VINCZE, PAUL

VINCZE, PAUL (1907–1994), medalist. Vincze was born in Hungary, and settled in England, where he rapidly earned a reputation as having a classical gift of portraiture, which was balanced by allegorical reverses on his medals. His talent was   also expressed in coins; he designed some of the new currency for Ghana, Libya, Nigeria, Malawi, and Guinea. Vincze has struck some of the finest Jewish commemoratives in modern times, including the 300th Anniversary of the Jewish Resettlement in Great Britain (1956). He executed medals for the private Israeli mint, Isnumat, and for the government of Israel. Examples of strikings he did for the former are the John F. Kennedy Memorial and the Visit of Pope Paul VI to the Holy Land. Examples of his work for the Israeli government are the 1966 Commemorative for Edmond and James de Rothschild and the 1967 Jubilee of the Balfour Declaration. Vincze executed several medals of distinguished Jews such as Ben-Gurion, Lord Samuel, and Yehudi Menuhin. Just before his death he designed the monetary coins of Malawi. (Daniel M. Friedenberg)