Jamie Franki is an Emeritus Associate Professor of Illustration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he coordinated the Illustration program in their Department of Art and Art History. In addition to his thirty-five years in academia, he also served as a contract artist in the inaugural group of selectees in United States Mint’s Artistic Infusion Program.

In 2005, his American Bison Nickel reverse design was selected for a six-month minting. This Nickel was awarded a “COTY” (Krause Publications Coin of the Year Award) as the Most Popular Coin of 2005. In January of 2006, his Jefferson 1800 Nickel obverse design began its long-term run gracing America’s new and historic forward-facing circulating coin, with well over twenty billion strikes in circulation thus far.

In 2008, Franki won a national competition to design the Order of IKKOS Medallion, the United States Olympic Committee’s perpetual honor society award medal for Team USA Olympic and Paralympic coaches. 

He is a member of the American Medallic Sculpture Association and an honorary lifetime member of the Charlotte Coin Club. Franki has enjoyed a long consultative relationship with the American Numismatic Association, for whom he has designed and sculpted numerous medals for their World’s Fair of Money and National Money Show conventions.