Drawings of the designers of American coins...a poll.

coppercoins

Some of you are probably familiar with the drawings I have been doing for nine years of the designers of American coins. many of you probably do not know HOW I came up with the list of drawings I would do. It was here. More of the story:

Back in 2006 I was working on the idea of a new book on the Lincoln cent (my specialty) and wanted a good, detailed image of Brenner to use in the book. I found a good photograph of him but found it to be grainy and dark, so I drew the image onto an 11x14 sheet of paper. When I was done with the drawing, I posted an image of it here for all to see and critique.

One user here suggested that I make prints of the drawing and sell them. That sparked an idea that led to my running a poll here to see who were the most popular designers of American coins, so I could use the results of the poll to select and place in order the artists I would depict. This is why Augustus Saint-Gaudens was the second subject, and why James Barton Longacre was the third. The fourth subject - John Flanagan - was picked as a favor to Dave Bowers, who wanted my art in his Red Book series on the Washington quarter. Then the fifth, sixth, and seventh (James Earle Fraser, Adolph Weinman, and Hermon Atkins MacNeil) went back to the list I had gained from the poll.

My eighth drawing was rather unique in that I was not simply reproducing the likeness of someone, but creating it from a number of blurry or not face-on images. It was George T. Morgan, and is the first face-on portrait in sharp detail I know of.

The ninth and most recent drawing was a follow-through of the Morgan drawing - Anthony de Francisci, designer of the Peace dollar.

My tenth drawing will be another subject for which I will have to 'artistically create' much of the detail - Charles E. Barber.

All but the tenth drawing are visible at my art gallery website - cdaughtrey.com.

My question, and my point for posting here...

Once the Barber drawing is complete, I will have covered a little less than half of all of the possible subjects pertaining to artists who have created circulating United States coin designs (for which there ever were images). Should I continue?

If I should continue, how many should I do in total, and who should be on the remaining drawings in the series?

The poll up-top is to help you select some of the possible subjects I would consider drawing.

BG

Chuck, I picked other. Your work is very well respected. There are quite a few sculptors in the early classic commemorative series of coins worth considering.

Laura Gardin Fraser

Charles Keck

Robert Aitken, etc.

These are three of the top of my head who have designed more than one early classic commemorative coin.

TopographicOceans

Impressive. You have talent.

topstuf

I voted Gobrecht although it will probably be harder to draw his designs than it would J.R. Sinnock unless you selected the Franklin half instead of the Lincoln commem.

coppercoins

I thank you for your reply. I am not sure whether I should move into the designers of non-circulating coinage, because that opens the door to a whole host of designers and engravers, both living and deceased, many of whom are rather obscure. For instance, I knew of two of the three you mentioned, but not the third. I don't know whether it is correct to do so, but in the past I had only considered those who had made the money we have spent (as a nation, of course).

Of course there are limitations to the realistic possibility that I ever could "finish" a series - people like John Reich lived and died without a single likeness reproduced on paper or canvas. There are others who were 'contributors' but arguably never actually designed a coin - like Daniel Chester French. Then there are the living - Glenna Goodacre, Thomas Cleveland, John M. Mercanti, and any others who produce excellent art, but I would feel uncomfortable drawing for the same reason the United States does not portray living people on coins.

I suppose my point in this is to recreate the images of those who most contributed to our hobby through their art work in pieces that are recognizable to more than just collectors. Laura Gardin Fraser was an excellent sculptor deserving of utmost respect, but I doubt more than a handful of non-numismatists would know anything about her work...which in itself could be all the more reason to include her. Ugh...confused.

keets

you are in dangerous territory, once you cross the half-way point you sort of commit to doing all the designers. that would be a very marketable set, though I know that isn't what you set out to do.

lasvegasteddy

i voted other...ron landis

he is one who surely has the gift

coppercoins

<< <i>i voted other...ron landis

he is one who surely has the gift >>



Umm yes. I agree - However, he is not a United States coin designer at all.

jmski52

I remember one of your earlier postings, but I must say that your artwork is very appealing.

messydesk

I chose Bela Lyon Pratt, then I thought that what would be cool is a "lineage" of designers showing people who had worked with or studied under Saint-Gaudens. Laura Gardin Fraser would also be included, as she studied under her husband before she was married.

ricko

I would like to see Bella Pratt next.... I really like the gold indian design....Cheers, RickO

TwoSides2aCoin

Your work surrounds my walls at the shop. Cannot help you answer your questions, but my advice to any artist, author, or other is to do what inspires you. That's what inspires the rest of us, too. (Note: I didn't type "all" of us. Rather: "the rest" of us, who are inspired, that is. )

illini420

<< <i>I would like to see Bella Pratt next.... I really like the gold indian design... >>



I picked Pratt too

Regarding your other questions, if you keep going and do too many of them, you'll greatly reduce the number of potential customers who will try to collect them all and instead increase the number of folks who may just buy a couple of their favorites.

So far, you have 9 done, 6 portrait style and 3 landscape orientation. If you do another 3 landscape orientation, you'll have a dozen of them total, and 6 of each portrait/landscape. Not sure that is too important but I was just thinking if I were to try to collect them all how they might look on my walls all together.

lasvegasteddy

<< <i>Umm yes. I agree - However, he is not a United States coin designer at all. >>


he just never held "an official us mint position" was all

he gave effort in being a us coin designer though
even struck examples that were given to congress members for design approval

to me it would of been a revival or saving grace in design if they would of allowed him



to me this was a work of art to his credit that would of put his name right alongside the best of them and revived something in american numismatics
beauty and class


not trolling ya here or this thread
but he'll always be a us coin designer to me as he tried and produced pieces that went before congress for approval

this reminds me...i need to buy another one of these beauties

coppercoins

lasvegasteddy - I completely understand you, and I agree that Ron is a classic legend at what he does. It just doesn't fit the theme of the series, is all. I am doing drawings of the artists who shaped the coins we used (key word here 'used'). Ron Landis is a great engraver and artist - but none of his designs made it onto U.S. coins.

lasvegasteddy

no problem and yeah i fully understand
i just took..."However, he is not a United States coin designer at all."
a lil rough on him as he did...he made effort for official status

so the "at all" to me is something a lil unjust towards him

btw
sweet art skills there...your talent is very noteworthy
is it pure natural or did ya ever take some classes on it?

art classes are a blast
i'm the natural type myself but sat in a couple classes for the social part of it
i had to laff getting a b+ from that one knucklehead...i cherished

okiedude

Gobrecht FTW!

Davideo

Dan Carr