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32-643: The statute awarding the medal is listed as follows: Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in recognition of the gallantry of First Lieutenant Frank H. Newcomb, of the Revenue-Cutter Service, commanding the revenue cutter Hudson, his officers and the men of his command, for their intrepid and heroic gallantry in the action at Cardenas, Cuba, on

64-453: A bronze medal. One medal was struck in gold for Newcomb, four in silver for the officers and 17 in bronze for the men of Hudson . The medal was designed by Charles E. Barber . The obverse of the medal depicts Victory wearing a winged cap . In her right hand she holds a sword and in her left an olive branch. In the background is the scene of Hudson tying up to the Winslow . At the bottom

96-535: A little more than a year after her husband. William and Anna May Barber, along with their two daughters, are buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery, on Cobbs Creek Parkway in Philadelphia. Until a painting of a young William Barber (c. 1840s) was found in the possession of the family, the only known image of William was on an 1880 medal commemorating the engraver, executed by his son, Charles. In February 2019,

128-574: A new denomination, the double dime ( twenty-cent piece ), William Barber and Philadelphia Mint Superintendent James Pollock knew that the design needed to be significantly different from the Liberty Seated design used on the quarter dollar. Barber designed a series of patterns that were designed to do just that, including the so-called "Sailor Head" and "Liberty at the Seashore" designs. He also created two different wreath designs and one shield design for

160-529: A normal existence, and Morgan began reporting into the Chief Engraver, and began a close working relationship with Assistant Engraver Charles Barber . At the time of his death, William Barber was highly thought of by his colleagues at the Mint. On September 2, 1879, two days after his death, a special meeting of the staff was held at the mint to discuss the life and passing of William Barber. A record of this meeting

192-569: A number of commemorative coins, some in partnership with assistant engraver George T. Morgan . For the popular Columbian half dollar, and the Panama-Pacific half dollar and quarter eagle, Barber designed the obverse and Morgan the reverse. Barber also designed the 1883 coins for the Kingdom of Hawaii, and also Cuban coinage of 1915. Barber's design on the Cuba 5 centavo coin remained in use until 1961. At

224-550: A warm personal relationship with President Theodore Roosevelt . While it is true that Roosevelt wanted U.S. coinage in the new century to have a more modern look, and also solicited designs from artists outside the U.S. Mint, this does not mean that he had a personal dislike of the man. The descendants of Charles Barber possess artifacts that prove a warm personal relationship existed. While much has been written about Barber being disagreeable and even hostile to Morgan, this has been conclusively disproved, with concrete evidence that

256-453: Is found in a touching 2-page memo that summarizes the meeting and was presented to the family. It includes the passages, Whereas, by the sovereign will of God, Mr. William Barber, Engraver of the Mint, has been removed by death, and we, the Officers, Clerks, and Workmen, have met to express our sentiments and sympathy on this sad and solemn occasion. Resolved, that in parting with him, we lose

288-405: Is the inscription CARDENAS MAY 11, 1898 . The reverse of the medal bears the inscription in eleven lines: JOINT RESOLUTIONS OF CONGRESS APPROVED MAY 3, 1900. IN RECOGNITION OF THE GALLANTRY OF THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE HUDSON WHO IN THE FACE OF GALLING FIRE TOWED THE WINSLOW OUT OF RANGE OF THE ENEMY'S GUNS. To the right of the inscription is a nude female figure holding a chisel and hammer, to

320-627: The Mint Director. Linderman wanted some new blood in the Engraving department. It isn't known whether this was a result of the debacle of the twenty-cent piece or if Linderman simply wanted new talent. Regardless of the reason, Linderman hired George T. Morgan from England for the Engraving Department. However, he did this rather behind the back of the Chief Engraver. To make matters worse, when Morgan arrived in Philadelphia, Linderman specified

352-454: The artistic merits of his designs, it is indisputable that his coin designs hold up to years of heavy use and wear. This is one reason that so many Barber coins exist in such low grades—they were real workhorses in the U.S. economy and were routinely found in circulation until the 1950s. Barber was born in London on November 16, 1840, the son of engraver William Barber . In 1869, he was appointed

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384-591: The assistant engraver at the United States Mint in Philadelphia. On January 20, 1880, he was appointed by President Rutherford B. Hayes to succeed his father in the position as chief engraver. He was frequently criticized for unimaginative designs, though R.W. Julian suggests that he "was capable of superb work when given a free hand". Barber's best known designs are the Liberty Head coins — Barber dime , Barber quarter , and Barber half dollar , as well as

416-589: The assistant engravers wanted the top job, including Charles Barber, George Morgan, and others. After a number of months of deliberation, President Rutherford B. Hayes made the decision, and Charles Barber succeeded his father as Chief Engraver on January 20, 1880. William married Anna Maria (Anna May) and had four children. Son Charles E. Barber is well known. William and Anna May also had another son, named Harry, apparently younger than Charles. They also had two daughters, Florence (died July 1900) and Mary (died June 1913). Anna May Barber died on October 28, 1880,

448-436: The beautiful design didn't overcome lack of interest in the idea for the coin, and it never made it to the pattern stage. Barber was also a prolific pattern designer, and for a time engaged in a "pattern war" with fellow coin designer and future Chief Engraver George T. Morgan . There were numerous pattern designs for "Standard" coinage soon after he became the chief engraver. The only part of this idea that became reality

480-551: The co- operation of an affable, active, pain-staking, and meritorious officer, skilful [ sic ] in one of the most difficult of all arts; and evincing progress and improvement continually; Resolved, that we sympathize with his family in their bereavement, and present them with a copy of these proceedings, signed by the Officers of the meeting. and it is signed by Superintendent A. Loudon Snowden, Assayer William E. DuBois, Melter & Refiner James E. Booth, and Coiner O.C. Bosbyshell, Following William's death, several of

512-539: The eleventh day of May, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, when the Hudson rescued the United States naval torpedo boat Winslow in the face of a most galling fire from the enemy's guns, the Winslow being disabled, her captain wounded, her only other officer and half her crew killed. The commander of the Hudson kept his vessel in the very center of the hottest fire of the action, although in constant danger of going ashore on account of

544-575: The knowledge of Mr. Longacre, then Engraver of the Mint, and he secured his services as an assistant in 1865. On January 20, 1869, upon the death of Mr. Longacre, he was appointed by President Andrew Johnson as his successor, and continued in that position for the rest of his life. He fell ill in Atlantic City in the second half of August, 1879, and died at home on Ellsworth Street in Philadelphia on August 31. Besides much original work on pattern coins, he also produced over 40 medals, public and private,

576-472: The left is a palm leaf and laurel branch. At the bottom is a tablet flanked by laurels where recipients' names are engraved. The medal was originally struck as a non-wearable table top medal. It was also accompanied by a wearable medal. Both medals were struck by the U.S. Mint in 1902. The Cardenas Medal of Honor appears in regulations on order of wear as late as 1930. Charles E. Barber Charles Edward Barber (November 16, 1840 – February 18, 1917)

608-531: The mint with questions to ask their counterparts overseas. These memos, some of which today have Barber's hand-written notes, correspond to the various reports he submitted to Mint director Roberts after his return (these reports are in the National Archives). Edith's diary from the trip provide details on their itinerary and personal reflections on her father. Barber was known to be a meticulous professional. While different people have varying opinions about

640-531: The new arrival would report to himself in Washington, not to the Chief Engraver as was the normal practice. This management decision by Linderman resulted in difficulties of Morgan fitting in with William Barber, the Engraving department, and Mint Superintendent James Pollock. While there was an uneasy relationship between William Barber and George Morgan, the main hostility was between Barber and Linderman. Following Linderman's retirement in 1878, things returned to

672-408: The popular 1869 Pacific Railroad medal, the even more popular 1876 Centennial medal, and the second Ulysses S. Grant Inaugural medal. What most people don't know is that William Barber designed what would have been the first U.S. commemorative coin, had it ever been made. Original sketches of a Liberty head quarter dollar were to commemorate the beginning of the nation's second century. Unfortunately,

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704-491: The request of President Roosevelt and Mint director George E. Roberts , Barber made a trip to Europe to visit a number of foreign mints on an information-sharing mission. His goal was to observe and discuss the practices at the foreign mints to look for ways to improve operations and efficiency at the U.S. Mint. He combined this trip with a family vacation with his second wife Caroline and his 19-year-old daughter Edith. Barber carried with him memos from various departments within

736-430: The reverse. However, Mint Director H.R. Linderman mandated that Barber instead use the Liberty Seated design with an eagle on the reverse, thus dooming the coin to failure. The double dime saw circulation only in 1875 and 1876, with proofs struck in 1877 and 1878. William Barber designed and engraved a number of medals. Among them are the 1869 "broken column" medalet (mini medal) remembering Lincoln's assassination,

768-541: The shallow water, until finally he got a line made fast to the Winslow and towed that vessel out of range of the enemy's guns. In commemoration of this signal act of heroism it is hereby enacted that the Secretary of the Treasury be authorized and directed to cause to be and to present to First Lieutenant Frank H. Newcomb, Revenue-Cutter Service, a gold medal, and to each of his officers a silver medal, and to each member of his crew

800-457: The so-called "V" Liberty Head nickel . Some lesser known pattern coin designs include the trial copper-nickel cent, trial three-cent piece, and the $ 4 Stella "Flowing Hair" pieces. He was strongly critical of Augustus St. Gaudens ' proposed high relief pattern for a new double eagle in 1907 and tried hard to stop them from being produced, citing the impracticality of the design. For a circulating coin, Saint-Gaudens' high-relief double eagle

832-403: The two had a warm personal relationship during their 40 years of closely working together. In 1875, Barber married Martha Jones, who died in 1899. In 1902, he married Caroline Gaston (1846–1950), who was his wife until his death in 1917. Charles and Martha had two daughters, Anna May (1875-1876), named for Charles' mother, and Edith (1886–1970). Charles E. Barber died on February 18, 1917, and

864-551: The work on all of them very creditable. Barber is best known for his " Britannia "-inspired Trade dollar design, which was produced from 1873–1878 for circulation in the Far East, and in proof-only form thereafter until 1883. (The 1884 and 1885 Trade dollars were clandestinely made at the mint and are not actually part of the series. They are ultra-rarities, with ten and five coined, respectively, and despite their dubious origin, are highly valued) When preparations were made to create

896-494: Was Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1869 until his death in 1879. He succeeded James B. Longacre in the position. Mr. Barber was born in London, England on May 2, 1807. He learned his profession from his father, John Barber, and was employed on silver plate work, after his emigration to the United States. He resided in Boston for 10 years and was variously employed in his line of work. His skill in this way came to

928-456: Was a standardized "Commercial" dollar which eventually became the Trade dollar. The high watermark of his pattern work was the beautiful so-called "Amazonian" pattern coinage of 1872. Made for both silver and gold denominations, today they are some of the most prized and valuable of collectible patterns. In 1876, following the failure of the double dime, tension developed between William Barber and

960-410: Was an American coin engraver who served as the sixth chief engraver of the United States Mint from 1879 until his death in 1917. He had a long and fruitful career in coinage, designing most of the coins produced at the mint during his time as chief engraver. He did full coin designs, and he designed about 30 medals in his lifetime. The Barber coinage were named after him. In addition, Barber designed

992-729: Was buried 3 days later with Martha and infant daughter Anna May in Mount Peace Cemetery in Philadelphia. The flags at the Philadelphia Mint were lowered to half staff on the day of his funeral. Roger Burdette provided a scan from the National Archives of the letter from Mint director F. H. von Engelken requesting permission to half-mast the flags. Charles E. Barber is the last mint official of any rank to have had this high honor bestowed upon him. William Barber (engraver) William Barber (May 2, 1807 – August 31, 1879)

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1024-402: Was considered impractical as each coin required three to five blows of the dies to produce. Barber had to significantly lower the relief of the design to make a production-worthy coin. From 1907 to 1933, over 70 million "Saints" would be struck, impossible with Saint-Gaudens' original design. Barber was succeeded as chief engraver by George T. Morgan . Contrary to wide belief, Barber also had

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