The Engraver

"I am very proud of my entire record as a Sculptor/Engraver at the U.S. Mint. I was very fortunate to have been chosen to design and execute many prestigious commemorative coins and medals, especially the Congressional Medals, and circulating coins. In the Mint collector sets for the year 2000,1 designed and sculpted 4 out of the 6 new designs. That, to me, is an accomplishment that stands alone. I consider the time I spent at the U.S. Mint working on American coinage, an honor and a privilege."

THOMAS D. ROGERS, SR.
"PERSONALIZED BIOGRAPHY"

Born in 1945, and a native of Wingdale, New York, Rogers is a U.S. Navy veteran, and holds an A.A.S. Degree in Commercial Art.

Hired out of college by Medallic Art Co., Rogers was employed there for two years designing medals, and carving letters into negative plaster molds. It was this technique of carving directly into the negative mold that Rogers employed and refined over the years, that became his chosen method of medallic sculpture.

"Plaster Engraving, I call it. Plasteline and clay are very fluid, and moveable. Whether you cut a finely detailed pattern, or a single line directly into the plaster, it's there immediately, and remains until you carve back over it. This method allows you to achieve very fine, tight detail, bypassing the clay modeling stage, and going directly to the finished cast from the negative plaster."

Rogers freelanced from 1974 to 1990, and provided plaster models to private mints nationwide. These were used to produce plaques, medals, collector plates, and memorial portraits. Ninety-four of Rogers' portraits of inductees were hung in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Rogers has won several medallic design competitions, including his obverse "Centurion" design that appeared on the American Numismatic Association's 100th Anniversary Medal. After freelancing for 16 years, Rogers worked briefly at Medalcraft Mint in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Then in 1991, Rogers joined the engraving staff as a Sculptor/Engraver at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia.

Over the next nine years, at that position, Rogers designs were selected for 13 commerative coins, 12 medals (of which 4 were Congressional, including the Persian Gulf Medal, and I National), and 4 circulating coins, (the Reverses of the Sacajawea Dollar, and the Massachusetts, Maryland, and the South Carolina quarters.)

Rogers was honored on August 12, 2000, at the American Numismatic Association's Convention in Philadelphia, when he was awarded its Numismatic Art Award of Excellence in Medallic Sculpture, a lifetime achievement award. He was honored again more recently in Atlanta, GA, on August II, 2001, when he was presented an award for Outstanding Government Service.

Rogers has been an active member of the American Numismatic Association for the last ten years, participating in numerous Numismatic Theatre presentations featuring coin design. One of Rogers' last public appearances as a U.S. Mint Sculptor/Engraver was as a panel member along with Mint Director Jay Johnson, at a symposium on coin design, chaired by Sen. Phil Gramm in Washington, D.C.

"I like to create flowing, asymmetrically balanced designs that make you think! Designs where everything is not automatically explained to your eye, but it is presented in a pleasing, appropriate manner."

Rogers retired from the U.S. Mint in January, 2001, and returned to freelance work in the private sector. He and his wife, Margaret, are residents of the state of Washington, with his business based in Long Beach, WA. They have two young men, Tom Jr. And Patrick, both serving in the U.S. Navy, of whom they are very proud.

"The area around the mouth of the Columbia River is very rich in both beauty and history. As an artist, sculptor, and historian, I find myself drawn to these environs, and rightfully so. Through my art and sculpture, I intend to devote much of my time to the documentation of local history. By so doing, I will hopefully blend historical interpretation with artistic creativity, adding to the enrichment of myself and others."

THOMAS D. ROGERS, SR.
U.S. MINT DESIGN AND SCULPTURE CREDITS

All coins and medals listed below were both designed and executed in plaster by Rogers. Not listed, are the many designs Rogers executed that came from selected outside artists.

COMMEMORATIVE COINS
Columbus Quincentennary $1-Reverse, 1992
Columbus Quincentennary $5-Reverse, 1992
WWII 50th Anniversary $1-Obverse & Reverse, 1993
Vietnam Veterans $1-Reverse, 1994
Women in the Military $1-Reverse, 1994
Special Olympics $1-Reverse, 1995
Atlanta Olympic Games $1-Reverse, 1996
National Community Service $1-Obverse, 1996
Smithsonian Institution 150thAnniversary $l-Obverse, 1996
Robert F. Kennedy $1-Obverse, 1998
Library of Congress $1-Obverse, 2000
Library of Congress Bi-metallic $10-Reverse, 2000

BULLION
Platinum Bullion Eagle (Uncirculated)-Reverse, 1997
Platinum Bullion Eagle, Proof-Reverse, 2001

MEDALS
Bicentennial of U.S. Mint-Reverse, 1992
Persian Gulf (Congressional)-Obverse, 1992
David Ryder, Mint Director-Obverse, 1992
Ben Franklin/Firefighters-Obverse, 1993
Lloyd Bentsen, Treasury Secretary-Obverse & Reverse, 1993
William Clinton, President (1st term)-0bverse, 1994
Nelson Mandela (Congressional)-Reverse, 1998
Gerald & Betty Ford (Congressional)-Obverse, 1999
Father Theodore M. Hesburgh/Notre Dame-Obverse & Reverse, 2000
Whitehouse Bicentennial (National)-Reverse, 2000

CIRCULATING COINS
Sacajawea Golden Dollar-Reverse, 2000
Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina $.25-Reverses, 2000

* Rogers also sculpted the Reverse of the Rhode Island $.25, from a selected artist's design.
*After Rogers retired from the U.S. Mint in January, two of his previous designs were selected as reverses for medals for Larry Summers, Treasury Secretary and Jay Johnson, Mint Director.