"In 1966, the initials “FS” were added to the Jefferson Nickel to properly credit its designer, Felix Schlag. The recognition might have never occurred were it not for the movement sprung by the popular periodical, Coin World. The initials were placed below the bust of Jefferson."--From Ask.com Why did they wait almost thirty years to put the designers initials on the coin? Was it because he was a German immigrant, or did he p-ss someone off, or what? What all did "Coin World" do?
Have no idea what Coin World did in that regard ... But maybe Schlag did not include his initials in his own design when he submitted it? Christian
No the thing was that when he designed the coin he didn't know that he was allowed to put his initials on it and so he didn't do it. The Mint simply made the coin as it was and no one ever petitioned to have the initials added until the mid sixties when the people at Coin World did it.. The Mint was agreeable, they added the initials and made a little ceremony out of it with Schlag and the media and Schlag was presented with the first two nickels struck bearing his initials. (These two coins are often described as having been proofs. They were not. They were just prooflike, being the first two strikes off a brand new die.) Unfortunately Schlag did not bother to keep track of the two coins and by the time of his death their location was unknown.
I may be off base here, but I don't like designer's initials on a coin. Celebrate the subject of the coin, celebrate the country... but not yourself [as spoken to the designer]. I do understand the merit of giving credit where it is due, but I just think that credit on every issue of every year for a coin's entire run is overkill. I'd like to see the initials on the coin for the first year of the new design. After that... it's just the coin. As an aside... I still chuckle that folks thought JS on the Roosevelt dime stood for Joseph Stalin. Heh. Of course, it's rapidly appearing that we don't learn from history. Maybe I'll get to watch some House Un-American Act trials with my own eyes this time around! Bachman wants to know who those anti-American Congressmen are! Could be the OWNER OF THE DIME!!!! Joseph.... JOOOOOSEPH.... [quit stallin'] STAAAAALIIIIIIN!
Do we know for sure that "VDB" doesn't stand for "Very Determined Bolshevik"? We should at least have Congressional hearings on the matter.
Condor is a walking, talking encyclopedia. You gonna make the spring show at MSNS? Two summers ago myself and several other CT members actually went to the Schlage museum in Owosso Mi then went over the cemetery where he is buried. Interesting stuff.
Honestly, only a handful of geeks like ourselves even know that those small letters on coins represent the designers intitials, much less who the designer was. Kinda pointless to me. Vanity I suppose.
Interesting story indeed, Conder101! As for how much sense it makes to have the initials of a designer on a coin ... basically I like the idea. There may be exceptions, e.g. when a design of the original artist is substantially altered, for technical or other reasons. But in general I am glad that we can easily see who designed the pieces that we hold in our hands. Christian
Probably not. It usually conflicts with the Chicago International show and I almost always attend that one. Even when it doesn't it is difficult for me to make several shows spaced close together because I work weekends
