PCGS slabbing Western Reserve Numismatic Club (WRNC) counterstamps

Zoins

The WRNC counterstamps are now slabbed by PCGS. Just saw this current generation holder posted by @Tenhul1 in the BST. This is a Bastian Brothers piece which is a PCGS pop 1/0 now:

• Cert Verification: https://www.pcgs.com/cert/36226729
• CoinFacts: https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1941-medal-western-reserve-numismatic-club-ctsp-1936-cleveland-50c/683552

I have a few of the GMM Ron Landis pieces which I might try to send in.

Post any Western Reserve Numismatic Club pieces you have here!

Here's some more info on these from Verne Walrafen's GMMNut website:

keets

interesting to say the least. I have owned two 1941's graded MS66 by NGC and one 1971 they graded MS63. I currently own a raw 1941 probably grades AU55, perhaps I should have it encapsulated?? absent any other information I could just use the coin number from the OP slab.

keets

i just searched on that coin number in CoinFacts and it is listed, thanks for the heads-up on this one. i suppose I'll submit this week.

Zoins

@keets said:
interesting to say the least. I have owned two 1941's graded MS66 by NGC and one 1971 they graded MS63. I currently own a raw 1941 probably grades AU55, perhaps I should have it encapsulated?? absent any other information I could just use the coin number from the OP slab.

I know you’re a fan of these so I’m glad this helps. It would be great to see TrueViews for these!

The CoinFacts link was in the OP but harder to read because it was directly under the Cert Verification link. I’ve added those labels so hopefully it’s easier to find now!

coinkid855

Cool! Hey @Zoins please check your messages.

Zoins

Stephen is CONA President and gave a talk on the club's history last October.

This is from the club's October 2021 meeting:

Stephen Petty said:
The Topic will be the 100th Anniversary of the Western Reserve Numismatic Club (WRNC).

Despite official versions of how the third club on the ANA registry formed in 1938, 1941, 1946 and 1958 Constitutions and bylaws, a two-year effort researching the history of the WRNC found them all to be incorrect. An obscure Dec. 12, 1941 letter from a founding member detailed the origins of the club. My presentation will detail this solved mystery and other interesting facts regarding the history of our sister club to the north.

This history is reflected in a 2-year effort and publication regarding the history of the club just published by Stephen Petty and Gino Sanfilippo.

Source: http://conacoinclub.com/cona-october-2021/

And after the presentation:

Steve Petty gave a presentation on the 100th Anniversary of the Western Reserve Numismatic Club (WRNC). Steve unraveled the mystery of when the club was actually founded. (There were two competing versions) and discussed the club’s famous and extensive series of counterstamped coins. To mark significant dates in its history, the club has counterstamped numerous coins, including 1936 Cleveland commemorative half dollars. Steve noted that 1996 counterstamps marking the club’s 75th anniversary have gone for $750.

Source: http://conacoinclub.com/posts/

Zoins

There's now a reference book for these by Stephen Petty and Gino Sanfilippo!

Gino is a coin dealer from Brecksville. Ohio.

This is probably a must have book for some of us that love these counterstamped coins!

Aspie_Rocco

These are really cool, I stumbled across a few during online searches last night.

ZoidMeister

I know a guy who has a few of these highly prized numismatic items.

G

Zoins

@ZoidMeister said:
I know a guy who has a few of these highly prized numismatic items.

G

I know a few. The guy I know still needs to send his to PCGS!

ZoidMeister

@Zoins said:

@ZoidMeister said:
I know a guy who has a few of these highly prized numismatic items.

G

I know a few. The guy I know still needs to send his to PCGS!

.

Most would come back "DETAILS, DAMAGED" . . . .

Z

78saen

coinsarefun

@78saen said:

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Wow, that heraldic art medal looks like a proof. What does the reverse look like?

78saen

@coinsarefun said:

@78saen said:

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Wow, that heraldic art medal looks like a proof. What does the reverse look like?

It's the 1000 consecutive meetings medal

ZoidMeister

ZoidMeister

coinsarefun

@78saen said:

@coinsarefun said:

@78saen said:

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Wow, that heraldic art medal looks like a proof. What does the reverse look like?

It's the 1000 consecutive meetings medal

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I never knew they existed, thanks.

Zoins

@coinsarefun said:

@78saen said:

@coinsarefun said:

@78saen said:

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Wow, that heraldic art medal looks like a proof. What does the reverse look like?

It's the 1000 consecutive meetings medal

I never knew they existed, thanks.

I didn’t either. It’s amazing the things you learn on the forums!

I wonder if these are in the book!

Zoins

This article appears to not be listed on the ANA website anymore, though it's the first result in a recent Google search. Not sure if the link broken in a reorg.

Here's the info from the Google cache:

Golfer wrote on money.org:

Heraldic Art Medals by Robert McNamara

So-Called Half Dollars & Heraldic Art Medals
Wanted to write about the Heraldic Art Medals. I don't have the complete set as of yet. But wanted to post some pictures of non-graded pieces I have. I got interested in these last year and really enjoy them. The story behind them is really interesting. I have included a couple links if you wish to learn more. The pieces in the pictures are from 1963,1964,1968,1969,1971,1974. 18 pieces out of 60 regular pieces in the 60 piece regular set. Will try to post a part two version with some of my NGC graded pieces. You can go to the NGC site and see a nice registry set if you like. I have purchased a few pieces from a Mr C. Smith who is selling some of his extra pieces. Mr Smith has the finest NGC registry set or any set assembled of these medals.

These medals were struck from 1959 through 1978 to fill the void left when the US Mint ended the commemorative half dollar program in 1954. They were produced and mostly designed by Robert McNamara.The series consisted of 60 medals, issued sequentially at a rate of 3 per year for 20 years. To collectors, most of the medals are referred to by their medal number (I through LX -- 1 through 60). Most of the medals commemorate important events and persons in the history of the USA. In addition to the 60 regular issue medals, McNamara also released 7 special occasion medals. All of the medals were issued in "maximum mintages" of around 6,000 pieces.

https://archive.org/details/CONA2016MarHeraldicArtMedals/page/n5/mode/2up

https://coins.www.collectors-society.com/wcm/CoinCustomSetView.aspx?s=8230

Zoins

This deck by Stephen Petty is amazing! I ran across it again because I was looking up when Bob passed away to see if he could have made the 2004 medal for 1000 consecutive meetings. He was born on Feb 17, 1919 and passed away on November 19, 1995, so these medals were done by someone else. The silver content on the reverse is also something I've never seen him do.

https://archive.org/details/CONA2016MarHeraldicArtMedals/mode/1up

Here are some really interesting things about Bob McNamara from the Stephen Petty's presentation.

The Bob McNamara Collection of Greek Coins was sold to the Smithsonian via Dr. Vladimir Clain-Stefanelli, the Smithsonian's first curator for numismatics.

He was President of the Orders and Medals Society of America from 1972 to 1974, where he's listed as James T. McNamara. Why "James T."? Was he a fan of James Tiberius Kirk?

https://www.omsa.org/history-omsa/

The thick and thin silver and then limited run of gold were due to a visit from the FBI!

Zoins

Prices are certainly going up compared to what I'm used to seeing.

Zoins

@ZoidMeister Great 1971 Mexico 20 Centavos! I love that one!

ZoidMeister

100th Anniversary WRNC

ZoidMeister

Then there's the 75th / 100th Anniversary Double Counterstamp

Zoins

@ZoidMeister said:
Then there's the 75th / 100th Anniversary Double Counterstamp

I love this one! I seriously considered picking it up!

"mondostuff" indicated that 5 of these were struck so I need to hope another becomes available! mondostuff seems to have a lot of these and I've picked up several from him over the years so I have to imagine that he's either part of the WRNC or knows someone who is.

Zoins

Given that I posed the offer prices above, it's only fair to post the realized prices as well.

ZoidMeister

@Zoins said:

"mondostuff" indicated that 5 of these were struck so I need to hope another becomes available! mondostuffj seems to have a lot of these and I've picked up several from him over the years so I have to imagine that he's either part of the WRNC or knows someone who is.

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I suppose that would decrease the population of 1921 Morgans with only a single 75th Anniversary counterstamp by 5, right?

Z

Maywood

Over the weekend I mailed an Express submission to PCGS which included a 1936 Cleveland Commemorative Half-Dollar with a 1941 WRNC counterstamp and a 1921-S Morgan Dollar with a 1971 WRNC counterstamp. They are both borderline Mint State, I expect the 1941 to grade AU55 and the 1971 to grade AU58. When they grade and TrueView images post I'll add them to the thread.

coinsarefun

@Maywood said:
Over the weekend I mailed an Express submission to PCGS which included a 1936 Cleveland Commemorative Half-Dollar with a 1941 WRNC counterstamp and a 1921-S(Micro "S") Morgan Dollar with a 1971 WRNC counterstamp. They are both borderline Mint State, I expect the 1941 to grade AU55 and the 1971 to grade AU58. When they grade and TrueView images post I'll add them to the thread.

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Awesome. Can’t wait to see the trueviews!

ZoidMeister

@Maywood said:
Over the weekend I mailed an Express submission to PCGS which included a 1936 Cleveland Commemorative Half-Dollar with a 1941 WRNC counterstamp and a 1921-S(Micro "S") Morgan Dollar with a 1971 WRNC counterstamp. They are both borderline Mint State, I expect the 1941 to grade AU55 and the 1971 to grade AU58. When they grade and TrueView images post I'll add them to the thread.

@coinsarefun said:

@Maywood said:
Over the weekend I mailed an Express submission to PCGS which included a 1936 Cleveland Commemorative Half-Dollar with a 1941 WRNC counterstamp and a 1921-S(Micro "S") Morgan Dollar with a 1971 WRNC counterstamp. They are both borderline Mint State, I expect the 1941 to grade AU55 and the 1971 to grade AU58. When they grade and TrueView images post I'll add them to the thread.

.
Awesome. Can’t wait to see the trueviews!

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Agreed.

Z

Maywood

coinsarefun

Very nice early ones @Maywood

Zoins

Great to see these being slabbed by our hosts @Maywood! You have some great pieces! Thanks for sharing