The French Influence On World Medallic Art

The Field of  MEDALLIC ART – small M, small A,  is a French art. The first practitioners were French artists, as the leading medallic artists today are French.

Medallic Art  – capitol M, capitol A, the company – was founded by two French brothers working in New York City. Despite the fact Henri Weil, the oldest, was born here in America, Felix Weil, the youngest, was born back in France as the parents traveled back and forth in a ceramic business.

In studying and handling medals of the world for fifty years, I have developed a sense of nationalistic traits common to all medals of one country. Italy, for example, has the most talented medallic artists. Design of medals by Italian artists rise above all others.

At a speech given at a memorial service for Italian-born Marcel Jovine, I repeated that statement that I felt Italy produced the finest medallic artists. “There must be something in the drinking water in Italy to produce such superb artists,” I said. The audience broke out in thunderous applause as I realized most were Italian descendents or supporters.

Certainly some credit can be given to the national mint in Rome, the Zecca Mint. It maintains a school for coin and medal designers. Artists who wish to advance a career in the field, travel to Rome to study at the Zecca. American Elizabeth Jones, ultimately to be Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint, was just such student at the Zecca.

While student work is often set aside for most artists in their own possession, Elizabeth tells me the Zecca school retains all the models by all the students at the Zecca. I wonder if these are used as study models by later students. They are trained to recognize good medallic art – study what has been created in the past – and to emulate only the best techniques in their own work.

German artists are technical machinists. Long noted for producing the best hand engravers, German artists continued to embrace hand engraving. Even after the French developed oversize modeling and pantographic reduction to cut dies, Germans still continued to cut their dies by hand.

One hand engraver, Fritz Eue, immigrated to America in 1926 after a successful career in his native Germany, cutting dies for four medal maker firms. It is said he could cut a die in two hours, complete. Further he could cut a die in cameo, in raised relief as well as incised, in negative relief.  He could hand engrave a die, or a hub, positive or negative, whatever was needed.

Eue’s work was typical of German medallic artists. While immensely satisfactory it didn’t rise to the artistic quality of Italian artists’ work.

Also Germans are noted for their medal making equipment. They invented the knuckle-joint press, now used for coining press technology employed throughout the world. German firms today produce the finest coining and medal making equipment.

British medallic artists’ work is stiff, prim and proper, somewhat like the British people themselves. Yet some of the greatest coin and medal artists are British. Thomas Simon (1618-1665) is an early example. In 1663 he engraved a pair of dies whose struck piece became known as the “Petition Crown.”

Simon was in competition with a Dutch artist, Jean Roettier, for the position of engraver at the Royal Mint. To prove his competence for the position he created a large silver crown with two lines of lettering on the edge of the piece pleading for the king, who was to make the decision, to appoint him over a Dutchman.

Despite a stunning portrait of the king on the obverse, the king made a political decision and Roettier got the job. But Simon’s work rose above anything Roettier ever produced.

St. George slaying the dragon on 1911 British Sovereign.

While trained in Italy, the greatest British coin and medal artist of all time was Benedetto Pistrucci (1784-1855).  He created the iconic image of Saint George slaying the dragon, which became symbolic on British coins.

Pistrucci is also known as the engraver of the Waterloo Medal. Commissioned in 1815, he completed it thirty years later in 1845. It was so large – four and a half inches – they couldn’t strike it for fear of breaking the die. (It was issued as an electroform cast, and later struck in a reduced size).

British artists are also known for their family of coin and medal artists, the Pingos and the Wyons are examples. All of which held positions at the Royal Mint in London, but who also had family members who created medallic work outside the Mint.

The French artists, however, made medallic art a genre equal to painting and sculpture, and traced, as early as 1825, to the work of David d’Andres (1788-1856). His portraits were in relief in a size larger than any medal, eight to ten inches. Originally replicated by foundry casts, they were readily made as galvano casts when this technology became available, mid-century.

David d’Andes was followed by Herbert Ponsdcarme (1827-1903) who is considered the Father of the Modern Art Medal. His 1863 medal for the Academy of Inspiration for Beaux-Letters bearing the portrait of Joseph Nadet earned this title.

In the 1880s came a flood of French artists who not only practiced the art of large size medallic models (a la David d’Andres), but also adopted the new technology of pantographic reduction machines to reduce their models to a size that could be struck as medals.

The names of the French artists who became active in this period are legion: Jules Chaplin, Alexandre Charpentier, Pierre Dautel, Georges Dupre, Jean Daniel-Dupis, Rene Gregoire, Henry Nocq, Victor Peter, Georges Prud’Homme, Louis Oscar Roty, Ernest Tasset, Emile Vernier, Frederic Vernon, Ovide Yencesse.

Many of these artists embraced the technique of modeling oversize, having their models made into a hard metal pattern (by electrogalvanic casting), then mounting in a die-engraving pantograph cutting a die to be used for striking their images in medallic form.

Also at this time these artists experimented with applying a patina to their art medals. They used the same chemicals and techniques employed for their large size sculpture in-the-round. Worked just as well for for small size medals.

Here are the reasons therefore why medallic art is considered a French art:

• The Paris Mint has struck coins and medals since the 1400s. It has been a leader in advancing minting technology and attracting the best engravers noted for their talent.
• Indeed, the Paris Mint has a training program – not like the school at the Zecca Mint in Rome – but more of on-the-job training program that has been in progress since 1866.
• The Paris Mint has encouraged medallists of the world to submit their models for possible striking; during its heyday in this program, administered by Piere De Hay was buying one new model a day to place into production.
• The French artists invented the technique of modeling oversize and having these models pantograhically reduced to cut dies for striking.
• Victor Janvier, a Frenchman, began improving the reducing machine and patents his machine 1899; became the industry standard.
• Louis Oscar Roty trains medalists in this technique of oversize modeling; his most notable student is Victor Brenner, from New York, who travels to Paris twice in a four-year period to learn from French masters.
• A French art critic, Roger Marx created the Societe des Amis de la Medaille francaise (the Society of French Medallic Art) in 1899, the first art medal series. It was copied by similar groups in Europe and America (the Circle of Friends of the Medallion).
• The French created Federation International des la Medaille (FIDEM) immediately after World War II. This international organization of medallic artists sponsors exhibitions at their biannual conventions.
• An small number of private minters, notably, Artrus Bertrand, and others, prosper in Paris striking medals for private customers.
• At the exhibition of international contemporary medallic art at the American Numismatic Society in 1910 (IECM), 49 French artists sent exhibits almost equaling the number of Americans (56) where the exhibition was held. Frenchman Louis Oscar Roty had more items on exhibit (82) than any other artist. Five of the top ten exhibitors were French.

French Head, Medallic Art Company Logo

In an unusual conflux of words and names, the French Head, symbol adopted for Medallic Art Company by Clyde C. Trees in 1934 – but named for its creator, Daniel Chester French – continues the French Connection.

Thus the art the company produces is French and the symbol for the company is – French.

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U.S. Mint’s Chief Engravers’ Relationship with Medallic Art Co

Ever since the Philadelphia Mint was established, in 1792, has the policy been in place that private medals could be struck there; provided, of course, such work did not interfere with the normal duties of the Mint personnel and the client paid the government for all costs including the metal used for striking the medals.

While the first such private medal was not dated – for Ricketts’s Circus – the enterprising circus promoter was the first to take advantage of this. Numismatic researchers can only state these medals were made at the Mint between1793 to 1795.

Despite the fact that striking medals for non-governmental clients was common among European mints, a very strong reason compelled such medals in America to be struck at the Philadelphia Mint. No other presses in America could strike a medal of silver dollar size or larger!

One important restriction.  One provision in the Mint policy on private work at the Mint, however, came about during the administration of Andrew Jackson. No medals were to be struck at the Mint for any political campaigns. Mint personnel were prohibited from involvement in such political work.

This created, in effect, a cottage industry of die engravers with a small screw press of creating campaign medals, a custom of providing citizens a name and sometimes a portrait of a candidate in a country with limited reading material. These were usually small medals to be distributed freely among potential voters.

At the Mint private medal dies were created by mint engravers and struck on mint presses by mint pressmen. Of the 412 medals, cataloged by numismatist Robert Julian, struck by the U.S. Mint in its first century, 252 were for private individuals and organizations, mostly for schools, notable events and celebrations, and even one wedding medal.

A client, for instance, who commissioned an American jewelry firm, as Tiffany & Co, to create a large medal for them, occasionally would have them struck at the Philadelphia Mint (if they didn’t have them struck in Europe). Often clients would deal with the Mint directly or through the Treasury Department in Washington.

Medallic Art competition. This practice of the U.S. Mint continued well into the 20th century. By the 1930s when medal jobs became somewhat scarce, Clyde Curle Trees, president of Medallic Art Co, did not appreciate this policy of the Mint. They were striking medals that should have, he reasoned, be struck by private industry and his firm.

As he had to curtail operations of Medallic Art to half days to support his employees and keep his business afloat, he began mounting a campaign to get the U.S. Mint out of the private medal business. He wrote to Treasury officials pointing out it was unfair to use government equipment and government employees — and pay no taxes — in competition with his private firm, which of course, had to pay taxes.

His letters fell on deaf ears throughout the years prior to World War II.

During the war Trees postponed this campaign since he could not get bronze to strike medals anyway. After the war he got busy manufacturing military medals and decorations. He resumed his effort, however, in the late 1940s, appealing to the Treasury for many years and to each new administration — without much apparent effect — as it was not until 1966 (six years after Trees’ death) that the U.S. Mint stopped producing medals in competition with American private medal industry.

Mint engravers outside work. While mint engravers were permitted to create models for medals for any client who came to the mint, it was also permitted for mint engravers to create models on their own time, working in their own home studio. For the most part they brought these models to Medallic Art Company to be made into dies and strike medals.

This began in 1927 with U.S. Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock. For the first half dozen of these Sinnock was listed as Medallic Art’s client, so he was preparing these for someone else. Sinnock and MACO’s Clyde Trees were to form a close relationship.

In 1930 Trees learned that the Crane Company in Chicago was planning a 75th anniversary. When he called the firm’s president, he learned they had already commissioned a Chicago sculptor for the models, but they were not satisfied with his design. Trees, not to lose such a prospect, called Sinnock, bring your sculptor tools and let’s travel to Chicago.

As Sinnock worked in a hotel room, Trees saw the president in person, learned what he had to create for an acceptable medal. He conveyed that information to Sinnock who had a portrait done in two day’s time, Trees got the approval and the order before the two returned to New York City. Trees had a never-say-quit attitude.

Over the next two decades Sinnock was to send four dozen models to Medallic Art Company, and established a relationship that was to continue with succeeding Chief Engravers. In a show of gratitude for so many of these commissions, Sinnock modeled Clyde Trees portrait. This was prepared as both a medal and a galvano relief and that is the Trees portrait that was illustrated in that June 1945 Fortune magazine article.

Gilroy Roberts close ties to Medallic Art.  As close as Sinnock was to Clyde Trees, his successor, Gilroy Roberts became close to all Medallic Art officials. He served on a number of committees with art director Julius Lauth and was long-time friends with the Trees family and, of course, Bill Louth, who assumed MACO presidency in 1960.

Considered the top medallic sculptor in America at the time, Roberts was commissioned to prepare the portrait reliefs of all MACO directors, and, ultimately, Bill Louth’s portrait as president. The relationship between Roberts and Medallic Art officials was very close, not only as sculptor of dozens of commissions sent his way and the 70 medals the firm made from his models, but also for leading the art community to consider art medals as a proper art forum.

The relationship became strained, when, in October 1964 he resigned from the U.S. Mint to become chief engraver of Franklin Mint, a new competitor in the medallic field. Enticed by promoter Joseph Segal to become Chairman and Chief Engraver of this private mint, he virtually severed his relationship with Medallic Art Company.

The Franklin Mint produced only proof surface medals (until it bought foreign firms who possessed the technology for relief finish), Roberts made only three medals, which Medallic Art Company struck, after he joined Franklin Mint.

Gasparro less active.  Frank Gasparro was named Chief Engraver on Roberts resignation. He was willing to work with Medallic Art Company when a situation required it. A New York City client, the Liberty National Shrines desired a four-medal series. U.S. Mint engravers prepared four different reverses. and Gasparro created the obverse to appear on all four. The U.S. Mint struck the small silver medals, Medallic Art struck the large bronze.

Gasparro was also commissioned to prepare one medal in a series produced by Medallic Art. He did the

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U.S. Mint Chief Engraver’s Medallic Work
Made by Medallic Art Company

SINNOCK, John Ray  (1888-1947) sculptor, engraver,
Chief Engraver, Philadelphia Mint, 1925-1947.
Born Raton, New Mexico, 8 July 1888.
Joined the U.S. Mint engraving staff in 1917 as Assistant
Engraver, transferred to Bureau of Engraving and Printing,
to return in 1925 to be Chief Engraver.
Signed models JRS monogram (6 different), or JS initials
(later on Roosevelt dime).
Fellow: National Sculpture Society.
Died Staten Island, New York, 14 May 1947.

M  E  D  A  L  S

1927 Kaufman (Louis Graveraet) Merit Medal (actually a
plaquette) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1929-067

1927 Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial
Art Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1927-006

1928 American Peony Society Bertrand H. Farr Medal (obv
by Sinnock, rev by Feilx Weil) . . . . . . . . MAco 1928-007
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 57:1653

1928 Philadelphia Electric Company Accident Prevention
Plaquette. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1928-050
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PCA 57:1654, PCA 72:1921

1929 Edison (Thomas Alva) Medal (struck by Medallic
Art Co). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1929-100
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 7:468

1929 Edison (Thomas Alva) Plaquette (one of first two medals by
Sinnock to carry the “art medal” as inscription on
the reverse, 1929-81 the other) . . . . . . .  MAco 1929-057
Auctions:. . . . . . J&J 25:262; CAL 30:243; PCA 57:1856,
PCA 80:453
Collection: American Numismatic Society. .  1940.100.193
Illustrated: The Numismatist 42:11 (November 1929) p 745

1929 Lewi (Maurice J.) Plaquette. . . . . . . . .  MAco 1929-078
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  CAL 28:425
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . 1930.999.68

1929 Hole-in-One Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1929-036
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  J&J 13:862

1929 Homans & Company 50th Anniversary Medal. . . . MAco 1929-002
Auctions:. . . . . . .  J&J 13:9, J&J 21:9; PCA 57:1656, PCA 70:1330
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . 0000.999.7582

1929 MacDonald (J. Ramsay) Medal. (one of first two medals by
Sinnock to carry the term”art medal” as inscription on
the reverse, 1929-57 the other) . . . . . . .  . . . . MAco 1929-081
Auctions:. . . . . J&J 21:1856; CAL 28:134, CAL 30:2020;
PCA 55:1654, PCA 57:1657
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . . 1930.94.1
Illustrated: The Numismatist 42:11 (November 1929) p 744

1929 Mendel (P. Gregor) Medal . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1929-048

1930 Boyd (James) Memorial Medal. . . . . . . . . . MAco 1930-007

1930 Crane Company 75th Anniversary Medal . . . .  MAco 1930-023
Auctions:. . . . . . . CAL 35:10; J&J 13:10, J&J 14:454,
J&J 19:355, J&J 19:387, J&J 21:1065, J&J 24:347,
J&J 26:395; PCA 57:1660
Collection: American Numismatic Society [>1] 1940.146.17
Collection: Princeton Library Vermeule (NC000) . . . 188
Exhibited: Utah Museum of Fine Arts (1991) . . . . . 188

1930 Janssen (Henry) Plaquette. . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1931-049
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 57:1658

1930 Pennsylvania Horticultural Society James Boyd
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1930-007
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 57:1659

1930 Woods (Edward A.) Company 50th Anniversary
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1930-051

1931 American Medical Assocition Frank Billings
Plaquette. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1931-039
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 57:1661

1931 Fahnestock & Company 50th Anniversary Medal. . MAco 1931-001
Auctions:. . . . . . . CAL 30:134; J&J 7:245, J&J 9:422,
J&J 13:48; PCA 66:1309, PCA 67:908, PCA 70:1331
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . 1940.100.45
Collection: Cornell Univ Johnson Art Gallery . . . . 355
Collection: Princeton Library Vermeule (NC000) . . . 196
Exhibited: Utah Museum of Fine Arts (1991) . . . . . 196

1931 Grant (Madison) Medallion. . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1931-068

1931 Malloy (Jack) Memorial Medal . . . . . . . .  MAco 1931-069

1931 New York Herald Tribune Yard and Garden Medal
[dates/issue: 1931-35] . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1931-013
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 50:1330

1931 New York State Historical Association
Medallion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1931-047
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 11:96, J&J 12:283
Collection: American Numismatic Society [>1] 1940.100.43

1932 Dickens Christmas Carol Medallion (obverse portrait
and reverse models by John R. Sinnock, after 19th
century drawings by John Leech; struck for
Philadelphia bookseller Charles Sessler by
Medallic Art Co) . . . . . . Harris MPR-32, MAco 1931-062-001
Auctions:. . . . . . J&J 10:101, J&J 18:430; PCA 69:1733,
PCA 80:1703
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1] .  1940.100.624

1932 Dickens Christmas Carol Uniface Medallion (similar
to rev of previous medal with modifications in lettering
and branches at side in model by John R. Sinnock,
after 19th century drawings by John Leech; struck
for Philadelphia bookseller Charles Sessler by
Medallic Art Co) . . . . . . Harris MPR-33, MAco 1931-062-002
PCA 80:1702

1932 Garbo (Greta) Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1932-022

1932 Hoover Company Silver Jubilee Medal. . . . .  MAco 1932-037
Auctions:. . . . . .  J&J 7:469, J&J 16:1008, J&J 25:10;
PCA 57:1662, PCA 74:2208
Illustrated: P4 {1983} TAMS Journal 23:1 (February) p 21
Illustrated: M40 The Numismatist (October 1984) . p 2071

1933 Chase National Bank Salmon P. Chase Medal.  MAco 1933-038-001
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 8:1618; PCA 57:1664
Illustrated: The Numismatist 53:8 (August 1940) p. . 581

1933 Chase National Bank Money Museum Medal . .  MAco 1933-038-002
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  J&J 24:610

1934 Hoover Cetnury of Progress Medal . . . . . . . MAco 1933-009

1934 Methodist Episcopal Church in America
Sesquicentennial Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1933-022
Auctions:. . . . . . .  J&J 16:2017, J&J 19:1118, J&J 25:1526;
CAL 28:665, CAL 30:2106; PCA 57:1663
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . . 1940.100.47
Illustrated: The Numismatist 47:6 (June 1934) page . 392

1935 Schurz (Carl) Memorial Foundation Medal (dates/issue:

1935-36) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1935-010
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  PCA 57:502, PCA 65:529

1936 Schenectady’s Half Century of Electrical Progress
Medal (obv portrait of Thomas Edison by Sinnock,
rev by Rene P. Chambellan). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1936-038
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. J&J 12:420

1936 McKenzie (Robert Tait) Medal [this uniface medal is
one of a pair, each artist – Sinnock & McKenzie –
did the other’s portrait in uniform size, ultimately
in 1966 Medallic Art Co issued these as two sides of
the same medal]. . . . . . . . . Freeman 334, MAco 1937-018
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . 1976.263.12

1937 Mount Vernon Seminary Alumnae Medal. . . . . . MAco 1937-005
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . PCA 57:1665-1666, PCA 61:1339,
PCA 81:566[silver]

1937 Somers (Elizabeth J.) Plaquette. . . . . . . . MAco 1937-007

1937 Voorhis (Warren R.) Medal. . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1937-040

1938 Gates (Russell C.) Medal . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1938-036
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  PCA 70:753

1938 Morgenthau (Henry) Secretary of Treasury Medal. MAco 1935-006

1938 Brown (Mark Anthony) Medallion . . . . . . .  MAco 1938-020
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . .  PCA 57:504, PCA 70:753

1939 Acacia 45th Anniersary Bronze Meritorious Medal
(reverse by Rene P. Chambellan). . . . . . . . MAco 1939-001

1939 Acacia 45th Anniversary Plaquette. . . . . . . MAco 1939-002

1939 Barnes (Earl B.) Medal . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1939-042
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  PCA 70:753

1939 Pennsylvania Society of Minature Painters
Medal of Honor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1939-012

1940 Trees (Clyde Curlee) Medal . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1940-028
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . .  PCA 57:504, PCA 70:753
Illustrated: Fortune Magazine 31:6 (June 1945) page 182

1946 Princeton University Bicentennial Medal. . . . MAco 1946-001
Auctions:. . . . . . CAL 29:355; J&J 12:284, J&J 19:430,
J&J 25:47, J&J 27:716; PCA 57:1667, PCA 65:1622,
PCA 66:1317, PCA 69:1748
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . .  1947.103.1

1949 Geological Society of America Penrose Medal. . MAco 1949-005

1959 Equitable Life Assurance Society Centennial Medal (obv
by Sinnock, rev by Gilroy Roberts). . . .  MAco 1958-043-001
Auctions:. . . . . CAL 32:1818; J&J 10:229, J&J 16:1591;
PCA 57:1668
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . .  1959.154.1

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ROBERTS, Gilroy  (1905-1992) sculptor, engraver, Chief Engraver,
Philadelphia Mint, 1948-1964; Chief Engraver Franklin Mint
1965-92, Chairman of the Board 1965-72.
Born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 11 March 1905.
Hired 3 June 1936 for engraving staff at U.S. Mint under John
R. Sinnock, on 6 January 1938 transfered to Bureau of Engraving
and Printing, to return to the U.S. Mint where he was appointed
Chief Engraver 22 July 1948. After serving in this capacity for
17 years he resigned 8 October 1964 at age 59.
His medallic output was in three distinct classes:

1. government work struck by U.S. Mint (1948-1964),
2. private issues mostly struck by Medallic Art Company (1950-1967),
3. private issues struck entirely by Franklin Mint (1965-1992).

Enticed to leave the U.S. Mint by Joseph Segal, founder
of the Franklin Mint, Roberts was named Chief Engraver
and Chairman of the Board of Franklin Mint. He headed an
engraving department for this private mint that was to grow
to over a two dozen full time staff members, and utilized the
freelance talents of more than 240 outside sculptors. Roberts
would often create the first medal of a new series (in 20
instances) and other sculptors would do the remainder of the
series.

He signed both coin and medal models with distinctive GR
monogram (but in 15 different styles, often with date).
His monogram on the Roosevelt dime was infrequently mis-
taken for a Russian hammer & scythe by the uninformed.
Three U.S. Mint artists–Roberts, Frank Gasparro, Adam
Pietz–(and sculptor Micael Lantz) were the first American
medalists to have exhibited in a F.I.D.E.M. exhibition (1951).
Roberts was a member of the jury (1974) of the National
Bicentennial Competition which chose the three coin designs
for the reverses of the U.S. quarter, half and dollar coins (won
by Jack L. Ahr, Seth G. Huntington, and Dennis R. Williams,
qq.v.). Other jury members were: Adlai S. Hardin, Robert
Weinman, all sculptors, Julius Lauth, of Medallic Art Company,
and Elvira Clain-Stefanelli, Smithsonian Institution numismatic
curator.

Member: National Sculpture Society.
Died Haverford, Pennsylvania, 26 January 1992.

His workshop was replicated after his death by the American
Numismatic Association in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Many
of this tools, models, drawings, and works of art were placed
on loan to the association.

M   E   D   A   L   S

1950 Einstein (Albert) Medal . . . . . . Flower 3, MAco 50-24
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  WMR 31:1
Exhibited: AF6 {1955} F.I.D.E.M. Stockholm (1955). .  56

1951 Schaefer Achievement Plaquette. . . . . . . . MAco 51-55

1952 Hektoen (Ludvig) Plaquette . . . . . . . . .  MAco 52-25

1953 Atoms For Peace Dwight D. Eisenhower Medal . . .
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . .  1976.264.6

1953 Southern Methodist University Press Club of Dallas
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 53-11
Auctions:. . .  J&J 11:1568-1469, J&J 13:422, J&J 18:853

1954 American Society of Tool Engineers Joseph A. Siegel
Memorial Medal [not the same Siegel founder of the
Franklin Mint] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 54-10
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 16:1360

1954 American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Joseph Augustin Le Prince Medal. . . . . . .  MAco 54-33

1954 Berlin (Irving) Congressional Medal. . . . . . . . .

1954 Metropolitan Life Insurance Company F.W. Eckers Medal
(obv by Roberts, rev by Ralph J. Menconi). . . MAco 53-8
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . CAL 35:2255-2257; J&J 16:1590

1954 Republican Party Centennial Medal. . . . . .  MAco 54-56
Auctions:. . . . .  CAL 28:535, CAL 33:1640, CAL 35:902,
CAL 35:984; J&J 16:1996, J&J 17:827, J&J 21:1571;
PCA 50:1082, PCA 63:1302, PCA 67:749, PCA 68:1384,
PCA 80:1232
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . 1976.264.14
Illustrated: Nat Sculpture Review 3:3 (Summer 1954) p 18
Illustrated: N41{2009} Reed. Lincoln, The Image, p 218

1955 Bigger (Issac Alexander) Medal . . . . . . .  MAco 55-44

1955 Diamond T. Motor Car Company 50th Anniversary
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 55-1

1955 Reynolds (Benjamin Smith) Medal. . . . . . .  MAco 55-58

1955 Rust Engineering Company 50th Anniv Medal. .  MAco 55-24
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  J&J 13:252

1956 Yeshiva University Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Medal [dates/issue: 1956- ]. . . . Flower 11, MAco 56-13
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 12:632; WMR 31:11
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . .  1983.144.2

1956 Lamar Life Insurance Company 50th Anniv Medal  MAco 56-5
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . .  J&J 10:227, J&J 13:411

1956 Sarnoff (David) 50th Anniversary Medal . . .  MAco 56-26
Auctions:. . . . . .  J&J 12:424; CAL 30:390; NAS 72:190

1956 Sarnoff (David) Engineering Medal. . . . . .  MAco 56-33
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 63:1916

1956 Schapiro (S.) & Sons 50th Anniversary Medal. . MAco 56-7
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  J&J 24:773

1956 Stonier (Harold) Medal . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 56-48

1957 Alco Products Incorporated Dedication Medal (also
called Army Package Power Reactor Medal) . .  MAco 57-26
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  J&J 13:804

1957 All-American Football Medal. . . . . . . . .  MAco 57-62
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 10:1847, J&J 13:879

1957 Newark College of Engineering Allan R. Cullimore
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 57-55-1
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 11:1520

1957 New Jersey Institute of Technologty Allan R. Cullimore
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 57-55-2
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 11:1510

1957 Fiske (J.W.) Architectural Metals Incorporated
100th Anniversary Medal. . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 57-18
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 18:241, J&J 21:36

1957 Norwich Mills 50th Anniversary Medal . . . .  MAco 57-70

1957 Ourisman (Benjamin) Memorial Medal . . . . .  MAco 57-64

1957 Protective Life Insurance Company William J.
Rushton Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 57-10
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  J&J 10:228

1957 Reilly (John D.) 50th Anniversary Medallion.  MAco 57-74
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  J&J 11:937
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . . 1957.39.1

1957 Sabine (Wallace Clement) Medal . . . . . . .  MAco 57-28

1957 Simplicity Pattern Company Service Medal . .  MAco 57-30
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 13:51

1958 Haag (Joseph Jr.) Plaquette. . . . . . . . .  MAco 58-66
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . .  J&J 11:938, J&J 18:469

1958 Rosenstiel (Lewis S.) Medal. . . . . . . . .  MAco 58-68
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  J&J 17:654

1958 Saint Joseph College Saint Louise De Marillac
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 58-28
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 11:1556

1959 Equitable Life Assurance Society 100th Anniversary
Medal (obv by John Sinnock, rev by Roberts).MAco 58-43-1
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CAL 32:1818

1959 Little (E.H.) Key Tag Medal. . . . . . . . .  MAco 59-48

1959 Melville (Ward) Gold Medal . . . . . . . . .  MAco 59-53
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 16:1016

1959 Sarnoff (Daivd) Electronics Medal (portrait by
Roberts; rev lettering by Ramon Gordils) . .  MAco 59-10
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  J&J 24:775

1959 Soper (Fred L.) Medal. . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 59-16

1960 Bach (Charles T.) Medal. . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 60-76

1960 Bigelow (Henry Bryant) Medal In Oceanography  MAco 60-75
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 69:1753

1960 Haverty Furniture Companies Diamond Jubilee
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 59-38
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 16:1019

1960 Jacobs (Carl N.) Medal . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 60-101

1960 Connecticut Society of Physical Medicine Frank
Hammond Krusen Medal (obv by Roberts, rev by
Paul Manship). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 59-86
Auctions:. . . . . . . . CAL 28:427; J&J 8:1524, J&J 16:1646

1960 West (Louis B.) President of American Numismatic
Society Medal. . . . . . . . . .  Johnson 45, MAco 60-71
Auctions:. . . . . . BMP 1:4391; CAL 35:844; J&J 10:999,
J&J 24:611, J&J 27:741; PCA 49:1306, PCA 55:1675,
PCA 67:927
Collection: American Numismatic Society [>1]  1960.131.1
Illustrated: Vermeule A15 {1971} Numismatic Art p. . 219

1961 Brandeis (Louis D.) Medal. . . . . . . . . .  MAco 61-57

1961 Denver and Ephrata Telephone and Telegraph
Company 50th Anniversary Medal . . . . . . .  MAco 61-58

1961 Tate (John Torrence) Award Medal . . . . . .  MAco 61-14

1962 Odlum (Floyd B.) Medal . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 62-53

1963 Broughton Memorial Medal . . . . . . . . . . MAco 63-112

1963 Fleming (John Adam) Plaquette. . . . . . . .  MAco 63-90
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 16:2044

1963 McLain (James A.) Plaquette. . . . . . . . .  MAco 63-50
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  J&J 10:234

1963 Howard College Memory Leake Robinson Medal .  MAco 63-78
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 10:236, J&J 16:1614

1963 Tri-State Milling Company 50th Anniv Medal . . MAco 63-6

1964 Contractors’ Association of America Carl V. Cesery
Memorial Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 64-148
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 11:24, J&J 18:243

1964 Louth (Willim Trees) Portrait Medal. . . . . MAco 64-152

1964 Melcher (Frederic G.) Book Award Medal . . .  MAco 64-32
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 16:1137

1964 Montana Territorial Centennial Medal . . . .  MAco 63-16
Auctions:. . . . .  CAL 32:1536, CAL 35:122l; J&J 9:552, J&J 18:217

1964 Howard College Frank Park Samford Medal (obv by
Roberts; rev by Ramon Gordils) . . . . . . .  MAco 64-66
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 11:1465, J&J 18:777

1964 Verazano Narrows Bridge Plaquette. . . . . .  MAco 64-86
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . .  1965.165.1 

1965 Republican Party Centennial Medal. . . . . .  MAco 54-56
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . .  J&J 16:1996, PCA 60:1178

1965 Seng (Francis A.) Achievement Award Medal. .  MAco 65-31

1965 Yeshiva University Albert Einstein College of Medicine
10th Anniversary Medal . . . . .  Flower 15, MAco 65-156
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WMR 31:20

1967 Krich-New Jersey Sarnoff Tribute Medal . . .  MAco 67-94

1967 Marshall-Wythe School of Law Medal . . . . . . MAco 67-7

1971 American Foundation for the Blind 50th Anniv Medal
(portrait by Roberts, rev hand cut die). . . . . . MAco 71-147

1973 Sarnoff (David) Technical Achievement Medal.  MAco 73-64

---

GASPARRO, Frank  (1909-2001) sculptor, engraver U.S. Mint
1942-81; joined Mint as junior engraver December 1942,
assistant Chief Engraver 1962, appointed Chief Engraver
23 February 1965, retired from the Mint 16 January 1981
for a remarkable 38 years Mint service.
Born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 26 August 1909.
Trained at Philadelphia Industrial Arts and Pennsylvania
Academy of Fine Arts, the later of which he served as a
Director of their Fellowship Board in his later years.
He taught at the Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial in
Philadelphia for over 47 years.

A most productive medallist, Gasparro prepared models for
a dozen medal series, both for the U.S. Mint and for private
firms.

Three U.S. Mint artists (Gasparro, Adam Pietz, Gilroy Roberts)
and sculptor Michael Lantz were the first American sculptor-
medalists to have exhibited in a F.I.D.E.M. exhibition (1951).

Signed models FG monogram.
Died Havertown, Pennsylvania, 29 September 2001.

M  E  D  A  L    S   E  R  I  E  S

Liberty National Shrines Medal Series:
(Obverse by Gasparro is Bartholdi’s Statue of Liberty and is
common to all four medals; first two reverses also by Gasparro,
Castle Clinton by Philip Fowler, Ellis Island by Edgar Zell
Steever. Large dies made and bronze medals struck by Medallic
Art Co; small dies made and silver medals struck by U.S. Mint,
Philadelphia, all from same patterns.)

1965 Federal Hall Medal . . . . . Gabriel G7-13, MAco 1965-024-001,
Turner 13, Dean D1965-1, Swoger 201-1
Auctions:. . . . .  CAL 29:321, CAL 32:1484; J&J 14:448,
J&J 21:1012, J&J 25:1167; PCA 43:1295, PCA 58:1747,
PCA 80:1561, PCA 80:1567[set/4], PCA 81:1805-1806
Collection: Princeton Library Vermeule (NC000) . . . 217
Exhibited: Utah Museum of Fine Arts (1991) . . . . . 217
Illustrated: M60 {2008}Dean, National Comm Medals, p 20
Illustrated: M62 {2008}Swoger, Nat Comm Medals, p 194

1965 Statue of Liberty and American Museum of
Immigration Medal. . . . . . Gabriel G7-14, MAco 1965-024-002,
Turner 14, Dean D1965-2, Swoger 201-II
Auctions:. . . . .  CAL 32:1484; J&J 9:525, J&J 16:1024;
PCA 58:1748, PCA 80:1562-1564, PCA 80:1567[set/4]
Illustrated: M60 {2008}Dean, National Comm Medals, p 21
Illustrated: M62 {2008}Swoger, Nat Comm Medals, p 195

1965 Castle Clinton Medal (obv by Gasparro; rev by
Philip Fowler) . . . . . . . . . .  Gabriel G7-15, MAco 1965-024-003,
Turner 15, Dean D1965-3, Swoger 201-III
Auctions:. . . . .  J&J 14:449, J&J 16:1023; PCA 58:1749,
PCA 80:1565-1566, PCA 80:1567[set/4]
Illustrated: M60 {2008}Dean, National Comm Medals, p 22
Illustrated: M62 {2008}Swoger, Nat Comm Medals, p 196

1965 Ellis Island Medal (obv by Gasparro; rev by
Edgar Zell Steever). . . . . Gabriel G7-16, MAco 1965-024-004,
Turner 20, Dean D1965-4, Swoger 201-IIII
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 19:433
Illustrated: M60 {2008}Dean, National Comm Medals, p 23
Illustrated: M62 {2008}Swoger, Nat Comm Medals, p 197
Auctions:. . . . . . . CAL 28:48[group/3], CAL 28:892[set/4],
CAL 32:1481[set/4], CAL 33:1234[group/3]; J&J 10:3[set/4],
J&J 11:37[set/4], J&J 11:39[group/3], J&J 15:380[set/4],
J&J 18:664[set/4], J&J 24:372[group/3]; PCA 58:1750[group/3]
PCA 80:1567[set/4]

Hall of Fame Series:

1971 Elias Howe Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1963-001-075
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . CAL 31:144, CAL 35:2150;
PCA 52:458[set/94], PCA 65:543[set/94]

M  E  D  A  L  S

1964 University of Iowa Hancher Medallion . . . .  . .. MAco 1964-107
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 11:1602, J&J 18:882

1967 Garden of the Patriots Medallion . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1967-025
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 18:212

1968 Marquette (Father Jacques) Medal (also called Michigan

1969 American Numismatic Association Philadelphia
Exhibit Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .,  MAco1969-041 

1971 Eisenhower (Dwight D.) Silver Dollar Medal (designed
by Gasparro; modeled by Rolf Beck) . . . . . . . MAco 1971-029
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . 1976.264.10

1976 Elizabeth II Visit to United States During Bicentennial
Year Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1976-094
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  PCA 44:262
Illustrated: P21 The Art Medalist 2:3 (June 1975) page 1

1976 Philadelphia City Bicentennial Medal (with port Benjamin
Franklin) . . . . MAco 1975-085, Greenslet GM-258
Auctions:. . .  BMP 2:5685; CAL 35:211; J&J 8:67-68;
PCA 42:925-927, PCA 57:1891, PCA 61:418,
PCA 71:1431
Illustrated: P21 The Art Medalist 1:3 (June 1975) page 4

1955 Fort Ticonderoga Bicentennial Medal. . . . .  MAco 1955-033
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  PCA 63:830
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . . 1956.58.1

---

JONES, Elizabeth  (born 1935) sculptor, medalist,
Chief Engraver, Philadelphia Mint, 1981-90 (only woman
to have held this position).
Married name: Mrs Ludvig Glaeser.
Born Montclair, New Jersey, 31 May 1935.
Studied School of Medallic Art, Zecca Mint, Rome.
The 1982 George Washington 250th Anniversary Half
Dollar – the first of the modern U.S. commemorative coins
– with obverse by Elizabeth Jones and reverse by Matthew

Peloso won the 1984 COTY, the Coin Of The Year award
(from Krause Publications), and two other of the organization’s
awards: Most Popular and Most Historical Significant. Her
1983 Los Angeles Olympic Discus Thrower Silver Dollar
won the 1985 COTY (plus Most Popular and Best Crown).
Her 1986 Statue of Liberty $5 Gold coin won the 1988
COTY – the only American artist whose coin designs have
won so many COTYs in four year’s time!

Signed models EJ initials.
Member: National Sculpture Society.
Member: American Medallic Sculpture Association.

M  E  D  A  L     S  E  R  I  E  S

Brookgreen Gardens Membership Medal Series:

1985 Sculptor at Work Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Collection: Brookgreen Gardens (SC). . . . .  N.1984.001

M   E   D   A   L   S

1973 Casals (Pablo) Medal . . . . . . . . . (18), MAco 73-223
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . CAL 35:794; J&J 8:642

1973 Wanderers No More Israel Medal (obv portrait heads of
Herzl, Weizmann, Meir, Ben-Gurion; also called Salute
To Israel Medal) . . . . . . . . . . .  (17), MAco 73-77
Auctions:. . . . .  J&J 17:209; PCA 68:1676, PCA 71:1422
Illustrated: P15 {1974} Modern Medals (1974-75) p . . 41
Illustrated: P21 The Art Medalist 2:2 (April 1976) p . 5

1973 Mozart (Wolfgang Amadeus) Medal. . . . . . . . . .  (16)
Exhibited: AM1 {1983} AMSA Exhibition ANS, ANA. . . p 34
Exhibited: AE8 {1981} NSS 48th Exhibition cat, illus 110
Illustrated: P8 Medallic Sculpture 5 (Fall 1989) page  2

1973 Spellman (Cardinal) Plaquette. . . . . . . . . . .  (19)

1974 University of Pennsylvania Lucy Wharton Drexel Medal

1975 Dante (Allegoria) Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . .  (21)

1975 Holy Year Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . .  (22), MAco 1974-190
Auctions:. . . . . J&J 10:1820, J&J 23:1355; CAL 31:188, CAL 35:2351
Illustrated: AF16 (1975) F.I.D.E.M. Catalog (unnumbered)
Illustrated: P21 The Art Medalist 1:1 (February 1975)p 3
Illustrated: P8 Medallic Sculpture 5 (Fall 1989) page  2

1976 Johns Hopkins University President’s Award Medal . .

1977 Washington Cathedral Canon Charles Martin Medal. . .

1978 Al-Maktoum (Sheik Rashid) Medal. . . . . . . . . .  (24)

1978 Pope John Paul II Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . .  (23)
Exhibited: AE8 {1981} NSS 48th Exhibition cat, illus 110

1979 Nobel Laureates Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  (25)

1981 Massada Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Illustrated: AF19 {1983} F.I.D.E.M. Catalog. . . .  1710

1986 Al-Tajir (Mohamed Mahdi) Medal . . . . . . . . . .  (30)

1988 International Council of Women Centennial Medal. .  (33)
Exhibited: AF22 {1990} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibit, Helsinki.
Exhibited: AM4 {1990} AMSA Newark Museum Exhibit . . p 4
Illustrated: P8 Medallic Sculpture 6 (Fall 1990) page 23

1988 Rockefeller (Nelson A.) Public Service Award Medal  (32)

1990 Sloane-Presbyterian Hospital For Women Medal . . . .
Exhibited: AM5 {1992} AMSA Cast Iron Gallery Show. .  40

1993 Clinton (William J.) Medal (unofficial inaugural medal,
struck by Medallic Art Co) . . . . . . . . . . MAco ?
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 71:1109
Collection: American Numismatic Society [>1] . 1993.69.4

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