His designs have been selected for more than 50 US coins and medals
Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®) has announced that Joel Iskowitz, a prolific designer and of coins and medals worldwide and one of the few living artists to have his artwork displayed in the US Capitol, the Pentagon and the White House, will individually autograph certification labels exclusively for NGC.
In 2005, Iskowitz was accepted into the US Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP), which had been established two years earlier to bring additional talent and diversity to the US Mint. His designs have been selected for more than 50 US coins and medals, an astonishing — and still growing — number.
Among these designs are four reverses for the America the Beautiful Quarters series, five reverses for the American Platinum Eagle, 11 obverses or reverses for the First Spouses series (including Mary Todd Lincoln and Dolley Madison) and four Presidential Dollar obverses (including Andrew Jackson and James Madison).
Iskowitz also designed several popular US commemorative coins, including the 2008 Bald Eagle Silver Dollar obverse, the 2011 Medal of Honor Gold $5 reverse, the 2012 Star-Spangled Banner Silver Dollar obverse and the 2015 US Marshals Service Half Dollar obverse.
In addition, Iskowitz’s designs were selected for several recent Congressional Gold Medals:
- The New Frontier Congressional Gold Medal (both obverse and reverse) awarded to astronauts John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin in 2009.
- The Women Airforce Service Pilots Congressional Gold Medals awarded in 2010.
- The Nisei Soldiers of World War II Congressional Gold Medal (obverse) awarded in 2010.
- The Code Talkers Recognition Congressional Gold Medals (Tonto Apache Tribe obverse, Seminole Nation obverse, Ponca Tribe obverse and reverse, Hopi Tribe obverse and reverse and Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes reverse) awarded in 2013.
- The New York Fallen Heroes of 9/11 Congressional Gold Medal awarded in 2014.
- The Monuments Men Congressional Gold Medal awarded in 2015.
Besides his work with the United States Mint, Iskowitz is the only American to have designed the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II that has graced the coinage of the British Commonwealth. He has designed a number of private medals and more than 2,000 stamps for 40 nations.
An accomplished painter, his work is represented in major museums, both in the US and Europe, including the Kennedy Space Center Museum, the Historical Museum of Carentan, France, and the US Air Force Art Collection. His numismatic art is found in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institution, the September 11 Memorial & Museum and the National World War II Museum.
“Joel Iskowitz is one of the most accomplished coin and medal designers of the last decade with an impressive body of work that covers some of the most important subjects and people in American history,” says Mark Salzberg, chairman of NGC. “We are very fortunate to be able to work with an artist of his caliber.”
“I am honored to join the other accomplished artists in NGC’s Signature Labels program,” says Iskowitz. “I look forward to working with NGC on these unique collectibles.”
NGC has previously announced signature deals with Kenneth Bressett, the longtime editor of A Guide Book of United States Coins; the Hon. Gov. Mike Castle, a former congressman known for important coin legislation such as the 50 State Quarters program; and John M. Mercanti, the 12th Chief Engraver of the US Mint and designer of the American Silver Eagle reverse.
NGC Joel Iskowitz Authentic Hand-Signed Labels will be available from select retailers this summer. For more information about NGC Authentic Hand-Signed Labels, visit NGCcoin.com/Labels.
CoinWeek Podcast #42: Coin Designer Joel Iskowitz on the State of Modern Coins
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