Masters of Coin Design: Jody Clark

Earning international acclaim for his notable coin designs, Jody Clark has left an undeniable mark on the world. Clark’s artwork is featured in many series that current collectors seek to obtain. Regarding modern minting, coin designer Jody Clark has earned his spot as a revered coin artist for his skillful renditions and rich details. Discover more about Jody Clark coins and his contribution to numismatics.

Who Is Jody Clark?

After graduating from the University of Central Lancashire, Jody Clark started his career in packaging design. After realizing he performed his best work when having a brief to work towards, he took his 3D art skills to currency illustration, joining The Royal Mint in 2012 as a coin designer. While at The Royal Mint, he worked directly with The Royal Mint Advisory Committee (RMAC) to craft new coin designs according to the briefs provided. Clark worked on designs for both circulating and commemorative coins. 

While he started working on coin designs in 2012, he gained fame in 2015 after being selected in an anonymous design competition to craft the official coin effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. Not only was this portrait featured on over two million minted UK coins, but this cemented Jody Clark as the youngest coin artist to create a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. When asked about this achievement, Clark said, “I couldn’t believe it. It’s definitely my proudest career achievement, it was a huge honor and it feels even more poignant now.”

The Legacy of The Royal Mint

With its very first minting in 880, The Royal Mint has been a long-established institution in European history. From the first coin featuring Alfred the Great, a tradition of showcasing leaders and monarchs has lived through the centuries. Over the years, The Royal Mint has expanded into multiple overseas branches. Taking their quality to the next level, The Royal Mint established the RMAC in 1922 to improve medallic art.

Today, Britain commissions more than 50 new coin designs every year. While artists such as Jody Clark can join The Royal Mint in official design positions, others are also welcome to work as freelancers by submitting one-off designs for individual briefs. The Royal Mint seeks to work with resident artists who maintain active online portfolios. No previous coin art experience is required.

History of the Commonwealth Mint

The Commonwealth Mint & Philatelic Bureau LTD is a private mint that produces and supplies both currency and commemorative coins in Britain. 

The Commonwealth Mint is a highly regarded coin-producing organization due to its quick turnaround times, competitive pricing, and experienced staff. This mint is known for its quality of work and has produced Jody Clark coins and other memorable designs, such as the 12-sided sovereign and the Monuments by Moonlight collection.

After concluding his work with The Royal Mint in 2020, coin designer Jody Clark officially joined the Commonwealth Mint as the head of design. He has also developed exclusive designs for Hattons of London, a partner of the Commonwealth Mint. Clark cites his recent design of King Charles III's effigy as his most notable design since working with the Commonwealth Mint.

Notable Coin Designs from Jody Clark

Today, several Jody Clark coins, sovereigns, and medals have been minted. While Clark has worked on many collections, his work is recognizable for his ability to embody prominent figures and national sentiments. Keep reading to take look through some of Clark’s most notable coin designs.

The Royal Dutch Mint Lion Dollar Proofs (2025)

In honor of the 450th anniversary of the Royal Dutch Mint’s Lion Dollar, Jody Clark remastered its historic designs on limited edition proof coins that see the iconic trade dollar issued as legal tender (Ascension Islands legal tender) for the first time since it circulated in the American colonies. Mr. Clark was given the exciting opportunity to strike a few gold coins at the official First Strike Ceremony, which will be available with an extra special NGC designation.

The Famous Fairmont Collection: A Historic Hoard of Classic Gold Coins

The Fairmont Collection is an astonishing hoard of U.S. vintage gold coins, hidden from the markets for 75 to 125 years before its unveiling. What makes this collection so significant is that these coins managed to escape the Gold Recall of 1933, a time when gold was melted into bars and possession of monetary gold by U.S. civilians was criminalized by the U.S. government. Coins with the Fairmont Collection pedigree are not just sought-after, they offer a unique opportunity for collectors to acquire major pieces of American coinage history. The release of the Fairmont Collection sparked a renewed interest in vintage gold coins, and the chance to add these extraordinary coins to your collection is truly exciting.

The Discovery of the Fairmont Collection

The Fairmont Collection is a hoard of pre-1933 vintage gold coins that were not publicly available until May 2018, when Stack’s Bowers Gallery began an ongoing series of auctions. Today, coins from the Fairmont Collection can be conveniently purchased through GovMint, allowing more collectors than ever the chance to own a piece of this fascinating hoard. The initial release of the collection through the series of auctions followed a thorough grading process by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), an organization dedicated to assessing and certifying the quality and authenticity of coins. PCGS uses a rigorous grading system that considers factors such as wear, luster, and strike to determine the condition of each coin. Coins within the hoard certified by PCGS received a “Fairmont Collection Pedigree,” a testament to their exciting origins and place within the impressive hoard of coins.

Coins in the Fairmont Collection

The Fairmont Collection itself is not a traditional collection, as in a curated, purpose-built collection, but rather a hoard of pre-1933 vintage gold coins that were discovered together. It is estimated that in excess of 380,000 American gold coins comprise the Fairmont Collection. Types of coins in the collection include Eagles, Half-Eagles, Double-Eagles, and Indian Heads. These coins represent a wide range of American history, from the early days of the republic to the early 20th century. Some of the collection’s oldest coins were struck in 1834, with the newest being struck in 1932, with a wide range of years of issue in between.

The coins in the collection were originally produced at various U.S. Mint facilities, including the no longer operational New Orleans, Carson City, and Dahlonega branches of the U.S. Mint and the still operational San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Denver branches.

Some coins in the Fairmont Collection may be considered scarce depending upon a variety of factors. The Gold Recall of 1933, which resulted in millions of gold coins being melted down into gold bars, has made surviving gold coins from before 1933 hard to find in some cases. The historical significance of these coins adds to their uniqueness, and finding a pre-1933 vintage gold coin in excellent condition can be even more difficult. Collectors are advised to consider mintage, date, and mint mark combinations, and conditions when considering the numismatic appeal or potential scarcity of coins in the Fairmont Collection.

When the Fairmont Collection Coins Were Minted

Coins from the Fairmont Collection witnessed many important chapters of American history. Some of the oldest would have seen the final years of the Civil War, the height of the American Western frontier, and the start of the 20th century. This period also covers the devastating World War I, a decade of Peace and excitement (1920s), and the Great Depression. During this time, Henry Ford introduced the Model T, the FBI was established, and Jeannette Rankin became the first woman elected to Congress.

What makes the Fairmont Coins Special in the marketplace?

The Fairmont Collection stands as a dazzling testament to the art of coin collecting, offering vintage American coins that are as rich in history as they are in numismatic appeal. What makes coins within the Fairmont Collection exceptional is that they tell the story of a bygone era. Collectors are drawn to the collection’s stunning range of early American gold coins, many were preserved in spectacular condition despite their age. Plus, while collector interest may be high, there is a limited supply of coins with the Fairmont Collection pedigree. Collectors flock to coins with the Fairmont pedigree as vintage American treasures that elevate any collection to which they belong.

The Brutal History of the Eid Mar Coin

Bloody and controversial historical events typically live in infamy rather than open celebration. Such is not the case with the Eid Mar coin, otherwise known as the Ides of March coin. 

Rather than shy away from his actions following the infamous stabbing and killing of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE, Brutus, one of the two core conspirators in the assassination, forever memorialized the event by crafting this Caesar coin. The intent behind the Ides of March coin was to commemorate what Brutus envisioned as a victory for the Roman Republic, a day he freed the people from tyranny.

A Shocking Coin Design For The Ages

One side of the coin, and a reason for its nickname as the Brutus coin, shows Marcus Brutus in profile with the phrase “BRVT IMP L PLAET CEST.” The first part of the phrase is an abbreviation of Brutus Imperator, while the second half stands for Lucius Plaetorius Cestianus, the moneyer who minted the coin. 

In Roman times, it was not common and was even seen as improper to feature the profile of a living person on coinage, although sometimes gods were depicted in the likeness of various rulers. Julius Ceasar notably was the first living person to portray himself on Roman coins, which only added to his reputation as a tyrant. The Brutus EID MAR coin notably features Brutus in profile, imitating the very man whom he helped overthrow. Historians speculate Brutus made this calculated move as a way to jockey for more political power.

On the obverse side of the coin, an image of a hat with a dagger on either side is present alongside the phrase “EID MAR.” The cap represents Caesar, while the two daggers represent the primary assassins and conspirators Brutus and Cassius Longinus.

Eid Mar: A Warning and Celebration 

Beneath the dagger design is the notorious phrase “Eid Mar.” This phrase is an abbreviation of the full phrase “Eidibus Martiis,” or the Ides of March. The term forever memorializes March 15th, the day of the assassination.

Everything To Know About the Number One Ancient Coin

As mentioned above, the Brutus Eid Mar Coin earned the number one spot in Harlan J. Berk’s 100 Greatest Ancient Coins. Learn more about the history of this infamous coin below.

A Coin By Many Names

While the Eid Mar coin is the most popular name, this coin goes by many different nicknames as well. More colloquially, this coin is called the Ides of March coin. Meanwhile, due to Brutus’ role in creating the coin and the prominent appearance of his profile, it is also sometimes referred to as the Brutus coin or the Brutus Eid Mar coin. Of course, because of the assassination represented, the term Caesar coin has also stuck around.

When Was the Brutus Coin Made?

The Brutus Eid Mar coin was first minted in 42 BCE.

How Many Eid Mar Coins Are There?

Due to its ancient age, it is hard to know exactly how many coins were minted, but it is estimated that around 100 Caesar coins still exist today in silver, while only three specimens in gold have been verified.

Where Are the Brutus Eid Mar Coins?

A few years after the defeat and deaths of Cassius and Brutus, the new leaders, Octavian and Anthony, issued a recall on the Ides of March coin, making it uncommon and difficult to find today. Due to the recall and high desirability, many Eid Mar coins are currently part of highly prized numismatic collections at organizations such as the British Museum and the Central Bank of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The Eid Mar Coin: A Rare Fortune Up for Auction 

Since there are only around one hundred known Silver Eid Mar coins in present society, they hold high appeal among collectors, though the exact price they sell for can fluctuate based on the quality and wear of the coin. According to the New York Times, the Silver Eid Mar Denarius can sell for anywhere from 200,000 to $400,000, although some recent examples in impressive condition have exceeded this range. In May of 2023, a certified silver Eid Mar coin sold for $720,000, which was a new record for the silver version of the coin. Meanwhile, another silver coin went up for auction in August 2023 and sold for 240,000. 

The gold versions of the coin, with only three known coins in existence, can be worth even more. In 2020, a gold Eid Mar coin sold for $4.2 million at auction. However, it was later returned to Greece after investigators discovered it was a product of looting, making the sale fraudulent.

Fast Facts About Fort Knox

What is Fort Knox Used For?

Fort Knox is a highly secure United States Bullion Depository that stores a significant portion of the country's gold reserves. This famous facility is considered by many to be one one of the most secure places in the world. Besides safeguarding gold, Fort Knox also serves as a military base. Historically, For Knox has also been used to protect important documents and artifacts during times of war.

Does Fort Knox Still Have Gold?

Yes, Fort Knox still houses a significant amount of gold. The famously secure facility is home to approximately 147.3 million troy ounces of gold, about half of the U.S Treasury’s stored gold, making Fort Knox one of the largest gold repositories in the world.

Has Fort Knox Ever Been Audited?

Fort Knox has undergone limited audits over history, the last notable being in 1953 and September 1974. The 1953 review was a partial inspection shortly after President Eisenhower took office. In 1974, under the direction of Mint Director Mary Brooks and Treasury Secretary William Simon, a Congressional delegation and press members were invited to view the gold reserves as part of a government transparency initiative. 

This move marked a rare departure from the strict no-visitor policy, followed by an official audit conducted by the U.S. General Accounting Office and the Department of the Treasury.  In 2017, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Kentucky Governor Matt