 Patterson wrote again to request Longacre 's ouster on April 1 , 1850 , alleging that President Zachary Taylor had decided that Longacre be dismissed . Despite these attempts , Longacre remained in his position . Also in 1850 , Longacre 's wife Elizabeth ( generally Eliza ) died . The Mint officials clashed again in 1851 , after Congress authorized a silver three @-@ cent piece . Longacre prepared a design showing a star on one side and the Roman numeral III on the other , which initially won Patterson 's approval . Peale , however , persuaded Patterson to change his mind and authorize the chief coiner to propose a version himself , copying design elements Gobrecht had used in 1836 . The issue was submitted to the new Treasury Secretary , Thomas Corwin , who selected Longacre 's proposal — Longacre had taken the precaution of sending the secretary a letter explaining his imagery . 
