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Jerome D. Greene has deposited the copy of the inauguration medal designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens with the Curator of Coins in the library at Harvard University.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-13
President Roosevelt thanks Thomas L. Elder for the coins and informs him that the coins by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, including the eagle and double eagle, are about to come out.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-10
Tired of waiting, President Roosevelt informs Secretary of the Treasury Cortelyou to instruct the Director of the United States Mint Frank Aleamon Leach to produce the Augustus Saint-Gaudens-designed coins as they are. He expects them to be in circulation by September 1. Any issues regarding quality can be addressed later.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-07
President Roosevelt asks gemologist George Frederick Kunz if he refers to the letter sent to their deceased friend, Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Roosevelt feels privileged that Saint-Gaudens designed two coins under his administration.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-06
President Roosevelt has received Thomas L. Elder’s letter and resolutions, and will call for a report from Secretary of the Treasury George B. Cortelyou. Roosevelt informs Elder that new coinage is being designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, an American artist of exceptional ability.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-01
President Roosevelt asks George E. Roberts to take “special and peculiar care” in cutting the coin designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. He is not sure how long it will be allowed to be produced, but wants to have the United States “do something in the way of artistic expression.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-26
Robert Underwood Johnson reminds President Roosevelt to send in preliminary nominations to fill vacancies in American Academy of Arts and Letters as soon as possible. Nominations shall be tabulated by the Executive Committee and sent to members for their selection.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-19
Theodore Roosevelt tells David W. Arndt that Augustus Saint-Gaudens recommended a model for gold coins that did not contain the phrase “In God We Trust.” Roosevelt notes that the phrase was later restored to the coins by Congress.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1917-12-03
Theodore Roosevelt introduces Ambassador O’Brien to Augusta Saint-Gaudens, widow of the artist Augustus Saint-Gaudens. He feels strongly about Saint-Gaudens’s work. Augusta wants to gift three bas-reliefs to Victor Emmanuel III, King of Italy, which he urges the king to accept.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-11-15
President Roosevelt praises Brazilian Ambassador Nabuco’s recent speech.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-18
President Roosevelt shares his doubts about his son, Ted Roosevelt, taking a job on New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes’s staff, and encourages Ted to speak to his boss, Robert P. Perkins, about it. Roosevelt believes that at best the position would be largely a symbolic one, and at worst would commit Ted to attending events that he does not wish to attend and gain him “a certain unenviable notoriety.” Roosevelt acknowledges he may be mistaken, and again encourages Ted to speak to Perkins. Roosevelt enjoyed having his son visit recently, and provides an update on his recent activities since Ted departed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-16
President Roosevelt writes to his son, Kermit Roosevelt on a variety of matters. Roosevelt is proud of his elder son, Theodore Roosevelt, for doing well in Harvard after his past “scrapes” with dean Byron S. Hurlbut, but he is also very glad that Kermit does not seem to be getting into those scrapes in the first place and has been spoken of highly by Hurlbut. Roosevelt suggests that they practice shooting at Oyster Bay before leaving on safari, as they will both be out of practice. Roosevelt’s daughter, Ethel is in the middle of debutante season. The Roosevelt family has enjoyed having several visitors recently, including James Wolcott Wadsworth, C. Grant La Farge and Florence Bayard Lockwood La Farge.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-13
President Roosevelt will take the matter T. Louis Comparette writes about up with Frank Aleamon Leach, Director of the U.S. Mint. The difficulty he writes about stems from the government employing people who do not appreciate or want to pay for good design; it is not currently possible for the United States to get good coins.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-06
President Roosevelt thanks William T. R. Marvin for the letters, and agrees that Augustus Saint-Gaudens must have had some of the eagles that Marvin mentioned in mind when he was designing the new ten dollar coins.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-20
President Roosevelt suggests that Richard Watson Gilder make edits to his statement in order to not stir up discord. Homer Saint-Gaudens does not understand that this is an undesirable topic and could invite attack. Roosevelt agrees with Gilder about the positive future reception of the coins.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-12-18
President Roosevelt agrees to write about British novelist George Meredith for his eightieth birthday. Roosevelt requests that Norman Hapgood let him know who should be addressed in the letter. He also asks if Hapgood likes the double eagle coin. While designer Augustus Saint-Gaudens preferred the single eagle coin, Roosevelt believes the double eagle is superior.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-12-10
President Roosevelt thinks that Howland Wood, Secretary of the American Numismatic Association, will be pleased with the new Double Eagle coin design. Roosevelt mourns the death of the coin’s designer, Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-21
President Roosevelt thanks James Morris Whiton for the letter. In response, he sets forth the provisions that authorize using “In God We Trust” on coins, which Congress repealed, but may now revive. Roosevelt hopes it is not revived, believing such use of the phrase “promotes levity and irreverence in the use of a beautiful and solemn religious sentiment.” He favors simple coin design without excess lettering. Including the phrase is a customary, not legal, practice instituted after Abraham Lincoln’s presidency.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-15
President Roosevelt finds Gertrude Beek’s report on working conditions in the Panama Canal generally favorable but disagrees with some of her findings. Roosevelt is very pleased with the new designs for the Eagle and Double Eagle coins by Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-06
President Roosevelt introduces Andrew Carnegie to Alice Jones, who requests Carnegie commission a monument to be created by sculptor William Frederick MacMonnies. Roosevelt praises MacMonnies and fellow sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens as great artists who the current generation will be most indebted to.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-04-09