Peter (eagle)

Peter was a bald eagle who lived at the Philadelphia Mint from c. 1830 until 1836. He became well known after a while and was let out of the Mint each night to fly around the city of Philadelphia. While perched on a coining press one day, the press suddenly started, and Peter's wing was badly injured. Shortly after all attempts to save and heal him, he died, in the mint. His stuffed body is now on display at the mint.

Peter is said to have been the model for the image of an eagle on the silver dollars issued from 1836 to 1839.