Mint engravers & sculptors
John M. Mercanti
12th Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint
John M. Mercanti was the 12th Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint and designed the heraldic eagle reverse of the American Silver Eagle. His signature labels appear on both NGC and PCGS holders.
Background
- He worked at the U.S. Mint for 36 years, from 1974 until he retired in 2010.
- Mint Director Edmund C. Moy appointed him Chief Engraver in 2006.
- He designed the heraldic eagle reverse of the American Silver Eagle, used from 1986 until 2021, and the obverse of the American Platinum Eagle, used since 1997.
- His other designs include the 1984 Olympic $10 gold coin and the 1986 Statue of Liberty silver dollar.
- NGC credits him with well over 100 coins and medals, more than any other Mint employee.
- He co-wrote American Silver Eagles: A Guide to the U.S. Bullion Coin Program with Michael “Miles” Standish.
The signed labels
NGC announced his exclusive hand-signed label agreement on December 14, 2015. PCGS CoinFacts also lists PCGS label variants such as “John Mercanti, Signature,” “John Mercanti, Flag,” “Mint Engraver Series,” and “Silver Eagle Signature.”
How to check a signed label
Every signed label is printed with the coin's certification number. Look the number up at pcgs.com/cert or ngccoin.com/certlookup. The record should match the coin, the grade and the label type shown in the holder.
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