Commems Collection Classic - Quick Bits 140 - Henry Kreis: A Connecticut Connection

Connecticut is represented within the US classic era commemorative coin series by the 1935 Connecticut Tercentenary and 1936 Bridgeport, Connecticut (CT)Centennial half dollars. (Four other Connecticut-themed commemorative coins were proposed, but were not approved - 1936 Hartford, CT; 1939 Branford, CT; 1939 Guilford, CT and 1939 Milford, CT.)

One artist was selected as the designer for both of the half dollars - Henry Kreis.

Kreiss was born in Germany in 1899. The artist/sculptor initially studied his craft in Germany (stone cutting and sculpture), but moved to the US (New York City) in 1923, where he continued his studies at the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design and accepted commissions. His work caught the attention of the noted American sculptors Paul Manship and Carl Paul Jennewein - he worked under them for several years.

Kreis' skills as a stone cutter and sculptor earned him multiple commissions for public art projects. He was part of the artists' program of the Work Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression - this led to his selection for the coin and medal projects of the Connecticut Tercentenary Commission; the Tercentenary projects led to his selection as the designer for the 1936 Bridgeport Centennial coin. (Kreis also sculpted/modeled the Robinson portrait on the Arkansas Statehood Centennial - Robinson Type half dollar based on the design sketches of Enid Bell.)

Note: The Work Progress Administration was later (1939) renamed as the Work Projects Administration.

During his career, Kreis was elected to the National Sculpture Society, and became a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters as well as the National Academy of Design. He was also a member of the Architectural League of New York and the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts.

Kreis won multiple awards for his work, including the American Numismatic Society's prestigious Saltus Award Medal (1948) "for distinguished achievement in the field of the art of the medal."

Kreis was a faculty member of the Hartford (CT) Art School (1935-1954). He worked out of his Essex, CT home/studio for many years (1932-1962) . Kreis died in Essex, CT in January 1963.

1935 Connecticut Tercentenary Half Dollar


1935 Connecticut Tercentenary Medal


1936 Bridgeport, CT Centennial Half Dollar



For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including stories about each of the coins and medal presented here plus What If? stories about the failed Connecticut half dollars referenced, see: Commems Collection.