John R. Sinnock
John Ray Sinnock ( July 8, 1888 - May 14, 1947 in Raton , New Mexico ) was an American engraver and the eighth chief engraver of the United States Mint from 1925 to 1947.
history
Sinnock was the designer of the Roosevelt Dime and the Franklin Half Dollar , and other US coins. His initials "JS" can be found on the dime at the base of the Roosevelt bust. He modeled, but did not design, the Purple Heart, as well as various other medals and commemorative coins.
Sinnock was educated at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art . He won the AW Mifflin Award for studying abroad. Sinnock had traveled widely. His longtime confidante was Margaret Campbell, who had inherited much of his art as well as his personal collection of materials related to the development of the Roosevelt Dime.
For ten years, Sinnock was an art teacher at his alma mater and at Western Reserve University . In 1923 he was named Assistant Chief Engraver.
Rumors
When the Roosevelt Dime was first minted in 1946, a rumor arose in the anti-communist climate in the USA that the letters "JS" were not the initials of John Sinnock, but stood for Josef Stalin and were affixed by a Soviet agent. This rumor fell during the Second Red Scare era .
Web links
- John R. Sinnock Bio on askart.com (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ "Stalin for Dime" . Snopes. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
- ^ Coins: Questions and Answers , 1964 edition, Krause Publications
- ↑ Stalin for Dime . In: Snopes.com . Retrieved October 22, 2011.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Sinnock, John R. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Sinnock, John Ray (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American engraver, visual artist, and university professor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 8, 1888 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Raton , New Mexico , United States |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 14, 1947 |
| Place of death | United States |