![]() ![]() ![]() They seize their prey (small mammals, fish, and other birds) with their taloned feet and tear the meat with sharp, hooked beaks. Natural History Philippine eagles are raptors, the group of birds also called “birds of prey” that includes hawks, falcons, eagles, owls, and vultures. Once found in thick, mountainous forests on most of the larger Philippine islands, the eagle has been extirpated from several islands just in the last 20 years. Bluish eyes, a large, sharp, curved beak, and a warlike headdress of spiky feathers, give the Philippine eagle a striking appearance.įirst described in 1894 in the Philippines, the total wild population of the Philippine eagle is now estimated to be under 200. This ferocious-looking bird stands over 1 m tall and can weigh up to 4kg - larger than a golden eagle. Species Description and Range The Philippine monkey-eating eagle is well named for its preference for eating monkeys, particularly macaques. Used to symbolize royal power, from ancient Egypt to the Roman and Napoleonic empires, eagles have appeared on coins, standards, and weaponry. All rights reserved.Eagles have held a special place in the cultures of many civilizations because of their impressive size and beauty. Koppelman & the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation. For years, Scot’s authority and position would go unchallenged, and his designs continued to reflect his limited skills.Ĭopyright © 2014 Robert S. No doubt he was also weary of Scot’s jealousy and constant harassment, which the marginally competent Chief Engraver heaped on anyone he thought might threaten his position. Whether this was an honest mistake or a reflection of his own hawkish sentiments, no one will ever know, but no change was made to this arrangement throughout the design’s life.Īlthough Scot is credited with the Heraldic reverse, numismatic researchers believe that he was aided in the preparation of the first dies by assistant John Smith Gardner, who started work at the Mint in 1794, but quit less than two years later, supposedly unsatisfied with his compensation. While Scot’s design has both admirers and detractors, he did make one obvious technical error: He placed the arrows-symbolizing armed might-in the eagle’s right (dexter or honorable) claw, and the olive branch of peace in the left (sinister) claw, reversing the placement seen on the Great Seal and heraldically conveying a warlike message rather than one of peace. Above the eagle are thirteen stars enclosed by an arc of clouds, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounding the border. The new eagle, with the Union Shield on its breast, holds thirteen arrows and an olive branch in its claws, and a scroll inscribed E PLURIBUS UNUM in its beak. Scot’s design featured a cruder and less regal bird than that on the Great Seal, and to many, was artistically inferior to the small eagle on earlier U.S. Primarily used on treaties and other diplomatic documents, its heraldic design would make its first appearance on the quarter eagle of 1796, and next on the eagle, in 1797.Īs Chief Engraver of the United States Mint since late 1793, Robert Scot was charged with adapting the Great Seal to coinage use. Designed by William Barton, a Philadelphia lawyer and numismatist, the Great Seal was adopted by both the Continental Congress of 1782 and the U.S. The closest thing the republic had to a coat of arms was the eagle on the Great Seal of the United States. coins more acceptable from both an artistic and practical standpoint. Adopting a heraldic motif would at once make U.S. These coins received widespread criticism, however, with the bird gracing their reverses derided as either a “scrawny eagle” or a “turkey cock.” As officials pondered the poor reception afforded the early designs, the preference shown by both Americans and Europeans for the more familiar coins of Old World origin was also on their minds. Mint, however, presented no such symbol, only depictions of the national bird, a naturally posed American bald eagle. The first precious metal coinage from the U.S. ‘Scudo,’ the word for shield, even became a denomination of gold currency, as in ‘scudo de oro.’ Heraldic symbols on coinage were soon used all over the world. European countries adopted the practice of placing heraldic shields on the reverse of their coinage. With their faces covered by helmets, medieval knights wore identifying emblems or symbols on the tunics covering their armor, giving rise to the expression ‘coat of arms.’ After the Crusades, the concept of heraldry spread throughout Europe, adopted by both noble and patrician classes, and later by lawyers, companies, colleges and towns. Silver Coins: When They Ended and What They’re Worth ![]() Should I get my coin collection appraised?. ![]()
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