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The U.S. Mint recently named Joseph Menna as its Chief Engraver. Menna, who has worked for the Mint for 14 years, is a talented artist, his work earning him numerous Krause Publications’ Coin of the Year awards in various categories. He will now oversee the design development aspects of the work created by the Mint’s sculptor engravers, as well as the members of the U.S. Mint Artistic Infusion Program.

Menna was the first full-time digitally skilled artist hired by the U.S. Mint and played a pivotal role in its first digitally sculpted coins. It will be interesting to see how the Mint evolves under his leadership.

Role of Chief Engraver

The Chief Engraver is the highest staff member of the U.S. Mint, first established by Congress in the Coinage Act of 1792.  While the position has evolved over time, the primary job of the Chief Engraver is to oversee the coin design and engraving by members of the U.S. Mint’s engraving staff — which is currently comprised of sculptor-engravers Phebe Hemphill, Renata Gordon and Michael Gaudioso — as well as the ancillary U.S. Mint Artistic Infusion Program.

The U.S. Mint hasn’t had a Chief Engraver for nearly a decade. Following Jon Mercanti’s retirement in 2010, the position remained vacant. On February 4, 2019, Director of the U.S. Mint David Ryder announced that Joseph Menna will assume the position.

Menna Bring Impressive Resume to New Role

Joseph Menna’s resume confirms he is more than qualified for his new position. Menna earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from the University of the Arts and a Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from the New York Academy of Art. He also completed post-graduate study at the Saint Petersburg Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design in St. Petersburg, Russia. His additional professional education includes studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, the Sculpture Center, and the Art Students League.

Prior to joining the Mint in 2005, Menna worked as a sculptor and instructor at the Johnson Atelier Fine Art Foundry in Mercer County, New Jersey. During this time, he also created numerous personal sculpting projects, including a seven-foot tall cupro-nickel statue for the Grounds for Sculpture and a temporary 30-foot tall monument for the Hamilton train station in Hamilton, N.J.

Menna joined the Mint in 2005 as a medallic artist. He has subsequently been honored both for coins he sculpted and designed, and for coins he sculpted from other artists’ designs. Not surprisingly, Joe Mena’s catalog of work is impressive. Below is a list of his sculpting and design credits for the U.S. Mint.

Design and Sculpting Credits

The Secretary of the Treasury selected these designs for use on a coin or medal. The artist also executed the sculpts required to produce these coins and medals.

• 2018 World War I Centennial Silver Medals (Marine Corps) – reverse
• 2018 World War I Centennial Silver Medals (Air Service) – reverse
• 2017 Bob Dole Congressional Gold Medal – obverse
• 2016 National Park Service 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Program – Silver obverse
• 2015 Presidential $1 Coins – Dwight D. Eisenhower obverse
• 2014 Presidential $1 Coins – Franklin Roosevelt obverse
• 2014 Shimon Peres Congressional Gold Medal – reverse
• 2013 Presidential $1 Coins – Theodore Roosevelt obverse
• 2013 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine reverse
• 2013 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Mount Rushmore National Park reverse
• 2012 First Spouse Gold Coin Program and Medal Program – Frances Cleveland (Term 2) reverse
• 2011 Fallen Heroes of 9/11 Congressional Gold Medals – Flight 93 obverse
• 2011 Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin Program – Gold reverse
• 2009 District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters Program – Commonwealth of Puerto Rico reverse
• 2009 District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters Program – U.S. Virgin Islands reverse
• 2009 Presidential $1 Coins – William Henry Harrison obverse
• 2008 Code Talkers Recognition Congressional Medals Program – Cherokee Nation reverse
• 2008 Code Talkers Recognition Congressional Medals Program – Seminole Nation reverse
• 2008 Presidential $1 Coins – James Monroe obverse
• 2008 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program – Louisa Adams reverse
• 2007 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program – Martha Washington obverse
• 2007 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program – Abigail Adams obverse
• 2007 50 State Quarters Program – Utah reverse
• 2007 Presidential $1 Coins – George Washington obverse
• 2007 Presidential $1 Coins – Thomas Jefferson obverse
• 2006 Dalai Lama Congressional Gold Medal – reverse

Design Credits

The Secretary of the Treasury selected this design for use on a coin or medal.

• 2010 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Yosemite National Park reverse
• 2008 Code Talkers Recognition Congressional Medals Program – Kiowa obverse
• 2008 Code Talkers Recognition Congressional Medals Program – Kiowa reverse

Sculpting Credits

The artist executed the sculpts required to produce these coins and medals.

• 2019 American Legion Commemorative Coin Program – Clad reverse
• 2019 American Legion Commemorative Coin Program – Gold reverse
• 2018 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Voyageurs National Park reverse
• 2018 World War I Centennial Silver Medals (Air Service) – obverse
• 2017 Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Congressional Gold Medal – obverse
• 2017 Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal – reverse
• 2017 Lions Clubs International Centennial Silver Dollar Coin – obverse
• 2017 Boys Town Centennial Commemorative Coin Program – Silver obverse
• 2017 Boys Town Centennial Commemorative Coin Program – Silver reverse
• 2016 Presidential $1 Coins – Ronald Reagan obverse
• 2016 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program – Nancy Reagan obverse
• 2016 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Cumberland Gap National Historical Park reverse
• 2016 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Fort Moultrie (Fort Sumter National Monument) reverse
• 2016 Mark Twain Commemorative Coin Program – Gold reverse
• 2015 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Kisatchie National Forest reverse
• 2015 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Blue Ridge Parkway reverse
• 2015 U.S. Marshals Service 225th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Program – Silver reverse
• 2014 American Eagle Platinum Proof Coin Program – reverse
• 2014 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Everglades National Park reverse
• 2014 Native American $1 Coin – reverse
• 2014 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program – Florence Harding obverse
• 2013 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program – Edith Roosevelt obverse
• 2013 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing Victims Congressional Gold Medal – reverse
• 2013 Girl Scouts of the USA Centennial Silver Dollar Coin – reverse
• 2013 5-Star Generals Commemorative Coin Program – Gold reverse
• 2013 5-Star Generals Commemorative Coin Program – Silver obverse
• 2013 5-Star Generals Commemorative Coin Program – Silver reverse
• 2012 Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Program – Gold obverse
• 2012 Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Program – Gold reverse
• 2012 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Acadia National Park reverse
• 2011 Native American $1 Coin – reverse
• 2011 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Vicksburg National Military Park reverse
• 2011 United States Army Commemorative Coin Program – Gold reverse
• 2011 United States Army Commemorative Coin Program – Clad reverse
• 2011 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program – Lucy Hayes reverse
• 2011 September 11 National Medal – reverse
• 2010 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Hot Springs National Park reverse
• 2010 American Veterans Disabled for Life Silver Dollar Coin – reverse
• 2010 Lincoln Bicentennial One-Cent Coin – Preservation of the Union reverse
• 2010 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program – Abigail Fillmore reverse
• 2010 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program – James Buchanan’s Liberty reverse
• 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial One-Cent Coin – Presidency in Washington, DC reverse
• 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar Coin – reverse
• 2009 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program – Anna Harrison obverse
• 2008 50 State Quarters Program – Arizona reverse
• 2008 Bald Eagle Commemorative Coin Program – Clad obverse
• 2008 Code Talkers Recognition Congressional Medals Program – Tonto Apache Tribe obverse
• 2008 Code Talkers Recognition Congressional Medals Program – Tlingit Tribe obverse
• 2008 Code Talkers Recognition Congressional Medals Program – White Mountain Apache Tribe obverse
• 2008 Arnold Palmer Congressional Gold Medal – reverse
• 2006 San Francisco Old Mint Commemorative Coin Program – Gold obverse