Joel Iskowitz, legendary designer and icon in the numismatic community, sadly passed away on April 23, 2026. We are honored and grateful to have worked with Joel and will always cherish and remember the legacy he left behind.
Joel Iskowitz was born in the Bronx on August 15, 1946. He attended New York’s High School of Music and Art and Yale University’s fine arts program. He graduated from Hunter College with his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1968. Iskowitz is one of the few living artists to have had his artwork displayed in the Pentagon, the Capitol, and the White House, and he is known as the only American to have designed a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II for British Commonwealth coins.
Iskowitz designed more than 50 coins and medals for the U.S. Mint – several of which were award winning – and more than 2000 postage stamps for 40 countries. During his lifetime, he served as an artist for NASA and the United States Air Force. His commemorative oil paintings of D-Day and several U.S. space shuttle launches are held by the Historical Association of Carentan in Normandy, France, and at the NASA Kennedy Space Center, respectively. His designs for the U.S. Mint remain on display at the U.S. Capitol’s Emancipation Hall as well as in the Smithsonian, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, and the New-York Historical Society. Iskowitz is also famous for designing the reverse of the 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial Penny, “Professional Life in Illinois.”
2009 Lincoln Bicentennial Penny “Professional Life in Illinois”
Awards & Accomplishments
Iskowitz has many awards and accomplishments that testify to his unique eye and high level of skill.
- His design for the American Numismatic Association’s Presidential Award won the 2008 silver medal in the International Creative Shake Competition.
- Iskowitz was the 2010 United States COTY Nominee for Most Artistic Coin for his reverse design of the American Platinum Eagle.
- In 2015, he won a certificate of excellence for his design of the 1964 World’s Fair 50th Anniversary Medal. This was awarded by the A’Design Award committee in Milan.
- He won gold in the 2016 International Design Awards for his design of the Congressional Gold Medal given to the Borinqueneers.
- In 2011, he was inducted into the Hunter College Hall of Fame.
- In 2017, he was inducted into the Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame.
His talent will be missed, and we are grateful to have partnered with him. He will be remembered as a storyteller, illustrator, and sculptor who forever impacted numismatic history.
Coin Series & Commemoratives
Iskowitz designed many coin series for APMEX, each grounded in careful historical research and clear, balanced design. Collectively, these projects highlight Iskowitz’s enduring commitment to storytelling through numismatic art. Some of the collections he worked on include the Founders of Liberty and the Icons of Inspiration. The commemorative rounds for Sail4th 250, the largest 4th of July celebration in America’s history, were the final designs in a long and illustrious career.
Founders of Liberty
1 oz Silver Round – Founders: Madison | A Written Constitution
This series spotlights historical figures who either developed the concepts or inspired the concepts behind America’s most well-known ideals.
Icons of Inspiration
2022 Niue 1 oz Gold Icons: Albert Einstein BU
These gold and silver coins feature an iconic innovator who contributed to the world’s arts, sciences, and technical innovation.
Sail4th 250
2026 Sail4th 250 1 oz Copper Round
APMEX, in partnership with Sail4th — a non-profit organization celebrating the United States semiquincentennial at the Port of New York & New Jersey — honors America’s 250th anniversary with commemorative gold, silver, and copper rounds.
