John Reich - Assistant Engraver of the US Mint 1807 - 1817

Johann Matthias Reich, also known as John Reich, was a German-born American engraver. He was the assistant engraver of the United States Mint under Chief Engraver, Robert Scot.

Reich was born in Furth, Bavaria in 1768. His father, Johann Christian Reich, taught hi to engrave. He also assisted him in making medals. John Reich immigrated to Philadelphis in 1800. The following year President Thomas Jefferson recommended Reich be hired as an engraver for the Philadelphia Mint. Though he was unable to gain a full-time position of engraver, Reich was hired for other duties.

In 1807, Chief Engraver Robert Scot hired Reich as assistant engraver. Robert M. Patterson, the mint's director, then assigned Reich to redesigning most of the coins that were then in circulation. He replaced the Draped Bust design of Scot's with his own design, the Capped Bust. After ten years of no promotion or pay raise, as well as little praise from Robert Scot, Reich resigned from working at the mint. Afterward, he lived in Albany, New York until his death around 1833.

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