William Kneass

William Kneass
Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint
In office
January 29, 1824 – August 27, 1840
PresidentJohn Quincy Adams
Andrew Jackson
Martin Van Buren
Preceded byRobert Scot
Succeeded byChristian Gobrecht
Personal details
BornSeptember 25, 1780
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, US
DiedAugust 27, 1840(1840-08-27) (aged 59)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
SpouseMary Turner Honeyman Kneass
ChildrenSamuel Honeyman
Strickland Kneass
4 others
Occupationengraver

William Kneass (/ˈns/ "niece"; September 25, 1780 – August 27, 1840) was the second Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1824 until his death in 1840. Kneass is credited with designing the "Classic Head" motif, which appeared on numerous denominations of American currency, including the gold quarter eagle ($2.50) and half eagle ($5.00) gold pieces from 1834 to 1839. He also modified John Reich's "Capped Bust" design for use on the half dime through half-dollar from 1829 to 1837.