Owner Comments:
There are times in our lives when we derive inspiration from a song or a poem. This coin celebrates the city of Cincinnati as a “Music Center of America” and Stephan Foster as “America’s Troubadour”.
The reverse of this coin depicts a young woman playing a lyre; this mythical “goddess of music” most likely corresponds to one of Zeus’s nine daughters called muses. The muses are mythical Greek goddesses representing the various arts.
The woman portrayed on this coin likely represents one of three muses. The first, Euterpe, or “goddess of music” is often seen with an ancient flute like instrument called an aulos. The second, Terpsichore, or “goddess of dance” is illustrated with a lyre in her hands. The third, and I think most likely is Erato, or the “goddess of lyric poetry”, she is depicted playing a lyre like instrument called a cithara. Since Erato represents both poetry and song, I think she captures the intent of this commemorative coin.
Stephen Foster, a one-time resident of Cincinnati appears on the obverse of this coin. Stephen Foster is responsible for penning American folk songs many people still sing today. Among his more popular songs are “Oh! Susanna”, “Camptown Races”, “My Old Kentucky Home”, and “Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair”.