The United States Mint today announced that seven new artists have been selected to participate in the Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) as Associate Designers. The AIP began in 2003 to help enrich and invigorate the design of U.S. coins and medals.

A call for artists was issued August 28, 2009, seeking up to 10 associate designers to supplement the current pool of artists under contract in the AIP. Applications were accepted on a rolling basis with three deadlines. The United States Mint received more than 150 applications from professional visual artists nationwide.

After the first two deadlines of November 9, 2009, and March 8, 2010, an official panel convened at United States Mint headquarters to review the qualifying applications. The panel was composed of representatives from the National Endowment of the Arts, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian and National Gallery of Art, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

After its review and evaluation, the panel recommended four artists after the November 9 deadline and three after the March 8 deadline. The new associate designers are:

* Paul Cainto Balan of Round Lake Heights, Illinois
* Chris Costello of Arlington, Massachusetts
* Barbara Fox of Little Valley, New York
* Thomas Hipschen of Arlington, Virginia
* Frank Morris of Memphis, Tennessee
* David Westwood of Lakewood, California
* Gary Whitley of Kelso, Washington

The final deadline for the 2009-2010 call for artists was July 6. There are three remaining AIP associate designer positions to be filled by the panel.

In the past, AIP artists have submitted successful designs for the 50 State Quarters® Program, American Eagle Platinum Coin Program, Presidential $1 Coin Program, First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program, America the Beautiful QuartersTM Program and others.

The AIP was specifically designed to develop and train a pool of talented external artists ready to work with the United States Mint’s in-house staff of sculptor-engravers to create new coin and medal designs. United States Mint Sculptor-Engravers model the designs submitted by the AIP artists. (more…)

Coin features second new reverse design in six-year “Preamble Series”

The United States Mint today announced that it will begin sales of the one-ounce 2010 American Eagle Platinum Proof Coin at noon Eastern Time (ET) on August 12, 2010. The 2010 coin features the second reverse (tails side) design in the six-year “Preamble Series” program introduced in 2009. The program commemorates the core concepts of American democracy by featuring the six principles of the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution. The 2010 coin design is emblematic of the theme “To Establish Justice,” the second principle found in the Preamble.

The reverse designs of the coins in the series are inspired by narratives prepared by the Chief Justice of the United States at the request of the United States Mint. The other five design themes are: “To Form a More Perfect Union” (released in 2009); “To Insure Domestic Tranquility” (2011); “To Provide for the Common Defence” (2012); “To Promote the General Welfare” (2013); and “To Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and our Posterity” (2014).

Orders will be accepted at the United States Mint’s Online Catalog at http://www.usmint.gov/catalog or at the toll-free number 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing- and speech-impaired customers may order by calling 1-888-321-MINT. A shipping and handling fee of $4.95 will be added to all domestic orders. Orders will be limited to five coins per household for the first week of the product’s release. At the end of this week, the United States Mint will re-evaluate this limit and either extend, adjust or remove it.

The 2010 coin’s reverse was designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Master Designer Donna Weaver and sculpted by Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill. The design features a blindfolded justice-symbolizing impartiality-holding traditional scales and carrying a branch of laurel. Inscriptions are JUSTICE THE GUARDIAN OF LIBERTY (from the east pediment of the Supreme Court building), 1oz., $100, .9995 PLATINUM and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. A new design element, an American Eagle “privy mark,” is being included on each coin in the series. The privy mark is from an original “coin punch” identified at the United States Mint at Philadelphia. The coin’s obverse (heads side) was designed and sculpted by United States Mint Chief Engraver John Mercanti. The design features Lady Liberty, a symbol of vigilance and resolute faithfulness to duty.

The American Eagle Platinum Proof Coins are minted at the United States Mint at West Point and have the W mint mark. Mintage is limited to 10,000 units. The coin’s price will be based on the United States Mint’s pricing structure for numismatic products containing precious metals.

by Dr. Thomas F. Fitzgerald from the California Numismatist

Twice within a span of almost twenty-five years, all of the gold from the vaults of the 2nd San Francisco Mint, sometimes called the “Granite Lady,” was sent to the United States Mint in Denver, Colorado. Yet the story of these two operations could not have been more different. The first transfer was accomplished with so much secrecy that even the newspapers knew nothing of what was going on. But the second transfer was so well publicized that it included parades and search-lights calling attention to the shipments. This is the story of these two great shipments of gold.

The Very Secret Gold Transfer of 1908

In May 1897 newspaper editor and publisher Frank A. Leach accepted a political appointment by President McKinley to become the superintendent of the San Francisco Mint. He had wanted to divest himself of the newspaper business and this seemed like an ideal new career. Leach assumed his duties on August 1, 1897.

The Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fires

It was a typical dawn in the Bay Area. Without warning a shaking of the earth occurred. It was 5:12 a.m. Wednesday, April 18, 1906! The “Great San Francisco Earthquake,” as it became known, was followed within seconds by a violent shaking that ruptured numerous gas lines resulting in dozens of fires. At the same time it was discovered the city’s water mains had been damaged. San Francisco, surrounded on three sides by water, could not battle the flames with water.

Just two years after the famous 1906 earthquake left the San Francisco mint’s surroundings in shambles, concerns about the mint’s storage capacity and security prompted the move of 331 million dollars worth of bullion to the mint in Denver.

Frank Leach made his way from his home in Oakland to the mint and, together with 50 mint employees and a squad of 10 soldiers, prepared to fight the inferno and save the mint. However, at the beginning of the struggle, the outcome was very much in doubt. The battle lasted for hours but shortly before 5:00 p.m. the fires were out and the building was saved. The men were able to leave the mint, return to their homes and reunite with their families.

More importantly for our story, the mint’s basement vaults that contained millions of dollars of gold and silver coins were saved. (more…)