Lady Liberty

Lady Liberty has graced American coinage since the late 1700's. Since the very foundation of our Nation she has stood for our freedom. It was natural to depict her on our coins back then and still is today. With all of the talk about the upcoming changes to our currency, there is one image that has been on more coins than any other and of course it's Miss Lady Liberty.

It is a possibility that Lady Liberty has had more styles, hair do's, clothing options (and clothing malfunctions), and renditions than any woman ever. Over the past 225 years she has worn braids, buns, bows, crowns, flowing hair, hair blowing in the breeze, Indian Headdresses, blind folds, and an amazing variety of "Liberty Caps". Her clothing options have included long flowing gowns, tight bodices, and even bare breasted. She is sometimes fierce, loving, brave, nurturing, and even child-like.

She is often standing, sometimes seated, walking through fields, sunrises, and seen striding past our Nation's capitol. She typically holds a torch but has held shields, olive branches, scales, books, pens, and sashes. All of this because Lady Liberty simply IS.

She IS the embodiment of America's emotions, feelings, struggles, and victories. She IS our symbol of hopes, dreams, fears, losses, and our future. Throughout the decades she has morphed into the symbol that our society needed to get through, inspire, lead, and overcome. All of that history can be seen in our coins. Thank you Lady Liberty.