If you have ever wondered how designs are selected for the various coins and medals produced by the US Mint, the process includes a panel known as the Commission of Fine Arts.
This commission reviews design proposals and makes recommendations to the Treasury Secretary about what should be selected. The commission was created a while back when there were many complaints that some of the commemorative coins being minted were rather ugly.
So, the commission met to consider designs for a new $75 gold coin and a companion silver medal. They picked two designs -- one of which gives Miss Liberty, a standard on American coinage since the 1700s, a decidedly diverse look.
As a result, the commission will send Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew recommendations that he select the image of a young African-America woman or a less specifically ethnic woman holding an American flag and torch as the most modern Liberty that has ever graced a U.S. coin.
Imagine that for a moment.
One of the most venerable symbols of America could be depicted as an African-American woman for the first time ever. Yes, there have been African-American women on coins and medals before -- Rosa Parks springs to mind -- but not depicted as Liberty.
A drawing of the design can be seen in this Twitter post.
The commission looked at a number of design suggestions and also decided that too many of them depicted Miss Liberty in sexually suggestive poses.
Two of the four women on the panel voiced strong objections to some of the Liberty designs, saying the figures were too sexual.
“The sexuality of some of the designs offends me,” said Mia Lehrer.
Elizabeth Meyer said she agreed with Lehrer that “some of the images are offensive.”
Lehrer also didn't like that one of the designs supposedly made Liberty look like Angelina Jolie.