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Images of Some Coin DesignersBy Carl Wohlforth Have you ever wondered who were the guys who designed the coins we covet so dearly? Thanks to artist and numismatic author Charles D. Daughtrey we can see what the designers look like. If you would like to purchase a limited edition print of these drawings please contact Mr. Daughtrey on his website: C. D. Daughtrey All the drawings below are copyright by Mr. Daughtrey who reserves all rights. Copying the images without the express permission of Mr. Daughtrey is prohibited. James Barton Longacre James Barton Longacre (1794 - 1869) was born and died in Pennsylvania. Longacre was chief engraver for the U.S. Mint from 1844 until his death. Longacre's most famous design is the Indian Head Cent. He also designed the Flying Eagle Cent (influenced by Gobrecht), two cent piece, three cent nickel, shield nickel, $1 Liberty Head, $1 and $3 Indian Princess and the $20 Liberty Double Eagle. He also designed many patterns and coins for both the U.S. and other countries.
Augustus Saint-Gaudens Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848 - 1907) was born in Dublin, Ireland and died in Cornish, New Hampshire. The US National Park Service has preserved his home, gardens and studio in Cornish. Click here for the Park Service's Saint-Gaudens website. The $10 Indian Gold Eagle and $20 Saint Gaudens Double Eagle were designed by him. These are considered to be among the finest US coin designs. Both coins started circulating the year Saint-Gaudens died.
Victor D. Brenner Victor David Brenner (1871-1924) was born in Lithuania and died in Bronx, New York. He produced several medals and plaques commemorating Lincoln. Then President Roosevelt really wanted to improve the beauty of US circulating coins. Roosevelt selected Saint Gaudens to produce two gold coins and he later tagged VDB to design a new Cent. The Lincoln Cent was first minted in 1909 to commemorate the 100'th anniversary of Lincoln's birth. It is the first US coin to depict a living person rather than a symbolic character (i.e. Liberty). Mr. Brenner put his initials on the design in a difficult to notice location. The public noticed and proceeded to denounce this self promotion. The initials were removed during the first year of production, 1909.
James Earle Fraser James Earle Fraser (1876-1953) of Winona, Minnesota was a sculptor. His father was an engineer helping with the westward expansion of the railroads. Through his experiences growing up on a ranch in South Dakota and the pioneers he met as a child he became interested in Native Americans. Saint-Gaudens asked Fraser to be his assistant. Fraser agreed and moved back east. He designed the Buffalo Nickel. James Fraser's wife Laura Gardin Fraser was also a sculptor and coin designer. She designed many commemorative coins. The only coin they collaborated on was the Oregon Trail Commemorative half dollar.
Adolph Alexander Weinman Adolph A. Weinman (1870-1952) was born in Germany and came to the U.S. when he was 10. He studied under St. Gaudens the famous sculptor. He is best known for his Winged Liberty (Mercury) Dime and Walking Liberty Half Dollar designs. The Walking Liberty is now well known to even the newest coin collectors as it appears again on the modern American Silver Eagles. A. A. Weinman preferred to be known for his architectural sculptor and denied being a numismatist.
John Flanagan John Flanagan (1865-1952) of New York was a medalist who also studied under St. Gaudens. He produced several medals and sculptures. His most famous work is the Washington Quarter first produced in 1932 to commemorate the 200'th anniversary of George Washington's birth. The choice of Flanagan's design was controversial because the Commission of Fine Arts and the Washington Bicentennial Commission chose Laura Frasier's design as being far superior to all the 100 entries in a competition. Super rich financier and Treasury Secretary Andrew Melon pushed through his choice and America had a new quarter in 1932. It is said Melon's choice was made not for artistic reasons but because he was a male chauvinist. Astute readers may recognize the name Frasier in the context of coin design. Laura Gardin Frasier was the wife James Earle Frasier who designed of the Buffalo Nickel. A more recent Commission of Fine Arts chose Laura Frasier artistic design to grace the 1999 $5 Gold coin that commemorates the 200'th anniversary of Washington's death.
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Last modified 11/04/2008. |
