CCAC Public Meeting 10/21/2025

Key Concepts

Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC): A committee that advises the Secretary of the Treasury on proposed coin and medal designs.
American Liberty Coin and Medal Program: A program initiated by the CCAC that features modern depictions of Liberty on the obverse and an American eagle on the reverse.
Artistic Infusion Program (AIP): A program that engages artists to create designs for U.S. coinage.
Obverse: The front or "heads" side of a coin.
Reverse: The back or "tails" side of a coin.
High Relief: A coin design where the elements are significantly raised from the surface.
Numismatics: The study or collection of coins, banknotes, and medals.
Coin of the Year Award: An international award recognizing outstanding coin designs.

Meeting Proceedings and Approvals

The meeting of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) was called to order on Tuesday, October 21st, 2025, at 1:01 p.m. This was the first CCAC meeting for fiscal year 2026. The meeting was recorded, and participants were reminded to mute their microphones when not speaking and to announce their names.

Committee Member Roll Call: The following members were present: Arthur Bernstein, Dr. Hardcourt Fuller, Dr. Christopher Capazola, James Stevens Sulman, John Saunders, Donald Skrreny, Sam Gilbert, Kellen Horde, Anelise Pertie, and Chairperson Peter Van Alfen. Michael Moran was noted as absent.

Agenda Items: The agenda included:

Approval of the minutes and letters to the secretary from the September 16, 2025 public meeting.
Approval of the CCAC annual report for fiscal year 2025.
Review and discussion of candidate designs for the 2027 American Liberty coin and medal.

Mint Staff in Attendance: Megan Sullivan (acting chief, office design management), Roger Vasquez (senior design specialist), Russell Evans (design manager), Denisa Hancock (design manager), So great to have Bajall (design manager), Joseph Mena (chief engraver), Michael Costello (manager of design and engraving), Jennifer Warren (director of legislative and intergovernmental affairs and liaison to the CCAC), and James Kennedy (council to the CCAC).

Press in Attendance: Mike Uner (Coin World), Patrick Perez (Whitman Publishing), and Sophia Matammoro (Numismatic News).

Approval of Minutes and Letters: Arthur Bernstein moved to approve the minutes and letters from the September 16, 2025 meeting, seconded by Chris Capazola. The motion carried with all in favor.

Approval of CCAC Annual Report: Arthur Bernstein moved to approve the draft of the CCAC annual report for fiscal year 2025, with edits incorporated by mint staff. Kellen Horde seconded the motion. Donald Skrreny abstained, stating the report was "meaningless." The motion passed.

The American Liberty Program and 2027 Coin/Medal Designs

Program Overview: Chairperson Peter Van Alfen highlighted the significance of the American Liberty 24 karat high relief gold coin and silver medal program, launched in 2015. The CCAC recommended this program to the Secretary of the Treasury, and it has since won three "Coin of the Year" awards for best gold coin (2017, 2021, 2023). The program's core requirement is to feature modern depictions of Liberty on the obverse and an American eagle on the reverse. Liberty has been a foundational symbol on U.S. coinage since 1792, representing national aspirations and values. The program emphasizes "modern" interpretations of Liberty.

2027 American Liberty Coin and Medal Program: Megan Sullivan presented the candidate designs for the 2027 program. The program will again feature a 1 oz 24 karat gold coin and a .999 fine silver medal.

Obverse Designs (Modern Depictions of Liberty):

Obverse 1: Liberty gazing at the viewer with quiet strength, drapery inspired by Augustus St. Gaudens.
Obverse 2 & 2A: Liberty with a crown of spikes and laurels, flowing hair.
Obverse 3: Liberty walking with a young girl holding a torch.
Obverse 4: A formline butterfly design, symbolizing transformation.
Obverse 5: A futuristic Liberty with planet Earth in the background.
Obverse 6: Pegasus, the winged horse, symbolizing liberty and freedom.
Obverse 7: The grey wolf, representing the restoration of balance to Yellowstone's ecosystem.
Obverse 8 & 9: Youthful Liberty, draped in flowing garments, adorned with stars or flowers, embodying hope and dynamism. The 13 stars honor the original colonies.
Obverse 10, 10A, 10B: A modern American woman with a shaved head and leather jacket, symbolizing freedom of expression.
Obverse 11: Liberty with a radiant sun, wearing a wreath of olive branches, holding fasces (unity) and a cornucopia (abundance).
Obverse 12: Alludes to liberty by showcasing the beauty and freedom of the American landscape.
Obverse 13: A crowned Liberty holding an olive branch and sheathed sword.
Obverse 14: A mother bird attending to her chicks learning to fly, symbolizing thriving families.
Obverse 15: A floating wooden ship in the clouds, representing exploration and freedom.
Obverse 16: Liberty holding a torch and olive branch with a sunburst.
Obverse 17: Liberty with a cap and flowing hair above clouds with sun rays.

Reverse Designs (American Eagle):

Reverse 1: Adult eagle with an eaglet in the nest.
Reverse 2: A stylized eagle facing the viewer.
Reverse 3 & 4: Formline depictions of an eagle, with Reverse 3 including the sun and moon, and part of the eagle being a raven (symbolizing cleverness and balance).
Reverse 5: A bald eagle looking into the night sky with the moon and stars.
Reverse 6: A close-up view of an eagle in flight.
Reverse 7: An eagle held high on Liberty's hand.
Reverse 8: An eagle inspired by Adolf Weinman's work, with subtle laurels.
Reverse 9: A close-up depiction of eagles parenting an eaglet.
Reverse 10: A swooping eagle holding an olive branch and a snake, symbolizing peace in adversity.
Reverse 11: An alert bald eagle perched atop a rock.
Reverse 12: An eagle in space with stars floating around.

Technical and Legal Questions:

Heads/Tails Requirement: Arthur Bernstein inquired about the requirement for distinct obverse and reverse designs, particularly concerning Native American artwork designs (Obverse 4, Reverse 3 & 4). Chief Engraver Joseph Mena clarified that "heads" and "tails" do not strictly mean literal heads, but rather the gravitas of symbolism on the obverse. He found the Native American lexicon appropriate for an obverse.
Previous Designs: Donald Skrreny asked if any designs from previous portfolios (up to 25 years) could be used without review. Jennifer Warren confirmed that only one design (Obverse 3) was a repeat, re-entered at the request of the committee.
Native American Art Consultation: Chris Capazola inquired about consultation with Native Nations or the National Museum of the American Indian for the Native American designs. Megan Sullivan confirmed that appropriate consultations were conducted to ensure the works were appropriate and by an artist with Native heritage.

Committee Member Discussions and Preferences:

Mike Moran: Found the portfolio "thin" and some designs "disconcerting." He criticized Obverse 1 (St. Gaudens, too memorialistic), Obverse 2 (too busy), Obverse 4 (difficult to explain), Obverse 6 (poor Pegasus rendition), Obverse 7 (wolf not appropriate for liberty), and Obverse 15 (Peter Pan association). He also expressed frustration with multiple versions of similar designs from AIP artists. He favored Reverse 11.
Donald Skrreny: Felt the portfolio was not strong enough and requested more designs. He believed the current options were not up to the standard of award-winning coins in the series. He was critical of designs that he felt would not be approved by "people who control and run the mint." He suggested rejecting all designs and seeing new ones.
Joseph Mena (Art Director): Defended the portfolio as "outstanding" and "one of the best Liberty portfolios I've ever seen," highlighting the artistic interpretations and the originality of Native American images. He noted Obverse 3 was included due to repeated requests.
Kellen Horde: Prioritized avoiding neoclassical depictions, not replicating previous framing, and pairing obverses and reverses effectively. His top choice was the pairing of Obverse 3 and Reverse 1, citing their powerful symbolism and unique approach. He also gave points to Obverse 7 and Reverse 6 but was hesitant due to concerns about the series becoming too focused on flora and fauna or repeating past designs.
Anelise Pertie: Favored Reverse 11 for its unique design and the concept of a young eagle representing growing liberty. Her favorite obverse was Obverse 3, appreciating its historical references and forward-looking statement. She also liked Obverse 16 for its familiar yet striking Art Nouveau style. She expressed hesitation about space themes and the wolf design's direct connection to liberty.
Jean Steven Sulman: Agreed with Anelise Pertie, favoring Obverse 3 and pairing it with Reverse 2 for its powerful eagle. She also found Obverse 10B to be a creative, albeit "offending," design that prompts re-examination. She liked Obverse 12 as a representation of "the land of the free" but agreed that Native American designs, while wonderful, might not be universally understood by the public.
Sam Gilbert: Enjoyed the reverses more than the obverses. He liked Obverse 6 (Pegasus) and Obverse 7 (wolf) for their boldness. He leaned towards Obverse 8 over Obverse 9. His ultimate preference was the pairing of Obverse 16 and Reverse 11, appreciating the Art Nouveau imagery and its potential in high relief.
John Saunders: Disagreed with the initial speakers, finding the portfolio "good" and "creative." He liked Obverse 1 (St. Gaudens) but had reservations about its memorialistic nature. He favored Obverse 6 (Pegasus) for its symbolic representation of liberty. He also liked Obverse 16 and Obverse 17. His outstanding reverse was Reverse 11. He suggested a tiered creativity scoring system.
Arthur Bernstein: Expressed a strong liking for the Native American designs (Obverse 4 and Reverse 3/4), finding them "groundbreaking" and capable of catching the public's eye due to their unique charm and potential for sparking curiosity.
Dr. Hardcourt Fuller: Appreciated the diversity of opinions. He liked Obverse 1 and Obverse 6. He strongly supported the pairing of Obverse 3 and Reverse 1, reinterpreting Obverse 3 as an American woman proud of her country, not solely tied to civil rights.
Chris Capazola: Found Obverses 3 and 8 strong. He believed Obverse 4 and the indigenous designs were artistically strong and hoped to see them again. He disagreed with Analisa Pertie about space themes, finding Obverse 5 strong. He found Obverse 7 (wolf) aesthetically remarkable but acknowledged it might not be the right program. He suggested Obverse 12 might work better as a reverse. He was persuaded by colleagues to consider the Obverse 16 and Reverse 11 pairing. He noted a potential aesthetic issue with the overlap of the "$100" and "$" on Reverse 1.
Peter Van Alfen (Chairperson): Was drawn to the pairing of Obverse 16 and Reverse 11, appreciating the Art Nouveau style and its striking combination. He also continued to like Obverse 3 and suggested pairing it with Reverse 1 due to the parental/child theme.

Scoring and Motion to Recommend

Scoring Results: After scoring, the top-scoring designs were:

Obverse: Obverse 16 (25 points), Obverse 3 (22 points).
Reverse: Reverse 11 (27 points), Reverse 1 (17 points).

Motion to Approve Obverse 16 and Reverse 11: Mike Moran moved to approve Obverse 16 and Reverse 11. John Saunders seconded the motion.

Discussion: Chris Capazola raised a point about the "hairdo" of Liberty in Obverse 16 and suggested communicating this to the artist for potential modification.
Vote: The motion carried with nine in favor, one no (Chris Capazola), and one abstention (Donald Skrreny).

Conclusion of Discussion: The committee concluded its discussion on the candidate designs.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 2:44 p.m. after a motion to adjourn by Art Bernstein, seconded by Donald Skrreny.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The CCAC meeting focused on reviewing and approving minutes, the annual report, and critically, the candidate designs for the 2027 American Liberty coin and medal. While some members expressed disappointment with the overall portfolio, citing a lack of truly innovative or "modern" designs, a strong consensus emerged around two primary pairings: Obverse 3 with Reverse 1, and Obverse 16 with Reverse 11. Ultimately, a motion to recommend Obverse 16 and Reverse 11 passed, with the understanding that minor aesthetic adjustments, such as the hairstyle in Obverse 16, could be communicated to the artist. The committee's deliberations highlighted the diverse interpretations of "Liberty" and the challenges in balancing artistic merit with public understanding and potential mint approval. The Native American designs, though artistically praised by some, faced reservations regarding public comprehension. The meeting concluded with the formal recommendation of a specific design pairing for the 2027 program.