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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.
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
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.
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.
