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FRANK GASPARRO - He had quite a career - He died 20 years ago today

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The E-Sylum: Volume 4, Number 42, October 14, 2001, Article 3

FRANK GASPARRO DIES

Dick Johnson wrote the following obituary of the late Chief
Engraver Frank Gasparro for the American Medallic Sculpture
Association. It is published here with permission:

Frank Gasparro, who held America's highest office for
creating coins and medals died September 29, 2001. He was
92 years old and remained active, teaching a recent class at
Philadelphia's Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial, as he had
done for 47 years.

Famous for creating America's coin that Americans came to
hate, the Susan B. Anthony dollar in 1979, he was also the
artist who redesigned the reverse of the Lincoln cent on its 50th
anniversary, in 1959. This occurred during his own 50th year
and the 150th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln.
His FG initials appear on his Lincoln Monument reverse struck
on billions of cents.

At the other extreme he was the medallic artist for the coin of
greatest denomination struck in America, a 1987 Bahamas
$2,500 gold coin bearing Columbus and Isabella for Franklin
Mint.

As Chief Engraver at the U.S. Mint he created eight circulating
coins (all or part) and four commemorative coins (both sides,
or he did the obverse with the reverse by another artist). He
also produced the models for coins of Guatemala, Cuba,
Philippines struck at the Philadelphia Mint, and Panama proof
coins struck by Franklin Mint.

His medallic work included five presidential medals for President
Eisenhower through Carter, 19 Assay medals, nine Secretaries
of the Treasury, three portraits of his immediate superiors -- all
women -- Directors of the Mint, two military decorations and,
privately, two American Numismatic Association badges.

And it will be near impossible for any American sculptor to top
the value of one of his medals -- the official 1976 Nation's
Bicentennial Medal, one variety of which was struck in 13.18
troy ounces of solid gold selling today for the equivalent of a
small car!

Frank Gasparro will be listed in the new directory of American
coin and medal artists being compiled by AMSA member
Dick Johnson. "Frank's entry contains 488 lines," states the
compiler, "he had approved the entry and wrote me two weeks
ago. It is sad he died when he was such a productive medallist,"
he said, "but his memory lives on as his medallic works will
exist for thousands of years!"

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