Medalist

Historically, medalists were typically also involved in producing their designs, and were usually either sculptors or goldsmiths by background.In modern times, medalists are mostly primarily sculptors of larger works, but in the past the number of medals and coins produced were sufficient to support specialists who spent most of their career producing them.[1] Artistic medals have been produced since the late Renaissance period, and, after some classical precedents and Late Medieval revivals, the form was essentially invented by Pisanello, who is credited with the first portrait medal, which has remained a very popular type.It was necessary to use a burin to engrave the designs directly into the die inverted (i.e. raised areas of finished coin were hollowed out on the die) and as a mirror image so that the finished coin appeared correct.In addition to their state contracts, medalists were also allowed to earn income through private commissions for medals.