The Mint had long operated with dies that had large masses of obverse and reverse elements opposite each other. The result was persistent difficulty in bringing up the full obverse portrait. Director Snowden noted in a letter of October 25, 1859, to Treasury Secretary Howell Cobb: "The present silver coins are difficult to bring up, not only because of the full figure of Liberty, but because the eagle occupies the field immediately opposite to it."

Congress seemed to support design changes and included supporting language in the Act of February 21, 1853:

"...And the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized to regulate the size and devices of the new silver coin, authorized by an act entitled 'An act amendatory of existing laws relative to the half dollar, quarter dollar, dime, and half dime,' passed at the present session; and that, to procure such devices, as also the models, moulds, and matrices or original dies for the coins, disks, or ingots authorized by said act, the director of the mint is empowered, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, to engage temporarily for that purpose the services of one or more artists, distinguished in their respective departments, who shall be paid for such services from the contingent appropriation for the mint. ..."

After taking office as director in June 1853 following the death of Director Thomas Pettit, James Ross Snowden actively sought new designs for the coinage. One of his first acts was to propose a competition among artists for new designs. His authority was based on the congressional action mentioned above. In a letter to Treasury Secretary James Guthrie, he stated: "... I am constrained to say that the evidences before me do not exhibit such artistic skill and experience as our coinage needs, or such as would satisfy the just expectations of the Department and the public."

But contrary to expectations, Longacre's gold $3 coin designs came out quite well as did a revised gold dollar using the same models. Complaints about Longacre's artistic skill largely vanished and seemed to cease altogether with the removal of Coiner Franklin Peale from the Mint in December 1854. Snowden's plan to engage "artists, engravers, and persons of taste generally" was publicized in early 1854, but produced nothing usable.

Focus turns to silver
Over the next several years attention was diverted from silver coin designs to replacement of large copper cents with smaller, more convenient coins. It was not until spring 1859 that Snowden returned to improving the appearance of silver coins. As soon as the new Liberty cent coin design was complete, Engraver Longacre was directed to produce a half dollar obverse incorporating an "ideal head of Liberty." He also was told to make several simple, wreath-based reverse designs with the denomination in the center.

To read the complete article, see:
Depicting eagles on coins named 'eagles' made sense, but did all the coins need an eagle?(www.coinworld.com/news/us-coins/2016/10/mint-considers-removing-coin-icon-in-1859.all.html#)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
VOCABULARY TERM: CONGRUENT MASS(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n42a07.html)