KNEASS, William (1780-1840) Early American engraver,
diesinker, Chief Engraver, Philadelphia Mint, 1824-1840.
Born Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 25 September 1780.
He studied in Philadlelphia and went into business
there in 1804, a partner in Kneass & Delleker, with
George Delleker, and, in 1817, Kneass, Young and
Co, with James H. Young. Founder Franklin Institute,
1824. Engraved plates of famous people, city views.
Appointed U.S. Mint engraver 29 January 1824 and
served in this capactity until his death. His engraved
dies all struck at the Philadelphia Mint.
Died Philadelphia, 27 August 1840.
C O I N S
1831 Half Cent (by Kneass after John Reich) . Breen 1569-1578
1835 Liberty Head Large Cent (by Kneass and Christian
Gobrecht, after Robert Scot) . . . . . . Breen 1862-1873
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime (by Kneass after John
Reich) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 2982-3006
1828 Capped Bust Dime (by Kneass after John
Reich) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 3181-3215
1831 Capped Bust Quarter Dollar (by Kneass after John
Reich) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 3915-3934
1824 Capped Bust Half Dollar (by Kneass after John Reich,
Reich) [1824-1835] . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 4653-4718
"801-1804" Silver Dollars (Kneass after Scot)Breen 5403-5408
1829 Capped Head Quarter Eagle Gold (by Kneass from model
by Luigi Persico, after Robert Scot and
John Reich). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 6132-6137
1834 Classic Head Quarter Eagle Gold (by Kneass
after John Reich). . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 6138-6153
1829 Capped Head Half Eagle Gold (by Kneass from model
by Luigi Persico, after Robert Scot and
John Reich). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 6490-6500
1834 Classic Head Half Eagle Gold (by Kneass,
after John Reich). . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 6501-6518
M E D A L S
1825 Latrobe (John H.B.) West Point Medal (attributed
to Kneass by Cory Gillilland) . . . . . . . . . .Julian PE-18
Illustrated: P4 {1989} TAMS Journal 29:5 (October) p 161
1831ca Union College Prize Medal (the same head of
Minerva appears on Columbia College Medal, SC-18,
Julian attributes this medal to Kneass, but same design
was engraved by James Bale, q.v.)[dates/issue 1831-?] . .
Collection: Princeton Library Vermeule (NC000) . . . 122
Exhibited: Utah Museum of Fine Arts (1991) . . . . . 122
1831 Columbia College of New York Prize Medal [dates/issued:
1831-37] (see replica below) . . . . . . . Julian SC-18
Auctions:. . . . . . BMP 2:5463-5464; PCA 65:1688-1689,
PCA 70:643
1861 Washington (George) Time Increases His Fame Medal (obv
by Kneass, rev by Anthony Paquet). . . . . . . Baker 91,
Julian PR-27
Auctions:. . . . . BMP 2:5615; CAL 29:785, CAL 32:1901,
CAL 35:905; J&J 8:235-239, J&J 10:1147, J&J 25:312;
NAS 22:1871; PCA 44:380, PCA 45:387, PCA 45:1743,
PCA 46:855, PCA 47:1532-1533, PCA 48:1114-1115,
PCA 55:889, PCA 57:1688, PCA 58:1158, PCA 59:1882,
PCA 60:1015, PCA 61:865, PCA 65:1257, PCA 66:898,
PCA 68:441, PCA 68:1560-1561, PCA 69:1229,
PCA 69:1640,PCA 72:1724, PCA 74:1772, PCA 80:1531,
PCA 81L1104
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1]. 0000.999.39126
Collection: Newark Museum New Jersey . . . . 25.1397.177
R E P L I C A S & R E S T R I K E S
1839 Columbia College of New York Prize Medal [dates/issue:
1839-42] (originally engraved by U.S. Mint engraver Kneass;
this engraved by James Bale after Kneass and
struck ouside U.S. Mint) . . . . . . . . . . (type of Julian SC-18)
Auctions:. . . . . J&J 24:367; PCA 58:1690, PCA 65:1690,
PCA 71:1265
A R C H I V E S
AAA Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 2 items (on 1 frame) in reel 24.
B I O G R A P H I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
Px {1840} Philadelphia Public Ledger (29 Aug 1840) 2:5.
E1 {1883} DuBois, p 13.
D8 {1926} Fielding, p 203, 485.
E7 {1940} Boyd, 484.
BDAB{1946} Dictionary of American Biography, 5:2, p 456-457 by J.J. [Joseph Jackson].
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 373.
BH {1963} Who Was Who, p 287.
D33 {1986} Opitz, p 498.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 2:1871.
D3a {2006} Benezit.Dictionary of Artists, p 7:1354 (born 1781).
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
N3 {1888} Evans
E3 {1902-30} Forrer 3:183-184.
E8 {1951} Kenney, p 14.
A15 {1971} Vermeule, p 42-44.
M37 {1977} Julian PR-27, p 100; PE-16 213; SC-18 266.
E13 {1978} Amos, p 209-211.
Px {1978} Price (Helen) Mint Engravers–Unsung Heroes; The Men and Their Coins.
Paramount Journal 5:3 (Fall 1978) p 28-30.
E17 {1983} Pessolano-Filos, p 65-66.
S48 {1985} Rulau and Fuld (Baker) 91, p 73.
O12 {1988} Breen 1569-1578 171-173; 1862-1873 209-210; 2982-3006 280-283; 3181-
3215 305-308; 3915-3934 343-345; 4653-4718 380, 386-389; 5403-5408 430-433; 6132-6153 488-493;
6490-6518 524-529; 169, 199, 202, 340, 390, 393, 519, 521, 536, 548.
P4 {1989} Gillilland (Cory) A Medal from the Alma Mater TAMS Journal 29:5 (October) pp 161-167.
N31 {1992} Smith. American Numismatic Biographies, p 136.
P2 {1993} LaMarre (Thomas S.) Classic Gold is Always a Hit. The Numismatist
106:11 (November 1993) p 1597-1598.
N33 {1998} Bowers, p 36.
N36 {2002} Bowers, More Adventures, p 151-160 (1804 silver dollar).
diesinker, Chief Engraver, Philadelphia Mint, 1824-1840.
Born Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 25 September 1780.
He studied in Philadlelphia and went into business
there in 1804, a partner in Kneass & Delleker, with
George Delleker, and, in 1817, Kneass, Young and
Co, with James H. Young. Founder Franklin Institute,
1824. Engraved plates of famous people, city views.
Appointed U.S. Mint engraver 29 January 1824 and
served in this capactity until his death. His engraved
dies all struck at the Philadelphia Mint.
Died Philadelphia, 27 August 1840.
C O I N S
1831 Half Cent (by Kneass after John Reich) . Breen 1569-1578
1835 Liberty Head Large Cent (by Kneass and Christian
Gobrecht, after Robert Scot) . . . . . . Breen 1862-1873
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime (by Kneass after John
Reich) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 2982-3006
1828 Capped Bust Dime (by Kneass after John
Reich) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 3181-3215
1831 Capped Bust Quarter Dollar (by Kneass after John
Reich) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 3915-3934
1824 Capped Bust Half Dollar (by Kneass after John Reich,
Reich) [1824-1835] . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 4653-4718
"801-1804" Silver Dollars (Kneass after Scot)Breen 5403-5408
1829 Capped Head Quarter Eagle Gold (by Kneass from model
by Luigi Persico, after Robert Scot and
John Reich). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 6132-6137
1834 Classic Head Quarter Eagle Gold (by Kneass
after John Reich). . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 6138-6153
1829 Capped Head Half Eagle Gold (by Kneass from model
by Luigi Persico, after Robert Scot and
John Reich). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 6490-6500
1834 Classic Head Half Eagle Gold (by Kneass,
after John Reich). . . . . . . . . . . . Breen 6501-6518
M E D A L S
1825 Latrobe (John H.B.) West Point Medal (attributed
to Kneass by Cory Gillilland) . . . . . . . . . .Julian PE-18
Illustrated: P4 {1989} TAMS Journal 29:5 (October) p 161
1831ca Union College Prize Medal (the same head of
Minerva appears on Columbia College Medal, SC-18,
Julian attributes this medal to Kneass, but same design
was engraved by James Bale, q.v.)[dates/issue 1831-?] . .
Collection: Princeton Library Vermeule (NC000) . . . 122
Exhibited: Utah Museum of Fine Arts (1991) . . . . . 122
1831 Columbia College of New York Prize Medal [dates/issued:
1831-37] (see replica below) . . . . . . . Julian SC-18
Auctions:. . . . . . BMP 2:5463-5464; PCA 65:1688-1689,
PCA 70:643
1861 Washington (George) Time Increases His Fame Medal (obv
by Kneass, rev by Anthony Paquet). . . . . . . Baker 91,
Julian PR-27
Auctions:. . . . . BMP 2:5615; CAL 29:785, CAL 32:1901,
CAL 35:905; J&J 8:235-239, J&J 10:1147, J&J 25:312;
NAS 22:1871; PCA 44:380, PCA 45:387, PCA 45:1743,
PCA 46:855, PCA 47:1532-1533, PCA 48:1114-1115,
PCA 55:889, PCA 57:1688, PCA 58:1158, PCA 59:1882,
PCA 60:1015, PCA 61:865, PCA 65:1257, PCA 66:898,
PCA 68:441, PCA 68:1560-1561, PCA 69:1229,
PCA 69:1640,PCA 72:1724, PCA 74:1772, PCA 80:1531,
PCA 81L1104
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1]. 0000.999.39126
Collection: Newark Museum New Jersey . . . . 25.1397.177
R E P L I C A S & R E S T R I K E S
1839 Columbia College of New York Prize Medal [dates/issue:
1839-42] (originally engraved by U.S. Mint engraver Kneass;
this engraved by James Bale after Kneass and
struck ouside U.S. Mint) . . . . . . . . . . (type of Julian SC-18)
Auctions:. . . . . J&J 24:367; PCA 58:1690, PCA 65:1690,
PCA 71:1265
A R C H I V E S
AAA Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 2 items (on 1 frame) in reel 24.
B I O G R A P H I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
Px {1840} Philadelphia Public Ledger (29 Aug 1840) 2:5.
E1 {1883} DuBois, p 13.
D8 {1926} Fielding, p 203, 485.
E7 {1940} Boyd, 484.
BDAB{1946} Dictionary of American Biography, 5:2, p 456-457 by J.J. [Joseph Jackson].
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 373.
BH {1963} Who Was Who, p 287.
D33 {1986} Opitz, p 498.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 2:1871.
D3a {2006} Benezit.Dictionary of Artists, p 7:1354 (born 1781).
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
N3 {1888} Evans
E3 {1902-30} Forrer 3:183-184.
E8 {1951} Kenney, p 14.
A15 {1971} Vermeule, p 42-44.
M37 {1977} Julian PR-27, p 100; PE-16 213; SC-18 266.
E13 {1978} Amos, p 209-211.
Px {1978} Price (Helen) Mint Engravers–Unsung Heroes; The Men and Their Coins.
Paramount Journal 5:3 (Fall 1978) p 28-30.
E17 {1983} Pessolano-Filos, p 65-66.
S48 {1985} Rulau and Fuld (Baker) 91, p 73.
O12 {1988} Breen 1569-1578 171-173; 1862-1873 209-210; 2982-3006 280-283; 3181-
3215 305-308; 3915-3934 343-345; 4653-4718 380, 386-389; 5403-5408 430-433; 6132-6153 488-493;
6490-6518 524-529; 169, 199, 202, 340, 390, 393, 519, 521, 536, 548.
P4 {1989} Gillilland (Cory) A Medal from the Alma Mater TAMS Journal 29:5 (October) pp 161-167.
N31 {1992} Smith. American Numismatic Biographies, p 136.
P2 {1993} LaMarre (Thomas S.) Classic Gold is Always a Hit. The Numismatist
106:11 (November 1993) p 1597-1598.
N33 {1998} Bowers, p 36.
N36 {2002} Bowers, More Adventures, p 151-160 (1804 silver dollar).