One of the big, buzzworthy topics throughout the numismatic hobby right now is the quarter dollar. The introduction of the brand new American Women Quarters Program from the United States Mint earlier this year certainly has something to do with that. However, the ongoing use of the Washington quarter design since the early 1930s is also noteworthy as the behind-the-scenes story surrounding the quarter dollar has a bit of controversy involving our next artist spotlight in this brand new series focused around learning more about United States coin designers. While this next designer’s resume in the coin hobby involves just one coin, his career outside involves beautiful sculptures and a short time training under one of the greatest American sculptors there ever was: Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
John Flanagan
Born and raised in New York in 1865, John Flanagan began developing an interest and passion for sculpting and modeling. He would begin working in his very own studio in 1885 and even became an assistant to Augustus Saint-Gaudens. He would work under him until 1890, helping him with major projects. One of the bigger works that Flanagan produced was a bronze portrait of Saint-Gaudens. The work is now displayed at New York University. However, other than that major work, he would create many sculptures and medals early in his career, allowing him to curate more time and experience in the artistic field all the while gaining more notoriety due to his assistance of Saint-Gaudens.
Perhaps one of the greatest works to have ever come from Flanagan was The Rotunda Clock. A beautiful sculpture, the work was produced in 1896 after he had only spent six years under Saint-Gaudens. The clock depicts that of Father Time as he is holding an hourglass with other figures behind him. There are two figures below and to either side of him reading and writing. Many types of marble were said to have been used for the piece as it was overlaid by semi-precious stones. The figures were made out of copper and the face of the clock itself is said to depict the sun in its golden splendor. The work itself is located in Washington, D.C., at the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson building.
In 1924, the United States Congress signed a plan to create the George Washington Bicentennial Commission that was to honor the 200th Anniversary of President George Washington’s birthday that would happen in 1932. After being inactive for years, the group would finally come together in 1930 to hold a competition between artists and sculptors to design a new coin based on the famous bust of Washington that was done by Jean-Antoine Houdon. Over 100 entries were submitted and while Flanagan’s design was chosen after a controversial process that would originally order Laura Gardin Fraser’s design the winner, the new Washington quarter dollar would be publicly announced in April of 1932.
It would be first produced as a silver quarter in 1932 and would not be struck again until 1934 (after the Great Depression). It was minted from 1932-1964 until the Coinage Act of 1965 would require that all dimes and quarters be stuck in copper-nickel clad. Flanagan’s design would still remain on the coin until both the reverse and obverse would be changed in accordance with the Statehood Quarter Program that began in 1999.
It would be the only coin Flanagan produced for the United States Mint. He did go on to create more medals and commemorative pieces. While he only produced one coin, it was and still is one of the most popular coins to have ever come from the United States. Flanagan passed away in 1952 after a long career as a sculptor and designer.
Source: USA Coinbook