Notes

From card: "[front] Represents an eagle in low relief, surrounded by lettering as on a coin." Object was broken at the time it was catalogued and was subsequently repaired. Object has been attributed as possibly Haida? An argillite plate or dish with incised and carved relief decoration. Eagle design on front may be based on Heraldic eagle from reverse of a U.S. silver half dollar coin, probably from a "Seated Liberty" half dollar? Lettering on front, not all of which seems meaningful (and some letters are reversed or upside down), includes OHAFDOL below the eagle (for half dollar?), and SANFRANCISCO above the eagle. Note that many Seated Liberty half dollar coins from the New Orleans mint had an O under the eagle design on the reverse side, and said HALF DOL. below that; the New Orleans Mint (established 1838) began producing Seated Liberty half dollar coins in 1840. Back of object has compass/floral and leaf decoration, with cross-hatching. - F. Pickering 3-25-2009