People of the US Mint and US Coins
This page is dedicated to biographies of the people who were involved in the production of US coins. This includes people who designed, sculpted, modeled, engraved or were major names involved at the US Mint and production of our US coinage. USA Coin Book would like to honor the people behind the coins and tell the historical story from production of the very first US coins, all the way through to modern times. This list will grow as time goes on and more artists become involved with new coin designs.
Chief Engravers and Sculptors
Chief Engravers are the highest artists, sculptors and staff members employed at the US Mint. Throughout most of US history, Chief Engravers and Sculptors of the US Mint were directly appointed by the President of the United States. Their appointment was typically a lifetime tenureship. There were only 12 Chief Engravers in US history, many of them passed away while still in office. Gilroy Roberts was the first person to retire at a Chief Engraver in 1964 and not die in office. This appointment was first created and put into the Department of Treasury when Congress drafted the Coinage Act of 1792. Chief Engravers are in charge of designing coins and engraving the dies for all of the US Mints. The list below is ordered from the first engraver down to the most current engraver:
- Joseph Wright * (died before getting the job)
- Robert Scot (1793-1823)
- William Kneass (1824-1840)
- Christian Gobrecht (1840-1844)
- James B. Longacre (1844-1869)
- William Barber (1869-1879)
- Charles E. Barber (1879-1917)
- George T. Morgan (1917-1925)
- John R. Sinnock (1925-1947)
- Gilroy Roberts (1947-1964)
- Frank Gasparro (1965-1981)
- Elizabeth Jones (1981-1991)
- vacant (1991-2006)
- John M. Mercanti (2006-2010)
- vacant (2010-present)
Second Engravers
The Second Engraver is an early US Mint position in a rank just below the Chief Engraver. Only one early and notable Second Engraver is responsible for designing and engraving major US coinage:
Chief Coiners
The Chief Coiner is another early US Mint position responsible for coining the early US coins. Again, only one person is highly notable in this Mint staff position:
Prominent Coin Designers, Sculptors and Engravers
Not every designer or engraver of US coins was employed by the Mint or held the official Chief Engraver title (an office position that has been vacant since 2010, and many consider it obsolete in modern times). In fact, most coins were produced by private artists and sculptors. Particularly, these folks are some of the most renowned and experienced artists in the country during their times. Only so many people could become chief engravers or an employee at the mint. Many of these people were just as skilled and experienced. Below is an always-growing list of highly reputable and legendary designers and engravers of US coins, ordered by their earliest works at the Mint:
- Augustus Saint Gaudens
- Bela Lyon Pratt
- Victor D Brenner
- James Earle Fraser
- Adolph A Weinman
- Hermon A MacNeil
- Anthony de Francisci
- John Flanagan
- Felix Schlag
- Jack L Ahr
- Seth G Huntington
- Dennis R Williams
- William Cousins
- Glenna Goodacre
- Don Everhart
- Joel Iskowitz
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