For many non-Mint-employee artists, creating the design for a US commemorative coin was a one-off commission. One, however, was called upon multiple times by different coin sponsors for use of her talents.
The artist/sculptor with the most commissions was
Laura Gardin Fraser - she was involved with the design of six US commemorative coins - five Silver Half Dollars, one Gold Dollar and one Gold Half Eagle ($5.00.). (Note: one of Fraser's designs was used on two different denominations.)
1. 1921 Alabama Statehood Centennial
2. 1922 Ulysses S. Grant Birth Centenary - Silver $0.50
3. 1922 Ulysses S. Grant Birth Centenary - Gold $1.00
4. 1925 Fort Vancouver Centennial (revised preliminary designs of Sidney Bell)
5. 1926-39 Oregon Trail Memorial (in association with her husband -
James Earle Fraser)
Though she was not commissioned for the project, her designs (originally submitted for the 1932 George Washington Bicentennial Quarter Dollar) were used on th 1999 Gold Half Eagle that marked the 200th Anniversary of the death of George Washington. (LGF died in August 1966.)
6. 1999 George Washington Death Bicentennial - Gold $5.00 (Half Eagle)
More recently (beginning in 2022), Fraser's "Bicentennial" portrait of George Washington has been used as the common Obverse design for the
American Women Quarter Dollars series. While I view these coins as "Thematic" vs. "Commemorative", I include them here to more fully present the impact of
Laura Gardin Fraser on
US coinage..
(Image Credit: US Mint, Media Image.)Note: The two varieties of the Alabama Statehood Centennial Half Dollar are not both included as separate designs by Fraser as the US Mint added the "2X2" to models created by Fraser to create the second variety. The same holds for the "Plain" vs. "Star" varieties of the Grant Centenary coins (Gold and Silver).For more of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, including stories about each of the coins discussed above, see:
Commems Collection. (Note: The "Design Discussions" link for each coin presents a linked-list of additional topic threads.)
Posted 01/27/2025 8:47 pm
