Michael Rizzello, Coin Designer

Started by <k>, April 19, 2011, 08:17:42 PM

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<k>



Of Italian parentage, Michael Gaspard Rizzello was born in London in 1926 and educated at the Oratory Central Boys' School, Chelsea. After military service in India and the Far East (1944-8), he studied at the Royal College of Art, where he won both the Drawing Prize and the Major Travelling Scholarship in Sculpture, which enabled him to study in France and Italy. In 1951 he was awarded the Prix de Rome for sculpture.

Rizzello then set up his studio in Hampstead, north London. Finding commissions hard to come by in austerity Britain, he began his career by making wax heads for Madame Tussauds. His first major commission was a full-size likeness of Lloyd George in bronze, which was unveiled in 1960 and stands in Cardiff's Cathay's park. From then on his order book was never empty. His portrait bust of Sir Thomas Beecham stands in London's Royal Opera House.

He then won commissions from the Royal Mint to make portraits for coins and medals, which was to remain an important part of his work for the rest of his life.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#1
Sierra Leone--1964 set.jpg

Mr Rizzello designed the Sierra Leone circulation set released in 1964.


See also: 

The coinage of modern Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone: alternative designs.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#2
Ghana 2½  pesewas 1967.jpg

Mr Rizzello designed some of Ghana's circulation coins of 1967, depicting cocoa beans.


For some related but unreleased designs, see also: More Mystery Coin Designs.

See also: Ghana's modern coinage.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#3
Also in 1967, Mr Rizzello designed circulation coins for the Congo Democratic Republic.

See also:

1] The Congolese Republic: Unadopted coin designs from the Royal Mint

2] Zaire, and the many faces of Mobutu.







Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#4


Mr Rizzello created the reverse designs for the Gambia's first independent coinage, dated 1966.

Mr Rizzello's mischievous crocodile is among my favourite modern designs.

See: Coinage of the Gambia.


See also: The Final Mystery Design Quiz! for some unreleased designs by Mr Rizzello.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#5


In 1971, the Gambia switched to a decimal currency, in which one dalasi was equal to 100 bututs. Modified versions of the predecimal designs were arranged by Mr Rizzello, which were transferred to the new coins. He also designed the obverse portrait of President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara.




Michael Rizzello produced a portrait of the President in scout uniform for the 1983 250 dalasis Year of the Scout coin.


See: Coinage of the Gambia.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#6
In 1977, Mr Rizzello designed three collector coins on a conservation theme for the Gambia: 20 dalasis, featuring a spur-winged goose; 40 dalasis, depicting an aardvark; and a gold 500 dalasis coin portraying a sitatunga antelope.








Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#7
In 1970, Bermuda released a circulation coin set whose reverse designs were created by Mr Rizzello.





1c.     Wild boar.
5c.     Queen angel fish.
10c.    Bermuda lily.
25c.    White-tailed tropic bird.
50c.    Coat of arms.

See also:

Modern coinage of Bermuda.

Bermuda Variations, 1970.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#8
1970 also saw the release of a series of Food and Agricultural Organisation-themed coins for various Caribbean states: Antigua; Barbados; Dominica; Grenada; Montserrat; St Lucia; St Vincent; and a joint issue for St Christopher-Nevis and Anguilla. These were all designed by Mr Rizzello, and some of them can be seen below.

See also: Trinidad & Tobago: FAO One Dollar Proto-Sketches .





Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#9
1973 saw the release of two aluminium circulation coins for the Yemen People's Republic.

Their reverses were designed by Mr Rizzello:

2½ fils. Cotton plant.      
5  fils.  Lobster.   







See: The Yemen People's Democratic Republic
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#10



1c.  Pineapple with sheaf of leaves.
2c.  Four pine trees.
5c.  Arum lily.
10c.  Sugar cane.
20c.  Elephant's head.
50c.  Coat of arms.
1L.  One lilangeni.  Woman and child.

Common obverse: King Sobhuza II.

See: Swaziland's coins.


In 1974 Swaziland released its first circulation coinage.

Both obverse and reverse designs were the work of Mr Rizzello.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#11









1c.   Swallow-tailed kite.
5c.   Fork-tailed flycatcher.
10c.  Long-tailed hermit bird.
25c.  Blue-crowned motmot.
50c.  Magnificent frigate bird.
$1.   Scarlet macaw.
$5.   Keel-billed toucan.
$10.  Great curassow.

Common obverse: Coat of arms.


The cent and the dollar from this set can be seen above.

Also in 1974, the Franklin Mint released a set of collector coins for Belize.

The lower denominations look as though they belong to a circulation set.

However, none of them ever circulated.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#12



In 1976 the newly independent Seychelles released a new series of coins depicting wildlife.

The reverses were created by artist Suzanne Danielli.

The obverse portrait of President James Mancham was by Mr Rizzello.

In June 1977, President Mancham was deposed in a coup by Prime Minister France-Albert René.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#13


Also in 1976, Liberia released a 50 cent coin and a dollar coin.

Both carried Mr Rizzello's portrait of President W R Tolbert Junior.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

eurocoin

#14


Uruguay, 10 Pesos, 1961. 150th anniversary of the uprising of 1811.