Posts tagged 'Liberty Head'

One of the most influential pieces of American medallic art is the Libertas Americana Medal. Designed in part by Benjamin Franklin and struck to honor France’s part in the victories in the battles of Yorktown and Saratoga, the Libertas Americana Medal features an image of Liberty on the obverse with a Phrygian cap on a stick. This stunning image would inspire coin designers for years to come.

In 1848, James Marshall found flecks of gold in the water around Sutter’s Mill. The discovery created national headlines and spread like wildfire around the country. Once word had spread, the California Gold Rush of 1849 was officially started. In that year alone, 90,000 people arrived in the wild west with hopes and dreams of striking it rich. Interestingly, only half of those prospectors were from America, with the other half arriving as immigrants from all around the world.