A wheat sheaf symbolizing unity is the choice for the reverse of the 2010 Lincoln cent by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts."It represents the unity of the nation," said Commission Secretary Tom Luebke.
The commission, which met April 28 in Washington, D.C., preferred the wheat design over 17 other designs, primarily shields, eagles and buildings, presented for consideration.
"The commission focused on (the wheat) option No. 18, which they thought worked best at the scale of the penny," Luebke said.
Commission members were taken, however, with the design of an eagle on option No. 17, calling it one of the best depictions they'd seen, Luebke said.
The recommendation of the wheat sheaf for the design will go to the United States Mint, with one suggested alteration.
Commission members did ask that the words "One Cent" be spelled out and that the words "One Nation" be omitted, he said.
The reverse design for the 2010 Lincoln cent by law is to be "an image emblematic of President Lincoln's preservation of the United States of America as a single and united country."
The CFA also considered five design options for the reverse of the 2010 Native American dollar.
Four of the designs featured a tree, but the commission favored a design featuring bundled arrows representing the five nations, Luebke said.
That design was felt to have a better visual composition, noting that the designs featuring a tree were difficult to represent to scale on the coin.
The obverse of the coin will feature the Sacagawea portrait, with the reverse design changing annually to reflect Native American themes and culture.
Source: numismaster.com
