Felix Schlag Memorial in Owosso, MI

Boosibri · October 11, 2020 6:48AM

Felix Schlag, as many are aware, was the designer of the Jefferson Nickel design. Schlag was a German immigrant who settled in Owosso, Mi, a small town between Lansing and Flint.
My son has a baseball tournament in Owosso this weekend so I decided to look for the Schlag memorial which is in the old cemetery in town. Sharing the image for the Jefferson Nickel fans.

bidask · October 11, 2020 7:38AM

nice

Zoins · October 11, 2020 7:41AM

I'm glad we have our Michigan State Numismatic Friends to thank for this!

Nysoto · October 11, 2020 7:48AM

Coin designers/engravers are anonymous artists to most Americans who see their artistry every day. The memorial is a nice tribute and well deserved recognition for Felix Schlag.

coinsarefun · October 11, 2020 7:48AM

That’s very cool. I never knew he had a tribute headstone like that.

Zoins · October 11, 2020 8:05AM

@Nysoto said:
Coin designers/engravers are anonymous artists to most Americans who see their artistry every day. The memorial is a nice tribute and well deserved recognition for Felix Schlag.

I wonder how many people can name a designer of a coin they use.

Zoins · October 11, 2020 8:11AM

Steve Bieda (designer of the 1992 Olympic Half Dollar reverse) and Al Bobrofsky led the effort to create the gravestone marker. This was funded by the Jefferson Full Step Nickel Society coins minted by Ron Landis and Joe Rust of the Gallery Mint Museum.

Here's some info on this with an emphasis on 20 specially marked Gravestone Memorial coin sets. I've never seen one, even on serial number #07 doesn't have this notation. Has anyone ever seen a SEGS slab with the words Gravestone Memorial or a contribution certificate?

Special "Gravestone Memorial" Sets

Steven Bieda, co-chair of the Schlag Memorial Commission, legal counsel for MSNS and designer of the reverse of the 1992 Olympic Half Dollar announced the sale of twenty silver proof and uncirculated sets featuring the original design for the Jefferson Five Cent coin by Felix Schlag, designer of the 1938 Jefferson Nickel.

The special coins, struck by the Gallery Mint and originally commissioned by the Full Steps Nickel Club which has donated the specimens to the Gravestone Memorial efforts, feature the familiar profile of Thomas Jefferson but with the same lettering style submitted by Schlag in 1938. The reverse is the dramatic, but ultimately not utilized three-quarter view of Monticello.

The special nickels are being offered in two coin sets for $150.00 postpaid. The only twenty sets consisting of one proof and one uncirculated coin will be specially encapsulated by SEGS with the words "Gravestone Memorial." Purchasers of the sets will also receive a special certificate acknowledging their contribution to the memorial.

https://www.michigancoinclub.org/Articles19.html

bsshog40 · October 11, 2020 8:46AM

That's pretty cool! Thanks for sharing!

Cameonut · October 11, 2020 9:25AM

I first visited the gravesite in 2009 - I can recall the year because I was listening to the Tom Watson/Stewart Cink playoff for the US Open on the radio.

The markers look exactly like they did 11 years ago. Someone must be maintaining them to keep them looking so nice.

Look closer and you can see some nickels left by visitors on the front marker. I doubt mine is still there.....

johnny9434 · October 11, 2020 9:30AM

My, that was time well spent. Wtg

mannie gray · October 11, 2020 9:48AM

@Zoins said:

@Nysoto said:
Coin designers/engravers are anonymous artists to most Americans who see their artistry every day. The memorial is a nice tribute and well deserved recognition for Felix Schlag.

I wonder how many people can name a designer of a coin they use.

Non-numismatists......if you exclude the Lincoln Cent.....maybe 1 out of 100,000?

Zoins · October 11, 2020 9:59AM

@mannie gray said:

@Zoins said:

@Nysoto said:
Coin designers/engravers are anonymous artists to most Americans who see their artistry every day. The memorial is a nice tribute and well deserved recognition for Felix Schlag.

I wonder how many people can name a designer of a coin they use.

Non-numismatists......if you exclude the Lincoln Cent.....maybe 1 out of 100,000?

Do you think VDB has more name recognition?

KindaNewish · October 11, 2020 3:47PM

Rocco has this now

CoinRaritiesOnline · October 11, 2020 6:24PM

@Cameonut said:
I first visited the gravesite in 2009 - I can recall the year because I was listening to the Tom Watson/Stewart Cink playoff for the US Open on the radio.

That was the British Open.

mannie gray · October 11, 2020 10:40PM

@Zoins said:

@mannie gray said:

@Zoins said:

@Nysoto said:
Coin designers/engravers are anonymous artists to most Americans who see their artistry every day. The memorial is a nice tribute and well deserved recognition for Felix Schlag.

I wonder how many people can name a designer of a coin they use.

Non-numismatists......if you exclude the Lincoln Cent.....maybe 1 out of 100,000?

Do you think VDB has more name recognition?

Yes.

Zoins · October 11, 2020 10:45PM

@mannie gray said:

@Zoins said:

@mannie gray said:

@Zoins said:

@Nysoto said:
Coin designers/engravers are anonymous artists to most Americans who see their artistry every day. The memorial is a nice tribute and well deserved recognition for Felix Schlag.

I wonder how many people can name a designer of a coin they use.

Non-numismatists......if you exclude the Lincoln Cent.....maybe 1 out of 100,000?

Do you think VDB has more name recognition?

Yes.

I'd venture he'd have about the same as other designers for the general public.

How would a non-numismatist learn about Brenner and not the others?

rln_14 · October 12, 2020 2:50AM

Thanks for sharing, very cool memorial

ricko · October 12, 2020 5:32AM

Very nice Memorial... and I would bet the nickels there were left by coin collectors who appreciate the significance of the memorial. Cheers, RickO

mannie gray · October 12, 2020 11:51PM

@Zoins said:

@mannie gray said:

@Zoins said:

@mannie gray said:

@Zoins said:

@Nysoto said:
Coin designers/engravers are anonymous artists to most Americans who see their artistry every day. The memorial is a nice tribute and well deserved recognition for Felix Schlag.

I wonder how many people can name a designer of a coin they use.

Non-numismatists......if you exclude the Lincoln Cent.....maybe 1 out of 100,000?

Do you think VDB has more name recognition?

Yes.

I'd venture he'd have about the same as other designers for the general public.

How would a non-numismatist learn about Brenner and not the others?

You may be right, but I think a small number of people familiar with or having heard of the 09-S VDB might know of the man that the initials represent.

Zoins · October 13, 2020 1:16AM

@mannie gray said:

@Zoins said:

@mannie gray said:

@Zoins said:

@mannie gray said:

@Zoins said:

@Nysoto said:
Coin designers/engravers are anonymous artists to most Americans who see their artistry every day. The memorial is a nice tribute and well deserved recognition for Felix Schlag.

I wonder how many people can name a designer of a coin they use.

Non-numismatists......if you exclude the Lincoln Cent.....maybe 1 out of 100,000?

Do you think VDB has more name recognition?

Yes.

I'd venture he'd have about the same as other designers for the general public.

How would a non-numismatist learn about Brenner and not the others?

You may be right, but I think a small number of people familiar with or having heard of the 09-S VDB might know of the man that the initials represent.

I like your optimism

JBK · October 13, 2020 2:11AM

Interesting that the coin on the memorial does not include the denomination. Were they concerned about counterfeiting laws?

Felix Schlag Memorial in Owosso, MI

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