It was an ordinary day. Trying to figure out where I could find one of the new 2020 commemoritive silver dollars that was recently minted. The coin was designed by Christina Hess who was a graduate of nearby Warwick High School and is now the Chairwomen of the Illustration Department at the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Christina earned her BFA in illustration from the University of the Arts. She has been working for over 20 years on visual storytelling for publication and private commissions. She has received nominations and awards, including a silver award for self promotional work in Society of Illustrators West competition. Her work was featured in the "Point of Vision" now at the Society of Illustrators, New York which celebrated women artists in the science fiction/fantasy genre. She has an ongoing personal project, "Animals From History", which celebrates animals as historical personalities and features over 25 characters. Her project has been featured on sites such as ABC News, Juxtapose, Mental Floss, Modern Met and Jezebel. She recently was picked to design the 2020 United States Silver dollar commemorative coin which was to celebrate the ratification of the 19th Amendment which is the law that granted women the right to vote.
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| The "head's" side of the new coin. |
The head's side of the new coin features three women from three different eras. The reverse side shows the year 2020 sliding into a ballot box decorated in an Art Deco style. The coin as well as the framed printed designs are currently on display as part of the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design biannual faculty art exhibit. It will be on display until the end of May. The only problem is that the gallery is closed to the public at present. Mr. Michael Molla, the President of the school tells about the powerful and enduring symbols engraved and stamped on coins and money and how they are truly everlasting, serving as moments of honor and pride while bringing us together as one undivided community. Christina responded to the U.S. Mint's call for entries in 2019. More than 350 artists applied and Christina was one of 27 artist selected for the program with her submission being chosen for the coin. The coin will be a collector's item, but it was also approved as legal tender. It actually is valued at $1, but as a collector's item, it retails for $75. Christina was excited to be chosen and the fact that her designs were picked for both the front and rear was quite an honor. The woman's suffrage silver dollar is larger than most coins, at about an inch and a half round. It did allow for more detail in her design. If you notice on the face of the coin, it features three women whom are all wearing hats from the era they represent. One unusual note I read tells that one of the faces she took from a mug shot, since Christina thought she had such a great face. She created 30 thumbnail sketches per coin side to help her work out her ideas before settling on the final illustrations. Lancaster County can be proud that one of our own artists has the honor of claiming the right to designing the front and back of the latest United States coin. Good job Christina! I'm proud of you! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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