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His first design was the reverse of the Nebraska quarter for the State Quarters Program in 2006. His designs went on to garner awards such as the [[Coin of the Year]] award for best contemporary event in 2009 for his [[Little Rock Central High School Desegregation silver dollar]] design.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Giedroyc |first=Richard |date=2023-04-29 |title=Little Rock Dollar a Coin of the Year Winner |url=https://www.numismaticnews.net/us-coins/little-rock-dollar-a-coin-of-the-year-winner |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Numismatic News |language=en}}</ref>
His first design was the reverse of the Nebraska quarter for the State Quarters Program in 2006. His designs went on to garner awards such as the [[Coin of the Year]] award for best contemporary event in 2009 for his [[Little Rock Central High School Desegregation silver dollar]] design.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Giedroyc |first=Richard |date=2023-04-29 |title=Little Rock Dollar a Coin of the Year Winner |url=https://www.numismaticnews.net/us-coins/little-rock-dollar-a-coin-of-the-year-winner |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Numismatic News |language=en}}</ref>


One of his designs<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kim |first=Allen |date=2020-01-12 |title=Samoan fruit bats will be featured on quarters released by the US Mint next month |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/12/us/fruit-bat-coin-trnd/index.html |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>, featuring a fruit bat representing the [[National Park of American Samoa]], was central to conspiracy theories that the United States government was involved in the dissemination of the [[SARS-CoV-2]] virus that caused the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grobaty |first=Tim |date=2020-04-26 |title=Quarantine Chronicles Day 42: A quarter for your conspiratorial thoughts |url=https://lbpost.com/news/commentary/quarantine-chronicles-day-42-a-quarter-for-your-conspiratorial-thoughts/ |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=Long Beach Post News |language=en-US}}</ref> This theory was thoroughly debunked, but gave the coin design some short-lived infamy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fauzia |first=Chiara Vercellone and Miriam |title=Fact check: 2020 US quarter raises awareness of Samoan fruit bat, not linked to pandemic |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/04/14/fact-check-quarter-raises-awareness-fruit-bat-not-linked-covid/7145175002/ |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref>
One of his designs<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kim |first=Allen |date=2020-01-12 |title=Samoan fruit bats will be featured on quarters released by the US Mint next month |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/12/us/fruit-bat-coin-trnd/index.html |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>, featuring a [[Samoa flying fox]], a species of fruit bat, representing the [[National Park of American Samoa]], was central to conspiracy theories that the United States government was involved in the dissemination of the [[SARS-CoV-2]] virus that caused the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grobaty |first=Tim |date=2020-04-26 |title=Quarantine Chronicles Day 42: A quarter for your conspiratorial thoughts |url=https://lbpost.com/news/commentary/quarantine-chronicles-day-42-a-quarter-for-your-conspiratorial-thoughts/ |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=Long Beach Post News |language=en-US}}</ref> This theory was thoroughly debunked, but gave the coin design some short-lived infamy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fauzia |first=Chiara Vercellone and Miriam |title=Fact check: 2020 US quarter raises awareness of Samoan fruit bat, not linked to pandemic |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/04/14/fact-check-quarter-raises-awareness-fruit-bat-not-linked-covid/7145175002/ |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref>
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Revision as of 15:32, 1 August 2024



Richard Alan Masters
Born (1955-08-05) August 5, 1955 (age 69)
Alma materUniversity of Iowa
OccupationArtist

Richard Alan Masters (born August 5, 1955) is a graphic designer, studio artist, and coin designer.

Early career

Masters graduated from the University of Iowa art school where he received a BA, MA, and MFA.[1] He subsequently moved to Wisconsin where he worked as a freelance illustrator and as a professor at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. He was selected for the SNC Professor of International Relations Endowed Professorship Award.[2]

Coin designs

Reverse of a quarter showing Chimney Rock
State Quarters Program Nebraska reverse, designed by Richard Masters
Coin showing the lower legs of Little Rock Central High students and soldiers
Little Rock Central High School Desegregation coin, designed by Richard Masters, winner of Coin of the Year

In 2004, Masters became an inaugural member of the United States Mint's Artistic Infusion Program[3] as a Master designer.[4] He applied to the program as a lifelong coin collector.[5] A prolific designer, his designs were selected for over 30 coins and medals. As of 2024, he is still an active member of the program.[2]

His first design was the reverse of the Nebraska quarter for the State Quarters Program in 2006. His designs went on to garner awards such as the Coin of the Year award for best contemporary event in 2009 for his Little Rock Central High School Desegregation silver dollar design.[6]

One of his designs[7], featuring a Samoa flying fox, a species of fruit bat, representing the National Park of American Samoa, was central to conspiracy theories that the United States government was involved in the dissemination of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] This theory was thoroughly debunked, but gave the coin design some short-lived infamy.[9]

Minted designs[2]
Year Design Category Notes
2006 State Quarters Program - Nebraska reverse coin
2007 Little Rock Central High School Desegregation silver dollar - obverse coin Winner of Coin of the Year Award
2009 Lincoln Bicentennial One Cent Coin Program (Birth and Early Childhood in Kentucky) - reverse coin
2009 District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters Program - Northern Marian Islands reverse coin
2011 Native American $1 Coin Program - reverse coin
2011 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program - Julia Grant reverse coin and medal
2011 United States Army Commemorative Coin Program – Silver obverse coin
2011 Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin Program – Silver reverse coin
2012 Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Program – Gold revers coin
2013 5-Star Generals Commemorative Coin Program – Silver obverse coin
2013 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program – Helen Taft reverse coin and medal
2013 Code Talkers Recognition Congressional Medals Program – Comanche Nation obverse medal
2013 Professor Muhammad Yunus Congressional Gold Medal – reverse medal
2014 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program – Lou Hoover reverse coin and medal
2015 U.S. Marshals Service 225th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Program – Silver obverse coin
2015 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program – Mamie Eisenhower obverse coin and medal
2015 First Special Service Force Congressional Gold Medal medal
2016 Presidential $1 Coins – Ronald Reagan obverse coin
2016 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program – Patricia Ryan “Pat” Nixon obverse and reverse coin and medal
2017 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Effigy Mounds National Monument reverse coin
2018 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Apostle Islands National Lakeshore reverse coin
2019 American Innovation $1 Coin Program – Pennsylvania reverse coin
2019 Legion Commemorative Coin Program – Clad obverse and reverse coin
2019 American Liberty High Relief Gold Coin and Silver Medal – obverse coin and medal
2019 American Veterans Silver Medal – reverse medal
2020 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – National Park of American Samoa reverse coin
2020 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve reverse coin
2020 American Innovation $1 Coin Program – Connecticut reverse coin
2021 American Liberty High Relief Gold Coin and Silver Medal – reverse coin and medal
2021 U.S. Armed Forces Silver Medals Program – Coast Guard obverse medal
Merrill’s Marauders Congressional Gold Medal – reverse medal
Presidential Medal Program – George W. Bush (Term 2) reverse medal
Presidential Medal Program – Barack Obama (Term 1) obverse medal

Personal life

Masters retired from teaching in 2015, and now lives in New York City with his wife, MeeWha Alana Lee.[10] He continues to pursue studio art and exhibits his work broadly, garnering many honors for his works.[11][12][13]

References

  1. ^ "Richard Masters - AIP Master Designer/artist at United States Mint". THE ORG. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  2. ^ a b c Hain-Kararakis, Phaedon (2016-06-03). "Richard Masters, AIP Designer | U.S. Mint". United States Mint. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  3. ^ See, Audralynn (2010-11-08). "Professor's design selected for Medal of Honor coin". UW Oshkosh Today. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  4. ^ "Newman Numismatic Portal at Washington University in St. Louis | Comprehensive Research & Reference for U.S. Coinage". nnp.wustl.edu. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  5. ^ Byrd, Briana (October 2, 2008). "More than coining a phrase: Richard Masters is making cents with his art degree and circulating UI lessons among future designers" (PDF). Daily Iowan. p. 1.
  6. ^ Giedroyc, Richard (2023-04-29). "Little Rock Dollar a Coin of the Year Winner". Numismatic News. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  7. ^ Kim, Allen (2020-01-12). "Samoan fruit bats will be featured on quarters released by the US Mint next month". CNN. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  8. ^ Grobaty, Tim (2020-04-26). "Quarantine Chronicles Day 42: A quarter for your conspiratorial thoughts". Long Beach Post News. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  9. ^ Fauzia, Chiara Vercellone and Miriam. "Fact check: 2020 US quarter raises awareness of Samoan fruit bat, not linked to pandemic". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  10. ^ Nyman, Shane (2020-08-07). "UWO professor emeritus artist plenty inspired by NYC—pandemic and all". UW Oshkosh Today. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  11. ^ Arnot Art Museum (2021-06-17). 3 Americans Curator Talk: Richard Masters. Retrieved 2024-07-31 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ "RICHARD MASTERS". KCCUS. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  13. ^ "United Artists Professional League Eighty-eighth Grand National Exhibition" (PDF). Retrieved July 31, 2024.