Artifact Details
Outside the front doors of the Original Headquarters Building, a statue of Nathan Hale, praised as “the country’s first intelligence officer,” stands watch. The statue captures the spirit of the moment before Hale’s execution—a 21-year-old man prepared to meet his death for country with honor, hands and feet bound, face resolute, and his eyes on the horizon. He stands vigilant guard on the Agency and is a continuing reminder to its employees of the duties and sacrifices of an intelligence officer.
Over the years, a tradition has developed around the Hale statue: before going overseas, CIA officers leave a coin at the statue’s base. According to legend, doing so will bring good luck and ensure that Hale will keep the officers safe on their mission. Typically, officers leave a US quarter because it features the face of George Washington, whom Hale served under during America’s Revolutionary War. Some have left 76 cents to commemorate 1776, the year Hale was executed, or small foreign denominations with personalized markings like these.
The CIA Museum periodically collects all money left at the Hale statue. It is donated to the CIA Officers Memorial Foundation and the Third Option Foundation to help injured officers and their families and the families of fallen officers.