NGC Gives Nod to Donna Weaver with Signature Label

Donna Weaver, sculptor of the Return to Monticello nickel obverse (used 2016 to present) and designer of the 2020 Basketball Hall of Fame commemorative coin common reverse, is signing certification labels exclusively for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), the firm announced Feb. 19.

The NGC Donna Weaver Signature Label will complement the 2020-W proof nickel that will be included in the Mint’s 2020 proof set that went on sale Feb. 27. This is the first nickel ever struck at the West Point mint and features its famous “W” mintmark on the obverse below the date.

NGC has also designed a Donna Weaver Signature Label for the 2020 Basketball Hall of Fame commemorative coins. Weaver’s dynamic depiction of a basketball passing through the net graces the reverse of these coins. Images of the label will be announced closer to the coins’ April 4 release, NGC said.

Coins certified with the NGC Donna Weaver Signature Labels will be made available to the public through select retailers.

Weaver is a prolific U.S. coin designer and sculptor. From 2000 to 2006, she served as a medallic artist at the Philadelphia Mint, and her designs were selected for use on more than 30 coins and medals. From there, she became a member of the U.S. Mint’s Artistic Infusion Program (AIP). As an AIP artist, she has designed more than 50 coins and medals.

Besides the newest Jefferson nickel obverse and the 2020 Basketball Hall of Fame reverse, Weaver’s body of work includes the 2019 American Liberty High Relief gold coin and silver medal reverse as well as the 2018 American Innovation dollar reverse. She has also designed six reverses in the America the Beautiful quarter program.

Weaver is known for her skill in the art of miniature bas-relief wax portraiture, which was particularly popular in the U.S. from the mid-18th century to the 19th century. Her technique is on display in the detail achieved in Jefferson’s portrait on the 2020-W proof nickel.

“I enjoy the challenges of coin design and sculpture and working with the necessary limitations of the minting process itself,” said Weaver. “It is always rewarding. Additionally, when you put it in perspective, these small works of art reach an exponentially large number of people.”

“Through the signature labels program, NGC is proud to offer a personal connection to the artists who create the coins that we collect,” said Mark Salzberg, NGC chairman and grading finalizer. “Donna Weaver is a prolific numismatic designer and sculptor, and we are honored to have someone of her stature autograph NGC certification labels.”

Weaver joins a roster of numismatic luminaries who sign NGC certification labels. To learn more about the NGC Authentic Hand-Signed Labels program, go to NGCcoin.com/signaturelabels.