Medallic Artist
John McGraw became a Medallic Artist in March 2020. He joined the U.S. Mint in January 2014 as a Product Design Specialist.
John received a bachelor of arts in Sculpture and Graphic Design from Rutgers University Camden. Prior to joining the Mint, his first job was as a sculptor for Carolfi Studios just three blocks from the Philadelphia Mint. At Carolfi Studios he worked on architectural restorations and installations for multiple clients around the world.
In 1998, John started as a sculptor for Lenox China, America’s foremost dinnerware and collectables company. He mastered traditional pottery skills and low relief sculpting techniques in clay and plaster.
John’s continued thirst for knowledge and creativity led him to pursue 3-D digital artistry. He soon became an instrumental figure in the 3-D digital design culture at Lenox China. Leveraging his traditional sculpting skills with his 3-D digital artistry, John created design concepts, dinnerware services, and figurative sculptures for many renown designers, brands, and companies, including Kate Spade, Donna Karen, Marchesa, Dansk, Walt Disney, and Warner Brothers. He also helped develop both traditional and digital dinnerware shapes for multiple U.S. presidential and vice presidential dinnerware services including President Clinton’s, President George W. Bush’s, and Vice President Cheney’s services.
Design and Sculpting Credits
The Secretary of the Treasury selected these designs for use on a coin or medal. The artist also executed the sculpts required to produce these coins and medals.
- Larry Doby Congressional Gold Medal – reverse
- 2023 American Liberty High Relief Gold Coin and Silver Medal – reverse
- 2023 American Women Quarters™ Program – Jovita Idar reverse
- United States Capitol Police and Those Who Protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 Congressional Gold Medal – obverse
- United States Capitol Police and Those Who Protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 Congressional Gold Medal – reverse
Sculpting Credits
The artist executed the sculpt required to produce these coins and medals.
- Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal – obverse
- 2024 Greatest Generation Commemorative Coin Program – Clad reverse
- 2024 Harriet Tubman Commemorative Coin Program – Clad reverse
- 2024 American Women Quarters™ Program – Patsy Takemoto Mink reverse
- 2023 American Innovation $1 Coin Program – Louisiana reverse
- Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal – reverse
- 2022 U.S. Armed Forces Silver Medals Program – Navy reverse
- 2022 Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Coin Program – Clad obverse
- 2022 National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin Program – Gold reverse
- 2022 National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin Program – Clad reverse
- 2022 American Women Quarters™ Program – Anna May Wong reverse
- 2021 American Innovation $1 Coin Program – Virginia reverse
- 2021 National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum Commemorative Coin Program – Silver reverse
- 2021 National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum Commemorative Coin Program – Clad obverse
- 2020 First Spouse Gold Coin and Medal Program – Barbara Bush reverse
- 2020 Presidential Medal Program – Donald J. Trump reverse
- Anwar El Sadat Congressional Gold Medal – reverse