints are turned out anticipating n severe popular criticism the chief engraver will do his utmost to render the five cameo pictures called for as unexceptional as possible cs speaking there must be a substitute of some land representing liberty for the school marm an the dollar the of which requires a better type of bird than the buzzard also the unprepossessing female seated apon a cotton bale is to bo removed from the half dollar quarter and dime plaster casts of the patterns evolved will be for approval to the director of the mint and the secretary of the treasury and as soon as they have been pronounced satisfactory dies will be made and small change of new and lovely mold will thereafter dinglo in the pockets of the people no alteration is to be made in the gold coins because they are really exquisite now and could hardly bo improved upon it is realized that tho money of a nation is expressive of its art culture therefore lest posterity imagine the present generation to have been barbarous it is desirable that our silver pieces should be as handsome as may be washington letter |