William Kneass
| William Kneass | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint | |
|
In office January 29, 1824 – August 27, 1840 |
|
| President |
John Quincy Adams Andrew Jackson Martin Van Buren |
| Preceded by | Robert Scot |
| Succeeded by | Christian Gobrecht |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 25, 1781 Lancaster, Pennsylvania |
| Died | August 27, 1840 (aged 58) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Turner Honeyman Kneass |
| Children | Samuel Honeyman Strickland Kneass 4 others |
| Occupation | engraver |
William Kneass (/ˈniːs/ niece) (September 25, 1781 – August 27, 1840) was the second Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1824 until his death in 1840. Kneass is credited with designing the "Classic Head" motif, which appeared on numerous denominations of American currency, including the gold Quarter Eagle ($2.50) and Half Eagle ($5.00) gold pieces from 1834-1839. He also modified John Reich's "Capped Bust" design on the half dime through half-dollar from the years 1829-1837. Additionally, Kneass utilized his modified Capped Bust for the rebirth of the half-dime in 1829.
William Kneass was born in September 1781 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He served in the War of 1812 as a volunteer associate of the field engineers, and helped construct fortifications on the western front of Philadelphia. He ran an engraving office on Fourth above Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, which was a popular meeting place for "leading wits and men of culture". Kneass also worked as an engraver of plates for bookwork. Although he mainly worked in line engraving, he was also known for producing aquatints. He also worked in two other engraving firms that bore his name: Kneass & Dellaker, and Young & Kneass & Co.
On January 29, 1824, Kneass was appointed Chief Engraver of the United States Mint. During his tenure as Chief Engraver, he oversaw production of gold coinage, and circulating coinage.
...
Wikipedia