{"id":283961,"date":"2026-02-21T09:31:26","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T22:31:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/?p=283961"},"modified":"2026-02-21T09:31:29","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T22:31:29","slug":"egyptian-civilization-on-american-currency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ad%d8%b6%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b5%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%89-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d9%85%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%8a%d9%83%d9%8a\/","title":{"rendered":"Egyptian civilization on American currency"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl\">\n<div class=\"html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl\" dir=\"auto\">\n<div class=\"html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl\" data-ad-rendering-role=\"story_message\">\n<div class=\"x1l90r2v x1iorvi4 x1g0dm76 xpdmqnj\" data-ad-comet-preview=\"message\" data-ad-preview=\"message\">\n<div class=\"x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u\">\n<div class=\"xu06os2 x1ok221b\">\n<div class=\"html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl\">\n<div class=\"xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs x126k92a\">\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseprofile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ad%d8%b6%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b5%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%89-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d9%85%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%8a%d9%83%d9%8a\/#%D8%B3%D8%B1_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D9%82%D8%B4_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%81%D9%88%D8%B1_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%AD%D9%89_%D9%85%D9%86_%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1\" >The secret of the engraved inscription inspired by Egypt<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ad%d8%b6%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b5%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%89-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d9%85%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%8a%d9%83%d9%8a\/#%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D9%86%D9%88%D8%AF_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86_%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B0%D9%87%D8%A8\" >Native Americans on gold<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ad%d8%b6%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b5%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%89-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d9%85%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%8a%d9%83%d9%8a\/#%D8%AE%D9%88%D9%81_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%85%D9%87%D9%88%D8%B1_%D9%85%D9%86_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AB%D9%8A%D9%85\" >Public fear of germs<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ad%d8%b6%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b5%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%89-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d9%85%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%8a%d9%83%d9%8a\/#%D9%87%D9%84_%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%85%D8%9F_%D8%AD%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%82_%D8%B9%D9%86_%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%80_%E2%80%9CIncuse%E2%80%9D_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B0%D9%87%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9\" >Did you know? Facts about the gold Incuse coins<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 dir=\"auto\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%D8%B3%D8%B1_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D9%82%D8%B4_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%81%D9%88%D8%B1_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%AD%D9%89_%D9%85%D9%86_%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1\"><\/span>The secret of the engraved inscription inspired by Egypt<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">The year 1908 saw the introduction of two new denominations of American gold coins, the $5 and $2.50, with a design inspired by and intended to honor Native American culture. These coins became known as the Half and Quarter Eagles (the ten-dollar bill was called the Eagle, hence the five-dollar coin was called the Half Eagle and the 2.5-dollar coin the Quarter Eagle, while the twenty-dollar coin was called the Quarter Eagle).<a href=\"https:\/\/ar.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%B1_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B2%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%AC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Double Eagle<\/a>Bella Leon Pratt was behind the captivating design of these two coins, which were distinguished from all previous and subsequent American coins by the fact that the images were engraved below the surface of the coin instead of being raised above it.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-283964\" src=\"https:\/\/pub-8c6367eeb78947fb9a67f9647334fc7f.r2.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/475460941_475631665620409_7554185509519996494_n-Small.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pub-8c6367eeb78947fb9a67f9647334fc7f.r2.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/475460941_475631665620409_7554185509519996494_n-Small-768x381.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pub-8c6367eeb78947fb9a67f9647334fc7f.r2.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/475460941_475631665620409_7554185509519996494_n-Small-18x9.jpg 18w, https:\/\/pub-8c6367eeb78947fb9a67f9647334fc7f.r2.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/475460941_475631665620409_7554185509519996494_n-Small.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 dir=\"auto\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D9%86%D9%88%D8%AF_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86_%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B0%D9%87%D8%A8\"><\/span>Native Americans on gold<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">Native American culture wasn&#039;t the only one represented in this design. Ancient Egyptian culture was also present, represented by hieroglyphic symbols that suggested the unusual practice of carving inscriptions beneath the surface of the coin. William Sturgess Bigelow (an art enthusiast and close friend of President Theodore Roosevelt) conceived this innovative idea during a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, where he viewed the Egyptian artwork on display. Bigelow later proposed the concept to Roosevelt, who was impressed and directed that it be incorporated into the design of the new coins by Bella Leon Pratt.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">Public reception of the new gold coins was mixed. Many experts and coin collectors appreciated the innovative design and the cultural tribute it paid to Native Americans. The engraving design was particularly praised, not only for its distinctiveness and durability but also for its practicality in reducing surface wear.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-283963 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pub-8c6367eeb78947fb9a67f9647334fc7f.r2.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Incuse-COin-Small.jpg\" alt=\"American gold coins\" width=\"800\" height=\"404\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pub-8c6367eeb78947fb9a67f9647334fc7f.r2.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Incuse-COin-Small-768x388.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pub-8c6367eeb78947fb9a67f9647334fc7f.r2.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Incuse-COin-Small-18x9.jpg 18w, https:\/\/pub-8c6367eeb78947fb9a67f9647334fc7f.r2.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Incuse-COin-Small.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 dir=\"auto\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%D8%AE%D9%88%D9%81_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%85%D9%87%D9%88%D8%B1_%D9%85%D9%86_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AB%D9%8A%D9%85\"><\/span>Public fear of germs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl\">\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">However, there were also some objections, with some critics feeling that the engraved design represented a radical departure from traditional coins and made them more difficult to stack and handle. Additionally, there were concerns that germs and dirt would accumulate in the lower inscriptions, making them very difficult to clean and potentially posing a health risk.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">The reproduction and circulation of these two coins continued between 1908 and 1915, and then again between 1925 and 1929, after which their production ceased and the experiment of embossed coins instead of raised ones ended, but these two coins retained their distinctiveness and high demand among collectors.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"21,0\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%D9%87%D9%84_%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%85%D8%9F_%D8%AD%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%82_%D8%B9%D9%86_%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%80_%E2%80%9CIncuse%E2%80%9D_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B0%D9%87%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9\"><\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"21,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Did you know? Facts about the gold Incuse coins<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"21,1\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"21,1,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"21,1,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Design philosophy:<\/b> This is the only time in American history that inscriptions have been engraved \u201cdown\u201d (incuse) rather than raised, and the goal was to emulate ancient Egyptian seals.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"21,1,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"21,1,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">The germ myth:<\/b> In 1908, a Boston doctor published an article claiming that dirt would accumulate in the pits and spread epidemics, causing panic among the people at the time!<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl x1n2onr6\">\n<div class=\"html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl x1n2onr6\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div class=\"html-div xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl x6ikm8r x10wlt62\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"xabvvm4 xeyy32k x1ia1hqs x1a2w583 x6ikm8r x10wlt62\" data-visualcompletion=\"ignore-dynamic\">\n<div class=\"x1n2onr6\">\n<div class=\"x6s0dn4 xi81zsa x78zum5 x6prxxf x13a6bvl xvq8zen xdj266r xat24cr x1c1uobl xyri2b x1diwwjn xbmvrgn x1yrsyyn x18d9i69\">\n<div class=\"x6s0dn4 x78zum5 x1iyjqo2 x6ikm8r x10wlt62\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x1ejq31n x18oe1m7 x1sy0etr xstzfhl x972fbf x10w94by x1qhh985 x14e42zd x9f619 x1ypdohk x3ct3a4 xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1fmog5m xu25z0z x140muxe xo1y3bh x1n2onr6 x87ps6o x1lku1pv x1a2a7pz x1heor9g xnl1qt8 x6ikm8r x10wlt62 x1vjfegm x1lliihq\" style=\"text-align: right;\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">For more similar topics, you can browse the Arab collector&#039;s website through <a href=\"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/the-most-beautiful-and-last-french-gold-coins\/\">the Link<\/a> the next:<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x1c4vz4f x2lah0s xci0xqf\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div class=\"x9f619 x1ja2u2z x78zum5 x2lah0s x1n2onr6 x1qughib x1qjc9v5 xozqiw3 x1q0g3np xyri2b x1c1uobl x1ws5yxj xw01apr x4cne27 xifccgj x123j3cw xs9asl8\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-the-arab-collector wp-block-embed-the-arab-collector\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"01sjwzZTRY8n6FB1J5eoCLPio2dVKhsujlKy3qfxQAIRYvmHgUziaec9VDSZbLIMtO9pmOug4Bp2A7bNPtr6X\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"n00kpOtxcd\"><a href=\"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/the-most-beautiful-and-last-french-gold-coins\/\">The most beautiful and last French gold coins<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"\u201cThe most beautiful and last French gold coins\u201d \u2014 The Arab Collector\" src=\"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/%d8%a3%d8%ac%d9%85%d9%84-%d9%88%d8%a2%d8%ae%d8%b1-%d8%b9%d9%85%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b0%d9%87%d8%a8-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%81%d8%b1%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9\/embed\/#?secret=JhfaKFAxJj#?secret=n00kpOtxcd\" data-secret=\"n00kpOtxcd\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The secret of the engraved design inspired by Egypt: In 1908, two denominations of American gold coins, the $5 and $2.50, were introduced with a new design inspired by and intended to honor Native American culture. These coins became known as the Half and Quarter Eagles (the ten-dollar bill was called the Eagle, hence the five-dollar coin was called the Half Eagle and the 2.5-dollar coin the Quarter Eagle, while\u2026)<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2447,"featured_media":283966,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"wpupg_custom_link":[],"wpupg_custom_link_behaviour":[],"wpupg_custom_link_nofollow":[],"wpupg_custom_image":[],"wpupg_custom_image_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1424],"tags":[6160,6158,6159,3035,6152,6153,6154,6157,942,6151,6156,6155,6144,6146,6143,6145,6047,1481,6148,6061,6149,2970,6147],"class_list":["post-283961","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-numismatics","tag-1908-coins","tag-ancient-egypt-influence","tag-bella-lyon-pratt","tag-coin-collecting","tag-gold-bullion","tag-half-eagle","tag-incuse-design","tag-indian-head-gold","tag-numismatics","tag-quarter-eagle","tag-theodore-roosevelt","tag-us-gold-coins","tag-6144","tag-6146","tag-6143","tag-6145","tag-6047","tag-1481","tag-6148","tag-6061","tag-6149","tag-2970","tag-6147"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/283961","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2447"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=283961"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/283961\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/283966"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=283961"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=283961"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arabcollector.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=283961"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}