Joseph
Menna, who grew up in the Blackwood area of Gloucester Township in New Jersey,
received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of the Arts in
Philadelphia in 1992 and a Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from the New
York Academy of Art in 1994. He then
studied in Russia at the Saint Petersburg Stieglitz Academy of Art and Design.
Before
joining the United States Mint as a medallic sculptor in 2005, Menna used his
skills working as a sculptor and instructor at the Johnson Art Foundry in
Merced County where he created life-size figures and also worked digitally on
artwork for DC Comics, Hasbro, Fisher-Price, and other companies.
In
2010 he sculpted the shield design of Lyndall Bass into the Lincoln cent with
his initials appearing under the right side of the scroll on the reverse. Over
the years, Menna has sculpted about five dozen coins and medals for many U.S.
Mint programs, many of which he also designed. Included are:
2006
Dalai Lama Congressional Gold Medal – reverse
2007-2015
Presidential $1 Coins, including Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, James
Monroe, William Henry Harrison, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt and
Dwight D. Eisenhower.
2007
50 State Quarters Program – Utah reverse
2007-2012
First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program, including obverses of Abigail Adams,
Martha Washington, Louisa Adams, and the reverse of Francis Cleveland (Term 2).
2008
Code Talkers Recognition Congressional Medals Program – Seminole Nation and
Cherokee Nation reverses
2009
District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarter Program – U.S. Virgin Islands
and Commonwealth of Puerto Rico reverses
2011
Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin Program – Gold reverse
2011
Fallen Heroes of 9/11 Congressional Gold Medal Program – Flight 93 obverse
2013
America the Beautiful Quarters Program – Mount Rushmore National Park and Fort
McHenry National Park reverses
2014
Shimon Peres Congressional Gold Medal – reverse
2016
National Park Service 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Program – Silver
obverse
2017
Bob Dole Congressional Gold Medal – obverse
2018
World War I Centennial Silver Medals – Air Service and Marine Corps reverses
2019
Anwar El Sadat Congressional Gold Medal – obverse
In
2019 Joseph Menna was named the 13th chief engraver of the U.S. Mint by Mint
Director David J. Ryder. (The
position had been vacant since the retirement of John Mercanti in 2010). The Mint has greatly benefitted from
Menna’s classical training as well as his knowledge of digital techniques.
Over
the years I have enjoyed talking with him on several occasions during Mint
visits. He has also been very
helpful with various research projects. Menna’s
work is highly admired today by the numismatic community, and he has received
numerous honors and awards.
