Accession Number: C.2016.158.1
Dimensions: 2 in diameter
Dimensions (Metric): 5.08 cm diameter
Credit Line: Gift of Paula, Nicholas and Diana Cohen
Description
Challenge coin with the front featuring the American flag and the flag of New York City above the New York, City Hall building. Embossed text around the border of the coin reads: "In Memory of Ronald 'Ronny' Cohen 1976–2014." The obverse of the coin features a deer head, a badge with four stars for the Deputy Commissioner in the Mayor’s Office, and a medallion specific to the Columbia Association, a fraternal organization within the NYC Sanitation Department. Embossed text on this side reads: "Service - Dedication - Compassion - Integrity - Loyalty."
Historical Notes
Longtime New York City official Ronald “Ronny” Cohen, who worked for months at Ground Zero and Fresh Kills Landfill after 9/11, died of brain cancer in 2014. A deputy commissioner and senior adviser in the Office of the Mayor, Cohen was 47 years old. After his death, his teenaged son was inspired to design a coin with emblems and words that illustrate his father’s life. Two hundred fifty of the coins were minted and distributed to Ronny’s friends and colleagues.