# Coins and Profiles

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coins-and-profiles/48298>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 3, 2001, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coins-and-profiles/48298 "2001-01-03T21:05:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![NothingMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b77776/32.png) [@NothingMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NothingMan)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2001, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coins-and-profiles/48298/1 "2001-01-03T21:05:52Z")

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I read Great Cecils explanation of why we find profiles mostly on coins while bills have “face-on” shots. Yet I cannot help but wonder, if you look at the US coins :

_Why is Abe facing right ?_

I suppose it seems obvious. Of the US coins the following all face left - George is the profile on the quarter, Jefferson on the nickel, and FDR on the dime . . . all “silver” coins.  
No wait, could that really be it ?

(I do not think it likely.)  
I have struggled to find a reason for this. It cannot be “war” both FDR and Washington saw battle too. Can’t be death in office, FDR did that. So . . . . .

What ?

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2001, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coins-and-profiles/48298/2 "2001-01-04T04:41:52Z")

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[Cecil’s column](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_029.html) Just in case anyone wants to read it.

Just to add some mystery-all Presidents on coins after Lincoln face _left_. That would be, in order of their issue, Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, Kennedy, Eisenhower. Real persons _who were not Presidents_ face to the right. That would be Franklin, Susan B. Anthony, and Sacagawea.

And, it’s kinda hard to put a President’s profile on any coin that isn’t “silver” as your only choice would be to bump Abe off the cent.

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**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2001, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coins-and-profiles/48298/3 "2001-01-04T06:21:17Z")

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There’s a mean (racist?) joke that goes along with that, I don’t have the balls to tell it though (being that I’m not racist). Hint: it has to do with freeing the slaves, figure it out.