An Eagle Comes To Town
by
Dewey Maggard
I remember a few years ago, in the 50's, a Golden Eagle came to our town. (Most of us here in Modesto do not consider us as a city). This Eagle perched himself atop a hundred foot evergreen in the Lincoln School
Yard. (Now Lincoln shopping center across the street from Ralston Tower).
The view from my office at that time enabled me to observe and see him as he soared in to make himself at home.
My friend, Chuck Beery and I had coffee together that morning and we discussed why's and wherefores as to why this eagle, one of our national emblems was coming to visit Modesto.. After coffee, Chuck sensed local history was in the making so he went to the school yard-pen and pencil in hand,and sketched this beautiful
bird on the highest bough of this tree.
Of course, the Eagle captured the town's interest during his three day
stay. Our local newspaper made mention of the bird's presence calling attention to one and all. Our friend, the Eagle vanished as abruptly as his
appearance .
When Chuck showed me his sketch, I felt it deserved attention and
suggested he place it in our Modesto Coin Club Newsletter. This, he did. There are still a few senior members of the old club who may remember the
newletter with this majestic Eagle on the front page.. I may add here that
Chuck was our first Newsletter editor-artist soon after the birth of this club.
He was a fine artist and there is a title company here in Modesto that still
uses the art logo of Chuck's creation.
Our curiosity about the sudden appearance could be only speculative.
Did another Eagle force him to land here during territorial battle? Or was
he injured and simply needed some healing time? We will never know.
What we do know is that Eagles have captured the interest of mankind from
antiquity causing their presence to be engraved on the edifice of time (numis-
matically speaking) whether on gold, silver, bronze or paper money.
Alexander the Great was not the first king to incorporate images of this majestic bird on coins. However, it is apparent he made the best use of portraying him. His favorite motif s were the Eagles clutching thunderbolts (symbolizing power, and fortitude to dwell in high and dangerous places--has
controll of his enviornment-??) Another motif recognizes the Greek god Zeus
as the all powerful God; He has Zeus holding the Eagle.. This author is proud
owner of a tetradrachm with this motif on the reverse.
In our own numismatic history, the Gold Eagle of 1795, was one of the first three coins named in the first act of congress to authorize coinage in 1792. The coin is nine-tenths pure gold weighing 258 grains. From then until present day, we have seen Eagles grace our American coinage. One that captures the general public interest was the Flying Eagle Cent.
This penny was born because an Eagle with a crippled wing alighted himself on the window sill of the Philadelhia mint. The employees began to
feed him and one day he flew right inside. Gobrecht took pad and pencil and
the rest is history.
A Flying Eagle Cent should be in every U.S. Major Type Set.. Now go
and find your own Eagle..
Copyright 1996
All rights reserved
Please do not copy and paste to email any person or establishment without permission from the author- Please respect copyright materials
###
|
