CCAC Public Meeting 04/15/2025

Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee Meeting Summary – April 15, 2025

Key Concepts:

• American Liberty Program: A US Mint program initiated in 2015 to feature modern depictions of Liberty on 24-karat gold coins and silver medals, alongside depictions of the American Eagle.
• High Relief: A minting technique creating a pronounced three-dimensional effect on coins, initially limited by 20th-century technology but modernized in this program.
• CCAC (Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee): A committee advising the Secretary of the Treasury on themes and designs for US coins and medals.
• Numismatic Significance: The importance of coins and medals as historical and artistic artifacts.
• Modern Depictions of Liberty: The program’s focus on reinterpreting the symbolism of Liberty for contemporary audiences.

1. Meeting Convening & Attendance (2:01 PM)

The meeting of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) commenced at 2:01 PM on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, via video conference. Chairperson Peter Van Alfen confirmed a quorum was present. Members present included Arthur Bernstein, Dr. Christopher Capazola, John Saunders, Michael Moran, Donald Scranted, Sam Gilbert, Kellen Horde, and Analisi Perty. Dr. Harcourt Fuller and Janie Steven Sman were noted as absent at the start of the roll call. Mint liaison Jennifer Warren confirmed the presence of Sophia Matamorei (Numismatic News), Mike Unser (Coin News Media Group LLC), Larry Jwitt & Paul Gilks (Coin World) as press attendees.

2. Mint & CCAC Staff Present (2:04 PM)

A comprehensive list of Mint staff in attendance was confirmed, including: Megan Sullivan (Acting Chief of Office of Design Management), Roger Vasquez (Senior Design Specialist), Russell Evans, Denza Hancock, Sita Bajal (Design Managers), Joseph Mena (Chief Engraver – initially with microphone issues), Michael Costello (Manager of Design and Engraving), Jennifer Warren (Director of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs/CCAC Liaison), James Kennedy (Council to the CCAC), and Leah Johnson (Acting Senior Government Affairs Specialist).

3. Approval of Minutes & Letters (2:07 PM)

The minutes and letters to the Secretary of the Treasury from the February 18, 2025, public meeting were reviewed and unanimously approved upon a motion by Art Bernstein and a second by Janie Steven Sman (who joined during this process).

4. Discussion of 2027 & Future American Liberty Themes (2:09 PM)

The primary focus of the meeting was the discussion of themes for the 2027 and future years of the American Liberty 24-karat gold coin and silver medal program. Megan Sullivan provided a historical overview of the program, launched in 2015, emphasizing its goal of modernizing depictions of Liberty and the American Eagle. She highlighted previous designs, including the 2017 depiction of Liberty as an African-American woman, the 2019 2.5oz silver medal, the 2021 Mustang design, and the 2023 bristlecone pine design with the inscription "We shall persevere."

5. Historical Context & Program Goals (2:15 PM)

Donald Scranted emphasized the program’s origins in the CCAC’s desire to empower Mint artists to create new, relatable images of Liberty, moving beyond historically-rooted symbolism (e.g., the Phrygian cap) that may lack contemporary resonance. He noted the program’s experimental nature and the CCAC’s significant role in its creation. He stressed that the program’s purpose is to allow artists to explore and reveal new interpretations of Liberty.

6. Evolving Depictions of Liberty (2:25 PM)

Mike Moran echoed Donald’s sentiments, highlighting the program’s success in modernizing the American Eagle reverse designs. He cautioned against straying too far from the core goal of innovative Liberty depictions, acknowledging the positive reception of past designs but suggesting a continued focus on artistic freedom.

7. Expanding Beyond Traditional Imagery (2:30 PM)

Janie Steven Sman encouraged artists to push boundaries and explore themes beyond previous iterations, building on the success of the Bucking Bronco and bristlecone pine designs.

8. Potential Theme Suggestions (2:32 PM)

• Chris Capazola: Suggested exploring themes of economic liberty and religious liberty, representing aspects of the American experience beyond the traditional focus on freedom from political oppression.
• John Saunders: Proposed imagery of soaring figures (e.g., a modernized Pegasus) or a sailing ship ascending into space to symbolize freedom. He also inquired about the authorization and denomination of the 1/10 oz gold coin issued in a previous year.
• Kellen Horde: Advocated for depictions of American citizens as active participants in defining and defending Liberty, suggesting revisiting the design featuring a mother and daughter.
• Analisi Perty: Encouraged exploration of diverse elements of the American natural world and their symbolic meanings across different regions and time periods.
• Peter Van Alfen: Drew parallels to ancient Roman coinage and the representation of Libertas, emphasizing the importance of community and collective defense of freedom.

9. Technical Discussion & Mint Authority (2:40 PM)

A brief discussion regarding the 1/10 oz gold coin revealed that the Mint has broad statutory discretion to issue gold coins of various denominations and sizes, and the decision to produce it was a business decision by the sales and marketing division.

10. Conclusion & Adjournment (2:43 PM)

The meeting concluded with thanks to the CCAC members, Mint staff, and the public. The meeting was adjourned upon a motion by Art Bernstein and a second by Kellen Horde.

Notable Quotes:

• Donald Scranted: "We can't design. We can comment on design, but we are not here to design. That's what the artists are for."
• Mike Moran: "We need artists to tell us what designs of liberty...It's waiting to be uncovered and revealed to us."
• Janie Steven Sman: "This time it seems like we've used up some pretty good ideas. So this time it's like we have to go beyond what we've already done."
• Peter Van Alfen: "…a sense of community…would be something that the artists might want to consider and and ways to depict that."

This summary provides a detailed account of the CCAC meeting, preserving the specific details, arguments, and perspectives presented by the participants. It aims to be a comprehensive record of the discussion surrounding the future themes of the American Liberty program.