American Coin Designer John Mercanti Collaborates with the Paris Mint for the First Time: 
2024 Liberty and Sower Proofs

It's not every day that a historic collaboration between the renowned Paris Mint and its Chief Engraver, Joaquin Jimenez, with American numismatic legend John Mercanti, rolls off the presses.. Yet that's precisely what happened in 2024.  

A Historic, First-Ever Collaboration!

The collaboration between Mercanti, the Paris Mint, and its chief Engraver, Joaquin Jimenez, is the first time that the Paris Mint has ever collaborated with a former U.S. Mint designer. Mercanti designed the reverse "Sower" side and Jimenez designed the obverse "Liberty" side to commemorate each nation's national symbol of Liberty on a series of limited-edition Gold and Silver High Relief Proofs.

The Famous French Sower Design: The Inspiration for Walking Liberty

You may not know who Louis Oscar Roty is, but you're likely to recognize the most famous design created by this talented French medalist. Roty was the designer behind La Semeuse—The Sower, a design used in France on several coins from 1897 to 1920. Some experts say Roty's design is similar to—or was even an inspiration for—the Walking Liberty Half Dollar designed by Adolph A. Weinman in 1916. Though Roty passed away in 1911, his designs survived the test of time, and France continued to strike his iconic design well into the 20th Century.

Over 250 Years of Friendship

The bonds of friendship between the U.S. and France date back to the American Revolution. France's crucial support during the American Revolutionary War and the gifting of the Statue of Liberty symbolize the enduring friendship and strong historical ties between the two nations.

2024 Liberty and Sower Design: A Poignant Collaboration

Now, almost 250 years later, the most famous designers of each country have joined forces to produce a stunning series of coins that pay tribute to the allegorical figures of each nation.

Mercanti’s design shows the Sower sprinkling the seeds of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity while the French flag flies in the background. The designs were struck in High Relief, allowing the exquisite detail to stand out.

Meanwhile Jimenez’s design depicts Miss Liberty as a supple young woman holding the American Flag behind her, just as an athlete would after winning an Olympic event. Her tight-fitting garment accentuates her female form and a Bald Eagle soars above her head.

The Renowned Paris Mint

Founded in AD 864, the Paris Mint, also known as the Monnaie de Paris, is the world's oldest continuously running minting institution. It has received numerous nominations for its beautiful and innovative coins, including many dedicated to France's role in securing America's victory against the British monarchy.

John Mercanti: A Numismatic Legend

When John M. Mercanti retired as the 12th Chief Engraver of the United States Mint, he had accomplished one of the most storied careers in the Mint's history. He had served as an engraver/sculptor for 37 years. The only engravers to serve longer were George T. Morgan at 48 years, William Barber at 47 years, and Frank Gasparro at 39 years. Mercanti also designed, sculpted, or engraved more than 100 coin and medal designs, more than any other designer in the U.S. Mint's storied history. Mercanti's U.S. Mint career began in 1974 in the pre-digital age when everything was done by hand and finished in 2010 when most of the design work at The Mint was done with the aid of digital technology. Mercanti's most notable design is the "Heraldic Eagle" reverse for the American Silver Eagle series, which was struck from 1986 until it was replaced with a new design in 2021—a glorious run of 35 years!

Mercanti's Prestigious History of International Coin Collaboration

Following his retirement, Mercanti became the first former U.S. Mint Chief Engraver to collaborate with a foreign mint in the design of a coin series when he joined forces with The Perth Mint in 2014 to design the central figure in what has turned out to be the incredibly popular Australian Wedge-Tailed Eagle series. The program features new reverse designs of Australia's largest bird of prey each year. Then, in 2023, The Royal Mint partnered with Mercanti to bring a vision of enduring friendship between Great Britain and the United States to life with The Lion and The Eagle design, marking the first-ever collaboration between The Royal Mint and a former U.S. Mint Chief Engraver.

Now, Mercanti has lent his artistic talents to the prestigious Monnaie de Paris—the Paris Mint—for its new release dedicated to the Lady Liberty of France, the Sower.

A History of Vintage Gold Types in the United States!

Twenty Dollar Saint Gaudens

1907-1933

The Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, $20 dollar gold piece is considered the most beautiful coin ever minted by the United States. After having seen and appreciated the coinage of Alexander the Great, President Theodore Roosevelt set out to have U.S. coins redesigned. In 1904, he sent a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury saying that U.S. coinage was “artistically of atrocious hideousness.” Later in that same year, President Roosevelt commissioned the sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens to redesign the U.S. coinage. Saint-Gaudens set about creating a coin that was worthy of the beautiful Greek coins of the past.

Twenty Dollar Liberty

1849-1907

With all the gold coming out of the newly discovered mines in the far west in the mid-1800s it was only natural that the U.S. would begin producing larger gold coins. Thus in 1849 production of the new large twenty dollar gold Liberties, design by James B. Longacre, began. One of these coins would pay a months wages for the new cowboys, or maybe buy weapons for use in the Civil War. These are the coins that opened up the west to a new nation

Ten Dollar Liberty 

1838-1907

Coronet type or Liberty $10 gold designed by Christian Gobrecht was first struck in 1838. Mintage on the previous $10 Classic Head gold coin stopped in 1804. The reason for this lapse in production of the $10 gold had to do with the fact that one could melt down these coins and get more for the gold content than the face value of the coin. So in 1838, with the introduction of the Coronet type, the weight and diameter were reduced. Foreign nations did not want to trade in U.S. paper money, so large quantities of these half ounce gold coins were held by foreign banks. Then, in 1933, after the Emergency Bank Relief Act it became illegal for private ownership of gold coins. Private citizens of the U.S. were to turn in any gold coins, these were then melted. Nearly all uncirculated examples of this $10 gold series have come from foreign bank hoards. 

Ten Dollar Indian

1907-1933 

The $10 gold Indian is one of only two coins designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens before his death. Augustus Saint-Gaudens was considered to be one of the great modern sculptors. His statues are the centerpieces of many American cities. This coin was minted at the Philadelphia, San Francisco and Denver mints. 

President Teddy Roosevelt realized that these coins might be used for gambling and other vices; because of this he did not put the motto IN GOD WE TRUST on the original Variety I coins minted in both 1907 and 1908. Halfway through 1908 Congress mandated that the motto be placed on the coin and it was included through the end of production in 1933.

Five Dollar Liberty

1840-1908

The Coronet or Liberty type $5 gold, as it is commonly called, is one of our more interesting series of coins. Produced at the Philadelphia, San Francisco, New Orleans, Denver, Carson City, Charlotte and Dahlonega mints, this series is known for its many varieties and for the fact that the coins were produced at all of the U.S. mints and branch mints of that era. This coin was highly used by the public because of its $5 denomination. In the early dates this coin represented a weeks wages for the working population. Midway through 1908 the $5 Coronet type was replaced with the newly designed incuse Indian Head $5 gold.

Five Dollar Indian

1908-1929 

Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who designed the $20 Saint and the $10 Eagle died before he could finish the design for the new $5 Half Eagle. The task was then given to Bela Lyon Pratt, who chose an image of an Indian of true heritage. On previous coins Indians had always been depicted of Caucasian descent wearing a head-dress. The coins were minted at the Philadelphia, San Francisco, New Orleans and Denver mints. The concept for the Half Eagle followed the incuse relief used by ancient Egyptians. This incuse relief is where the design is recessed into the surface of the coin. This incuse relief came about due to the requests from the banking community as these flat coins would be easier to stack.

1933-1934 Vatican City Jubilee Gold Coins from a Spectacular Hoard of European Coins

Dual-dated 1933/1934 Vatican City Jubilee gold coins are among the most pivotal Christian coins issued in the 20th century. Today we’ll be discussing specimens that originate from a spectacular hoard of over 1,000 European gold coins, known as the Chamberlain Gold Reserve. 

The Center of Catholicism: Vatican City

The Vatican City State is a sovereign country located in Rome, Italy. It was established as an independent state in 1929 through the Lateran Treaty that was signed by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and the Pope Pius XI that year.  To lay the groundwork for this new independence, the Pope approved the Vatican’s first gold coins series the same year. It was denominated as 100 Lire and featured the Pope’s image on the obverse and a handsome, full-body depiction of Jesus on the reverse.

Vatican City is only about 121 acres and, as of 2023, had a population of around 764, making it the smallest state in the world according to both population and area. It is governed by the Holy See and is considered a sacerdotal-monarchical state ruled by the Pope, who is the bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Jubilee and the Pilgrimage to Vatican City

In the Catholic faith, a Jubilee is a special year where sins and debts may be forgiven and universal pardons, also known as plenary indulgences, are granted. This tradition dates to 1300 when Pope Boniface VIII declared a holy year, with Jubilees observed every 25 or 50 years after that.

In the 20th century, Jubilees were observed in 1925 and 1933, marking the 1900th anniversary of the traditional year of Jesus’s death and resurrections), 1950, 1966, 1975, 1983, and 2000.

The next Jubilee will be held in 2025.  

Catholic Jubilee Gold Coin Series / Dual Date 1933-1934 100 Lire Pope Pius XI

The first iteration of this series was issued under Pope Pius from 1929 to 1935, and it paid homage to the Christian Jubilee celebrations. Certain specimens were dual-dated 1933/1934 to not only celebrate the ongoing jubilee, but to also mark the 1900th anniversary of Jesus’ death and resurrection according to the Catholic faith.

Intricate Christian Designs by a Famed Italian Sculptor

The obverse and reverse were designed by famed Italian designer and sculptor Aurelio Mistruzzi, who was well-known for his bronzes and medals.

The obverse features a regal depiction of Pope Pius XI with the Latin inscriptions PIVS XI (Pius XI) PONT MAX (Pontificus Maximus) ANNO IVB (Latin reference to “Jubilee Year”).

On the reverse, you’ll find a poignant image of Jesus Christ holding a scepter in one hand and a globus crucifier in the other. A small child kneels at his feet, grasping a crown. The date, denomination, and inscription STATO DELLA CITTA’ DEL VATICANO (Vatican City State) appear along the rim.  

Tumultuous Year in World History

The Vatican’s Jubilee gold coin series was struck from 1929 to 1935, a pivotal and particularly chaotic part of world history. These coins were issued during the Great Stock Market crash of 1929, the subsequent Great Depression, and the attempted assassination of Italy’s Crown Prince in 1929. This was also the period when the Nazi party and Adolph Hitler rose to power in 1933 and fascist dictator Benito Mussolini further secured his grip on Italy.

The Chamberlain Gold Reserve: A Spectacular Hoard of Over 1,000+ European Gold Coins

The Jubilee gold coins we’re highlighting here today originated from a large hoard of European gold coins stored in a vault in Western Europe that included specimens from Italy, France, Great Britain, South Africa, Vatican City, Austria, and Bulgaria, known as the Chamberlain Gold Reserve.

Chamberlain Pedigree and Dazzling 99.9% Fine Gold Certification Labels

Coins from this hoard are available certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC). Due to the size and importance of this impressive hoard, a special pedigree was given to it – the Chamberlain Gold Reserve. The term Chamberlain refers to the treasurer of a government or corporation or the officer who managed aristocratic households. This pedigree is available proudly displayed within the NGC capsule on a special label made from 1 gram of 99.9%  fine pure gold – a nod to the fact that the hoard was made up of gold coinage.

Thanks to their bold Christian designs, the novelty of being some of the first legal tender coins ever issued by Vatican City, and the chaotic time they were issued, these Jubilee gold coins are some of the most pivotal Christian coinage of the 20th century.

10 Fast Facts About the Fort Knox Bullion Depository

The United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky, stores precious metal bullion reserves for the United States. It’s closed to the public, so you won’t be able to take a tour anytime soon—but here are 10 Fast Facts about the building many consider to be one of the most secure in the world:

 1) The first gold arrived at Fort Knox in 1937, courtesy of the U.S. Postal Service (and a number of police guards).

 2) Gold at Fort Knox is stored as bullion bars, each measuring 7 x 3.625 x 1.75 inches and weighing about 27.5 pounds. 

3) Currently, about half of the Treasury’s stored gold is kept at Fort Knox. This totals 147.3 million ounces—which would be worth more than $274 billion on the open market!

 4) However, as an asset of the U.S., Fort Knox gold has a “book value” of $42.22 per ounce—a value set in February 12, 1973—putting the total official value at a little over $6.2 billion. 

5) Though Fort Knox currently holds 147.3 million ounces of gold, at the end of 1941 the facility held as much as 649.6 million ounces. 

6) Gold isn’t the only thing you’d find in Fort Knox. The facility is also used to hold valuables from other federal agencies. 

7) The Fort Knox depository building is made of concrete-lined granite, reinforced by steel. The door into the vault is made of steel and concrete, and weighs more than 20 tons. Additional 10 Fast Facts About the Fort Knox Bullion Depository security is provided by minefields, barbed wire, electric fences, armed guards plus unmarked Apache helicopter gunships.

8) The actual structure of the facility is a closely kept secret, with only a few knowing the full layout and contents. No single person knows every procedure required to open the vault.

9) If you ever want to see inside, you’re in for a long wait. The vaults have only been opened to journalists twice—once in 1974, and once in 2017.

10) Prior to these visits, the only person authorized to enter the vaults (other than authorized personnel) was President Franklin D. Roosevelt!