Chapter 13 Question ○○9

Why are the portraits on coins in profile, but the portraits on banknotes are frontal? (Andrea Lack) Look at the change in your pocket, and you will find that the heads of former presidents that appear on the coins are all in profile, Lincoln and Jefferson on the cents, Roosevelt, Washington and Kennedy on the dimes, all face in profile. But on the banknotes in your wallet, you can't find a profile.Washington on the one-dollar bill, Lincoln on the five-dollar bill, Hamilton on the ten-dollar bill, Jackson on the twenty-dollar bill, Grant on the fifty-dollar bill, and Franklin on the hundred-dollar bill are all frontal portraits .With very few exceptions, the situation is much the same in other countries: the profile on coins, the front on banknotes.Why is there such a difference?

simply put.Technical difficulties in metal engraving made it difficult to draw recognizable full-face portraits on coins, although painters generally preferred full-face portraits.The space available for painting on the coin is generally no more than four centimeters square, and due to the lack of detail, it is difficult to draw a portrait that can be easily recognized by people.Conversely, if only the profile is drawn, it will be much easier to recognize the subject.It is technically possible to paint a sufficiently detailed obverse portrait on a coin, but it is extremely expensive.At the same time, fine details quickly wear away as coins circulate.

Since the profile is easier to make and identify, why is it abandoned on banknotes?This is because the detail and complexity of the obverse portrait prevents counterfeiting. The last two examples in this chapter are intended to illustrate that sometimes we must delve into historical sources to explain product design functionality.