People at the U.S. Mint

Profile picture of 38th U.S. Mint Director Edmund Moy with his signature in gold ink.

38th U.S. Mint Director: Edmund C. Moy

In 2006, President George W. Bush appointed Edmund C. Moy as the 38 Director of the United States Mint. Moy was officially inducted to the position on September 5, 2006. As the Director of the U.S. Mint, Moy was responsible for the production and distribution of currency. He oversaw the manufacturing process and transferred the revenue made from selling collectible coins to the United States Treasury.

            During Moy’s five-year term, 2006 to 2011, many exciting coins were produced and released. These coins include the following: 20th Anniversary Silver & Gold Eagles, America the Beautiful Quarters program, Presidential Dollar program, and many more. The coins, medals, and programs created an increased interested in the hobby of modern coin collecting.

            Even after his term with the U.S. Mint, Moy did not forget about the world of numismatics. As a coin collector himself, Moy decided to write a reference book in 2013. The Numismatic Guarantee Corporation, also known as NGC, commissioned Moy to hand sign labels for their coins. The Moy Signature Label is highly sought after by numismatic coin collectors. Today, Moy continues a successful career as a businessman and even has his own website
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11th U.S. Chief Engraver: Elizabeth Jones talking into a microphone in front of a window; gesturing with her hands.

11th U.S. Chief Engraver: Elizabeth Jones

Elizabeth Jones was the 11th Chief Engraver of the United States Mint. She was the only woman to hold the prestigious position; she served from 1980 to 1990. During her time as Chief Engraver, Jones designed the American Silver Eagles, American Gold Eagles, 1983 Los Angeles Olympics Discus Thrower Silver Dollar, 1988-W Seoul Summer Olympics Gold Five Dollar, 1981 Ronald Reagan Presidential Medal, and many more. Jones signed labels for the the Numismatic Guarantee Corporation, also known as NGC. These signature labels are of high value to numismatic coin collectors. Jones was the last Chief Engraver to be appointed by the U.S. President and approved by Congress. 

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12th U.S. Chief Engraver: John Mercanti drawing an obverse nickel design on a computer tablet while turned around looking at the camera.

12th U.S. Chief Engraver: John Mercanti

John Mercanti is nothing less than a superstar in the coin world. Mercanti was born April 27, 1943 in Philadelphia and that is where his legend begins. Mercanti studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia College of Art and Fleisher Art Memorial School, where he gained experience in both sculpting and engraving. Shortly after graduating, Mercanti began his six year service with the Pennsylvania National Guard. From there, Mercanti advanced into his career at the United States Mint. It was in 1974 at the age of 31 that Mercanti was hired by the mint. His initial job was as an assistant sculptor and engraver and he worked under Frank Gasparro. Mercanti’s first major coin was a $10 commemorative gold coin for the 1984 Olympics. Mercanti is famously known for his work on the Silver Eagle as well as the Platinum Eagle. He was responsible for designing and engraving over 100 coins in his career at the U.S. Mint. It was not until May of 2006 that Mercanti was appointed to the title of Supervisor of Design and Master tooling Development Specialist, and then later in 2009 that he was appointed to Chief Engraver. This is quite the accomplishment as this position, appointed by the president,  had been previously abolished after Elizabeth Jones had retired 15 years earlier. Before his retirement from the mint in 2010, Mercanti had designed and engraved more coin designs than any other engraver in United States Mint History.

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Mint Sculptor Engraver: Charles Vickers with his signature to the right of him.

Mint Sculpt Engraver: Charles Vickers

Charles L. Vickers had a long and illustrious career in numismatic coins. After his service in the Army, Vickers attended the Art Students League, Frank Reilly School of Art, the Pratt Institute, and the School of Visual Arts. 

In 1976, Vickers took his skills and knowledge and moved to Philadelphia to join the private Franklin Mint. In 1985, he started his own studio where he became world renown for his commissioned works. Some of these include the official medal of the Ronald Reagan Library, the Four Pillars of Freedom set in the Reagan Library, the Pope John Paul II 25th Anniversary medal and the 2001 George W. Bush inaugural medal just to name a few. 

By 2003, Vickers  became so well known that he joined the engraving team at the U.S. Mint. He is credited with the following coin designs listed below.

In 2016, Vickers retired from the Mint after a 13 year tenure. During this time, he began signing coins for NGC. Unfortunately, Charles Vicker's health has been in decline. He has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and Dementia. As a result, Vickers is no longer capable of signing additional labels for NGC.. This makes any future coins that bare his name that much more special.