Post Your Coins And Medals With A Design By John Mercanti

John Mercanti's involvement with the Perth Mint of Australia ince 2014 is well-known via his ongoing design work on Australia's precious metal Wedge-Tailed Eagle coin series. He has also been engaged with the Royal Canadian Mint, working on a 2019 collaborative medal project with Susan Taylor, the former Royal Canadian Mint Senior Engraver.

The obverse of the medal, the side that depicts a left-facing portrait of Lady Peace was designed by Ms. Taylor. The allegorical figure presents a young woman portraying "quiet strength and radiant hope." (Per Mint web site description.) Peace is depicted wearing a crown comprised of olive branches (an international symbol of peace) and maple leaves (symbolic of Canada). The inscription "A Mari Usque Ad Mare" (translates from Latin to English as "From Sea to Sea") is Canada's official motto; "Pax" translates as "Peace."

John Mercanti, the former US Mint Chief Engraver, designed the medal's reverse. It presents a forward-striding figure of Liberty (somewhat reminiscent of the US' St. Gaudens gold Double Eagle coins). In her upraised left hand is held the torch of freedom, with laurel branches wrapped about it. In her right hand is seen a sword with which she is warding off a pair of snakes meant to represent evil and oppression. The inscription "E Pluribus Unum" translates to English as "Out of Many, One" and "Libertas" translates to "Liberty."

Mercanti's "JM" initials are seen directly below the figure of Liberty.

The "Peace" side of the medal was clearly struck in ultra-high relief. To my eyes, the reverse "Liberty" side was struck in standard relief. Both sides feature a reverse-proof finish.

I purchased the one-ounce 0.9999 fine silver version for my collection; 10-ounce and kilogram silver versions were also produced. A one-ounce 0.99999 fine gold verion was also struck.

Susan Taylor's "Peace" design has been reissued on a Canadian silver dollar and a gold $200 coin (so far, in 2020 and 2021); the Mint might be starting two new coin series.


2019 Canada Peace & Liberty Medal

It's been a few months since I last posted a Mercanti coin, but I'm back with another - the 1996 High Jump silver dollar for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

The coin is another example of Mercanti serving as the sculptor/modeler for a design created by another artist vs. being the originator of the design. The obverse of the High Jump silver dollar was created by Calvin Massey, an independent professional artist; Mercanti modeled Massey's designs and thus enabled the coin's dies to be created. Mercanti's "JM" initials are seen at the rim at approximately the 4:30 clock position; they follow the "CM" of Massey.

The Massey-Mercanti design features a female high jumper in mid-jump - shown at the moment she is clearing the bar. She is jumping with her back to the bar (i.e., the "back-first technique), a style developed and popularized by Dick Fosbury - it became famous internationally after he used it to win the Gold Medal at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.

Fosbury began developing the new jumping style while still in High School in 1963/64. It went on to become known as the "Fosbury Flop." Far from being a "flop," it proved to be a very effective high jump technique and has been adopted by essentially all high jumpers around the world. At the Games in Mexico City, Fosbury used the technique to establish an Olympic record with a jump of 7' 4-1/4". (Just FYI, the current World record (men's) for the high jump was set by Javier Sotomayor in 1993; he completed a jump of 8' 1/4" (2.45 meters).

1996 Atlanta Olympics High Jump Silver Dollar



For a discussion of the coin's reverse, see:

- 1996 High Jump Silver Dollar - Post Your Coins with Stars Thread

The 1996 Flag Bearer Gold Half Eagle of the 1995-1996 US Atlanta Olympics coin program is another coin for which John Mercanti served as the modeler for a design from an outside, freelance artist.

The Flag Bearer Half Eagle's obverse design was the work of freelance artist Patricia L. Verani The design presents the flag bearer of the US Olympic team leading the US team into Olympic Stadium as part of the Games' Opening Ceremony. Also seen, to the right of the flag bearer, are the Olympic Rings surmounted by "USA" to further signal the US Olympic Team connection. The initials of Verani and Mercanti are found on the lower torso of the athlete directly behind the flag bearer.

A flag bearer is the Olympic Team member who is selected to carry the national flag of his/her team and lead the parade of his/her country's athletes during the Opening and Closing ceremonies. The Flag Bearer has officially been part of the Olympic Games since 1908 via the Summer Games held in London that year. The first US Olympian to hold the honor of being the US flag bearer was track and field athlete Ralph Ross.

The coin's reverse design - shared with the 1996 Atlanta Olympics Gold Half Eagle - was created by William Krawczewicz; US Mint Sculptor-Engraver Thomas D. Rogers, Sr. modeled the design for coinage. The design presents the official logo of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) as its center device; the logo is flanked by olive branches that curve around it.

Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Logo


From http://www.olympics.com/en/olympic-.../logo-design, the logo/emblem is described as follows:

"The base of the torch mark logo, made of the five Rings and the number 100, resembles a classical Greek column and recognizes the centennial of the Games. The torch mark's flames gradually evolve into a perfect star symbolizing each athlete's pursuit of excellence."


1996 Atlanta Olympics - Flag Bearer - Gold Half Eagle

Reverse design by John Mercanti

2022 Jackie Robinson Silver Medal

Very interesting! Thank you for the additional information.

I assumed the medal existed previously as bronze offering by the mint a while back (given the "Act of Congress" date) and had to look for some examples online. I agree, the silver proof looks really great; better than the bronze, in my opinion, especially the reverse.