obverse and reverse sides of USPI coins (1903 - 1945)

Which is the correct/official obverse side of USPI coins? Is it the man-woman? or the eagle with the seal? Is the obverse/reverse sides still the same from 1903 - 1935 (Amercan Occupation) and from 1937 - 1945 wherein we are considered as the Commonwealth of the Philippines?

Alex

Please check at the coin information section on the home page. Click the Introduction on the US Philippine coinage. The information you are looking is located there.

Thanks
FN

Thanks for the information. So the man-anvil and woman-anvil are the reverse of the American era coins. Please correct me if I am wrong, I am also trying to find the reason for the obverse side of these coins. I believe the reason the obverse of the coin is "eagle/USA/ date" is because the Philippines was then a US territory. And per definition, the side of the coin with the date is the obverse.

Just a follow up question. The Philippine republic coins first issued were the English series coins starting in 1958 (or 1959). The man-anvil / woman-anvil designs were still used for these series except that the other side carries the coat of arms of the Philippines and below the man-anvil / woman-anvil designs were put the "date" instead of the word "Filipinas". Is the man-anvil/woman-anvil still the reverse of the coin or is it already the obverse?

Alex

A lot of collectors are confused with the obverse and reverse for the US-Philippines coinage series. Actually this depends on your theory and to your own satisfaction.
Krause Standard Catalog of World Coins uses the Man/Woman with Anvil as the obverse and the eagle on shield is the reverse side. They are the most respected authority in regards to coin information.
PCGS and NGC grading company also uses the man/woman as the obverse side.
PNAS auction catalogers also uses the Man/Woman with anvil as the obverse.
Most reknown international auctioneers such as Heritage, Stacks, Bowers and Merena, Goldberg, Ponterio and others followed Krause catalogs as well.
But ANACS grading company and author of U.S./Philippine coins book Lyman Allen believed that the eagle perching on the shield must be the obverse side.
See? Which one do you believe? In my opinion, I follow the majority and to which I feel comfortable. Or we can also say that the USPI series coins are dual sides.
EWY

Majority of the sources I have read also refer to the man/woman as the obverse side although a few sources, one of which is our own "Introduction to US-Philippines coinage" says that the eagle is the obverse side. Maybe we should just ask the US Mint authorities since they were the ones who made the coins, they will declare what the obverse/reverse side of the coin is.

That is why I am looking for the "reason" why they made this side or the other side as the obverse. Thanks for all your inputs. Although the inputs gave me additional knowledge, I am still confused and I will still try to get the official version - and the reason of course. It pays to understand what you learn and not just accept what "a book or a person or an internet source" says is the obverse side of the coin.

This is a good website. Continue to share your knowledge.

Alex

I have further researched this subject for you as you seems not satisfied with the "official" sides of the USPI coin series.
Here's my additional knowledge that I can share more to you:
1) The United States mint had a certain rules for the obverse that the date must placed on the "front" side of the coin. But U.S. mint does not always make sense to what they imply. Look at the state quarter program from 1999 to the present. The date was changed to the reverse side of the coin. Still, Washington portrait maintains the obverse. See?
2) Almost all coins from around the world had the wear and tear on their coins on the obverse side. Example, the portrait of a king or a leader has almost had more rubbings on that side rather than the reverse. Luster also diminished on that side first. Same thing happen on our USPI coins. The man/woman design had that side to wear first. Because they had been stacked by roll on that side mostly. Practicality had to do with this answer.
3) Almost all United States coins had the person or a statesman placed on the obverse side while the eagle or the rest of the design to the reverse side. That standing lady holding a hammer on an anvil beside a volcano is the designer's 10 year old daughter Blanca. She is a real person depicting on the coin and not a statue.
4) Philippines was acquired by the United States officially in 1901 as a territory only and not as a state. The word "Filipinas" below the man/woman means Philippines. So the host country must be the priority which must be placed on the obverse side. This is another logical reason why it must be the official obverse side.
EWY

I think you have convinced me.

Does it mean we have to revise the "introduction to US-Philippine coins" in this website to reflect the correct/official obverse side of the coins?

Alex

Im not the one who create this website. You should email the host FN regarding this matter. He had his own way of knowledge in explaining which should be the obverse. Even if we think we are right, only he had the authority to change the introduction. Every person had his own ideas anyway.
EWY

Hi!

Your discussion is very interesting. Regarding the "Introduction to US-Philippine Coins". I wish I have the right answer at the moment but the information that I provided on this site majority of which, came from the US mint itself. I think we should place this topic as "moot and academic". Thank you very much.

FN

Dont' be confused about the date being on the obverse side of the coin as this is not a rule followed by the mints around the world.

By the way the new US dollar coins have the dates on the edge of the coins.