U.S. Mint Quietly Changed an Iconic Symbol on 250th Anniversary Coins

The dime imagery appears to destroy the balance between war and peace.

BY AVA LEVINSON, NEWS WRITER

(Photo by Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The U.S. Mint just revealed its new designs for the country’s 250th anniversary. The dime now exists without one of the most iconic elements: the olive branch that once rested in the flying eagle’s right talon. 

The traditional emblem stood to signify a balance between peace and war. Without the olive branch, a peace offering, the eagle now clutches just 13 arrows in its left claw. 

The changes are set to last just for the year, as a form of celebration of the country’s Semiquincentennial. New designs, which were approved by Congress, will apply to the dime, quarter, half dollar, penny, and dollar coin, according to Fortune. 

The Imagery’s Balance

The eagle imagery draws from the Great Seal of the United States, which visualized the Founding Father’s idea of the country’s highest values. The arrows symbolize the power of war, while the eagle’s head is turned toward the olive branch, representing the country’s first instinct.

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“The eagle always casts its gaze toward the olive branch signifying that our nation desires to pursue peace but stands ready to defend itself,” according to the National Museum of American Diplomacy. 

According to Fortune, designer Charles Thomson meant to communicate that the U.S. “had a strong desire for peace, but would always be ready for war.”

What’s more is that the image floats above the words “Liberty over Tyranny.”

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