Mitchell Sanders has been appointed chairperson of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, effective Oct. 26.
Sanders had been serving as acting chairperson since the May 26 resignation of former chairperson Tom Noe, recently indicted on illegal campaign financing.
Appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury, Sanders is from Rochester, N.Y. He holds a B.A. in political science and mathematics from Duke University and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Rochester.
Sanders currently works as a research scientist in Rochester.
A member of the American Numismatic Association, the American Numismatic Society, the Rochester Numismatic Association, the Latin American Paper Money Society and the U.S. Mexican Numismatic Association, Sanders has written a column for beginning coin collectors in the ANA’s Numismatist since 2003.
In addition to Sanders’ appointment, several other CCAC moves were announced.
Sherl Joseph Winter of Philadelphia was appointed to the CCAC to fill the vacancy created by the expiration of the term of Daniel Altshuler. Winter, whose four-year term on the CCAC will expire in October 2009, was selected through public outreach specially for his qualifications in medallic arts or sculpture.
Winter was a sculptor-engraver at the U.S. Mint at Philadelphia from 1972 until 1988. He served as Acting Chief Engraver of the United States from mid-January to mid-July 1981. While at the Mint, Winter designed the reverse of the 1986 Statue of Liberty half dollar, the reverse of the 1988 U.S. Olympic silver dollar and several medals.
As owner of his own art studio in Philadelphia after leaving the Mint, Winter worked with many private mints in the design and execution of more than 300 medals, as well as numerous commissioned sculptures. He holds a B.F.A. and an M.F.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.
To fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Robert Remini, John K. Alexander of Cincinnati, Ohio, was also appointed to the CCAC. A distinguished teaching professor at the University of Cincinnati, Alexander, whose four-year term on the CCAC will expire in October 2009, was selected for his expertise in American history.
He holds a B.S. from Western Oregon University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in history from the University of Chicago.
Alexander has published three books, written widely for numerous history publications and served as one of the associate editors of the American National Biography project.
Alexander is a member of the American Association of University Professors, the Organization of American Historians, the Associates of the Institute of Early American History and Culture, and he chaired the 2003-2004 Teaching Award Committee of the Ohio Academy of History.
Established by the secretary of the Treasury pursuant to an Act of Congress in 2003, the CCAC advises the secretary on theme and design proposals relating to circulating coinage, bullion coinage, congressional gold medals and national and other medals produced by the U.S. Mint.
The CCAC also makes commemorative coin recommendations to the secretary and advises on the events, persons, or places to be commemorated, as well as on the mintage levels and proposed designs. The CCAC submits an annual report to Congress and the secretary describing its activities and providing recommendations.
The congressional leadership recommends candidates for four of the CCAC member positions to the secretary of the Treasury. The secretary, who exercised direction and authority over the CCAC, fills seven additional positions through an open application process.
