View the forgotten women whose beauty metamorphosed to Lady Liberty on our coins. I bring them to life so that we remember Anna Willess Williams, teacher and philosopher, and Teresa de Francisci, model. Anna was a classic beauty (inside and out) and Teresa, a Mediterranean immigrant who became the American symbol of freedom and worldwide peace. Proxiblog will be posting again on Jan. 2, 2026.
In 1980 I was hunting Quail on my friends property on Long Island. I heard some other shots in the distance. I was curious who else was on the property so I hiked about 200 yards and met an elderly man also hunting birds. I introduced myself and he told me that his property is adjacent to my friends and in fact I was now on his property. We talked for awhile and decided we would hunt together for awhile. After about an hour he invited me to his home for some coffee which was about a quarter mile down a trail. Once at his home he put on a pot and we went into his den. The first thing I noticed was a large silver colored mockup of the Peace Silver Dollar on the wall. I told him I was a coin collector and was amazed at his decoration. He told me his father was the designer of the coin and won a contest for the best design and was chosen by the committee. His father was Antonio De Francisci. He told me his father received a early striking of every year the coin was minted. I was just amazed at my luck stumbling into this man in the woods. We remained hunting friends for a couple of years until I heard of his passing by my friend whose property was next to his. What a delightful, charming, and humble man he was. Honored to meet him.