Heraldic Art Medals

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Heraldic Art Medals

Created by Robert T. McNamara 

 

Very little known about Robert T. McNamara
Most of what we know is from Gino Sanfilippo's
TAMs paper from February 1997.

Quoted from "zoins" a collectors universe PCGS forum member writes:

This is a wonderful set and really has a great place is numismatic history. Robert T. "Bob" McNamara put together an amazing set. I think his designs are wonderful and it's amazing that he did the sculpting himself with no formal training.

Some good history on Bob McNamara has been put together by D.A. Smith and Gino Sanfilippo. Don A. Smith acquired an amazing collection of material in the goal of connecting with his father, as his father was a Heraldic Art.

 

Gino Sanfilippo which is a member of the Westerne Reserve Numismatic Club wrote:

With no formal training. Bob designed all the artwork and sculpted all but a few of the medallions himself (the only piece I'm sure he didn't sculpt is the Eisenhower "occasional piece," which is the work of Paul Vincze). He was meticulous in detail as well as in his research into the historical events depicted by his medallions. His idea was to create a continuation of commemorative half dollar size medallions similar to the United States commemorative coin series, which had ended in 1952. In 1961 the American Numismatic Association bestowed upon Bob the prestigious Edward T. Newall award. His most famous work to date is the 1971 W.R.N.C. counterstamp on 1956 Great Lakes Commemorative Half Dollars. This counterstamp, created for the fiftieth anniversary of the W.R.N.C., featured Moses Cleveland. Only 25 pieces were struck.

 

Western Reserve Cleveland obverse

Example of the W.R.N.C Counterstamp 

 

First Coin Press in Basement Designed by Mr. McNamara and Built by Neighbor

Second Press At McNamerra

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

     

 

                 Photo Taken from internet archive                                                               Photo Taken from internet archive

 First Press designed by McNamera and built by his neighbor                                 Second Press owned by McNamera                                                     

 

Being a private mint. Bob also struck many tokens and medals for businesses and organizations. At one time there were three different presses being used. All of the "so called half dollars" were struck on a 1940s vintage converted hydraulic press which he purchased from Germany. It was a double arm, 150 ton swing screw press. This main press was recently sold to the Gallery Mint of Arkansas. It has been completely reconditioned and is again being used to strike more beautiful collectors' items.

 

All medallion planchets were supplied by Handy & Harmon and were half dollar diameter. They differed only in thickness. All pieces were struck in sterling silver and the first seven regular issues were also struck in 22 karat gold. Gold issues weighed 25.2 grams (389 grains). He explainsthat he has owned an American Bicentennial medallion struck over a South African Krugerrand; the undertype could clearly be seen. There were supposed to be a total of three test pieces struck.

 

1959 Alaske 2nd Piwcw in the lot Heraldic Art Medal Thin

                                                                     1959 Alaska Admitted to The Union                                    

 

 

An article by Don A. Smith:

https://www.coinworld.com/news/precious-metals/collector-keeps-fathers-legacy-alive-with-heraldic-art-medals.html

 

Taken from the link above CoinWorld had a short interview with D.A. Smith

Collector keeps father’s legacy alive with Heraldic Art Medals

 D.A. Smith is a collector and researcher from Moorseburg, Tenn., with an unbridled passion for the prolific medallic art portfolio of Cleveland collector and medalist Robert McNamara. He can be reached via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

My interest in the late Robert McNamara of the Heraldic Art Medals Co. began in 2010 with the passing of my father. He was one of Robert’s original subscribers in the company’s Heraldic Art Medals mail-order program. When going through my father’s collection I found 61 of these medals, which I had never seen before.

They piqued my interest and so as a result it has been a four-and-a-half-year search for knowledge about Robert McNamara as well as an attempt to collect samples of all his works. It has been a very rewarding experience. The more I researched and learned, the more interested I became in both the man and his achievements. I just wish my father could see the collection I have assembled in his honor.

After I began my research my goal became that of both honoring my father’s memory and preserving the memory of McNamara and his work. When I started my quest there was very little information available anywhere, including the Internet, and I actually had no idea at the time of what I was getting into in my quest for a “complete collection” of Robert’s works or what that really meant. I found a lot of questions but no answers in the beginning of my search. 

Over the last four and a half years, I have literally spent hundreds if not thousands of hours searching the internet, making trips to Cleveland, Ohio, where Robert lived, and searching for people who could share information about him. 

In my travels, I attended many coin shows as I had hopes of acquiring medals that I didn’t yet have. I was fortunate to be able to meet people who knew Robert and his family personally, and learned a lot from those trips. As a result I wanted to share what I had learned with others and started my own website (www.heraldicartmedallions.com) to share that information for those who were also searching. I hope to update and add more information to that site in the very near future.

My time and efforts have paid off richly and I feel extremely lucky to have been able to assemble both the collection of medals that I have and the documents and library of articles and advertisements that I have. 

Once I got interested in Heraldic Art Medals, I wanted to know as much about Robert McNamara and his works as possible. It’s a desire that still exists today as my search continues. 

I will say that based on my research, Robert McNamara is definitely a person worthy of taking his place in the pages of numismatic history and of not only being remembered, but having his works of art preserved for future generations to be able to enjoy.

 

All the above medals and the other images on this page are owned by CoinsAreFun. Please do not copy anything here without asking permission.

 

 


 

Western Reserve Cleveland obverse                                                                                                                     

 

 

 

Now that we have a short background on the creator of Heraldic Art Medals I thought to start off with three of the rarest medals created by McNamera. They are special coin club medals in and around the Cleveland area.

This is what attracted me to his medals or as some call them "So Called Half Dollars". I'm originaly from Cleveland,

growing up and going to grade school in Warrensville Heights happens to be one of the rarest of the all.

1961Warrensville Heights Coin Club NGC MS68    

Extremely rare and only a few made this year. And was only made for 3-4 years but this is the only one with the reverse of Cleveland. Growing up and going to grade school in Warrensville Heights, this is a special treat for me.  

1961 Warrensville Heights Coin Club NGC MS68

  Taken from the Western Reserve Numismatic Club website

The WESTERN RESERVE NUMISMATIC CLUB, an organization of coin collectors, was established 9 Nov. 1921 by 6 numismatists, meeting at Weber's Restaurant in downtown Cleveland. It was the third club ever to register with the American Numismatic Association. Moses Marcusson, the club's first president, served until 1924. He was succeeded by WALLACE CATHCART, another founder of the club; he served until 1927. Several prominent Clevelanders and noted numismatists belonged were members of the club, including Michael Kolman, Jr., founder of the Federal Coin Exchange, and Leon Lindheim, who wrote a column on coins for the PLAIN DEALER. The club hosted 4 American Numismatic Assn. national conventions in Cleveland, in 1924, 1934, 1954, and 1964. The 1954 meeting was the largest ever held up to that time. The club has met every year since its founding, and 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the organization. The club has been the parent organization of at least 2 other coin collecting clubs.

 

 1971 Western Reserve Numismatic Club PCGS MS68 Coin 

western reserve numismatic club pcgs ms68

 Quote from D. Smith

THIS ONE WAS RECENTLY DESCRIBED IN AN ARTICLE IN THE TOKEN AND MEDAL SOCIETY JOURNAL AS VIRTUALLY UNOBTAINABLE. IT'S THE ONLY MEDAL MADE FOR ANYONE OTHER THAN A FEW COIN CLUBS. IT WAS MADE AND SOLD AS A FUND RAISER FOR THE OLDE NORTHFIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN NORTHFIELD, OHIO AND IS ONE OF THE RAREST MEDALS MADE BY ROBERT McNAMARA.

 Robert McNamara began making medals to fill the void created by the U.S. Mint ceasing production of the Commemorative Half Dollars in 1954. Robert produced 3 medals each year which were sold by mail order to collectors. There were also 7 medals made during those years that are referred to as "Special Issue" or "Occasional Medals". Those medals are larger, heavier and all were done with a "medal reverse" 
 
Robert wanted to make his medals so that half dollar collectors could use the preexisting coin albums and hard plastic display holders similar to today's Capitol Plastic holders  This medals made in 1959 were the same size and weight as the U.S. Half Dollar but done in sterling silver .925 fine silver verses U.S. coin Silver which was .900 fine. However due to U,S, Treasury intervention the Hawaii and St Lawrence Seaway medals were also done in a thicker variety weighing 262 grains instead on the 192 grains which half dollars weigh. This was done so the medals could not be used in vending machines and thus did no longer violate U,S, Anti-slug Laws.
 
In addition to the silver medals Robert also created the first 7 medals in gold. It was just recently discovered that there were others produced but remained unknown for many years. Also unknown to most Heraldic Art collectors is the fact that there are at least 5 medals made during the 1959 to 1978 period that were struck in error and have a 180 degree rotated reverse or "medal reverse" instead of the "coin reverse" as they were intended to be. The most common of these medals is the #28 New Orleans Medal. Far less were accidentally struck and released of the #15 New Jersey Medal. There were also only a very few of the #2 Hawaii Thick Medals with the rotated reverse. There is one more silver issue that there may have only been the one to be accidentally released. That one was discovered in the medals that Robert had in stock when the passed away. There are also at least two #5 Boy Scouts produced in gold with the rotated "medal reverses".  I am hoping to write a book on Robert McNamara and his works and I'm saving the identification of the last silver medal with a rotated reverse until then until then. 
 
Robert also did some counterstamped coins, silver bars and rounds that he gave away at coin club meetings to new members as well as coin club medals and a Bicentennial Medal for the Olde Northfield Historical Society in Cleveland. All these items are largely unknown by most collectors.

 

 

1976 SC50C Northfield Historical Society Ag Heraldic Art Medal PCGS MS68

 And rounding off all the club medals of where I grew up is the
1976  Northfield Historical Society Ag Heraldic Art Medal PCGS MS68

 

 All the above medals and the other images on this page are owned by CoinsAreFun. Please do not copy anything here without asking permission.

 


 

 

Western Reserve Cleveland obverse