Recovering Sawhill

Upon his death in 1976, Dr. John Sawhill willed his life’s possessions to the James Madison University Foundation. His collection of 1,300 ancient Roman and Greek coins was eventually sold in a landmark 1979 auction which included many coins owned by President John Quincy Adams and his descendants. Over 400 coins remain within the Madison Art Collection.

The Recovering Sawhill Project honors the legacy of Drs. John and Bessie Sawhill by utilizing the remaining collection to conduct modern numismatic research in provenance recovery, support undergraduate museum internships, and utilize 3D modeling techniques to facilitate exhibits and outreach.

Please browse this site to learn about our current work and how you might contribute. The project is a joint effort of the JMU COIN Research Group and Madison Art Collection. Site maintained by the Curator of Coins.