Coins, Currency, and Medals

The museum possesses one of the largest and most diverse numismatic collections in the world. Its diverse holdings represent every inhabited continent and span more than three millennia. The collection includes coins, paper money, medals, tokens, commodity and alternative currencies, coin dies, printing plates, scales and weights, financial documents and apparatuses, credit cards, and objects that reflect established and emerging digital monetary technologies worldwide.

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975-1990
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.093
accession number
2009.0005
catalog number
2009.0005.093
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975-1990
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.104
accession number
2009.0005
catalog number
2009.0005.104
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1958
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.010
catalog number
2009.0005.010
accession number
2009.0005
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1977
original artist
Gasparro, Frank
maker
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.027
catalog number
2009.0005.027
accession number
2009.0005
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975-1990
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.109
accession number
2009.0005
catalog number
2009.0005.109
The Gasparro Collection at the National Museum of American History demonstrates the artist's constant mental and tactile preoccupation with the next coin design. Many of his drawings illustrate allegorical figures.
Description (Brief)
The Gasparro Collection at the National Museum of American History demonstrates the artist's constant mental and tactile preoccupation with the next coin design. Many of his drawings illustrate allegorical figures. This quick design is labeled Victory "1776-1781."
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975-1990
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.091
accession number
2009.0005
catalog number
2009.0005.091
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975-1990
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.112
accession number
2009.0005
catalog number
2009.0005.112
In this page advertising coins, Frank Gasparro drew directly over images of the Peace and Morgan dollars to perfect his own prototype of Lady Liberty. The process of borrowing imagery in this manner to make your own designs was a 20th—century phenomenon.
Description (Brief)
In this page advertising coins, Frank Gasparro drew directly over images of the Peace and Morgan dollars to perfect his own prototype of Lady Liberty. The process of borrowing imagery in this manner to make your own designs was a 20th—century phenomenon. Only when reproductions and prints were cheap and easily available could this type of sampling be done.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1977
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.035
catalog number
2009.0005.035
accession number
2009.0005
Here Gasparro drew a view of Freedom from the bronze statue on the dome of the United States Capitol, originally designed by Thomas Crawford in 1863. Gasparro placed the allegorical figure into a mock-up for a new coin design.
Description (Brief)
Here Gasparro drew a view of Freedom from the bronze statue on the dome of the United States Capitol, originally designed by Thomas Crawford in 1863. Gasparro placed the allegorical figure into a mock-up for a new coin design. As the Mint chief engraver, he was always looking for new ways to use American iconography on coins. The large number of drawings that were preserved in many numismatic collections are evidence that Gasparro experimented and created many more designs for coins than were actually struck.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1965
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.020
catalog number
2009.0005.020
accession number
2009.0005
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1965-1990
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.056
accession number
2009.0005
catalog number
2009.0005.056
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1965-1990
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.046
catalog number
2009.0005.046
accession number
2009.0005
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1965-1990
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.058
accession number
2009.0005
catalog number
2009.0005.058
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1965-1990
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.060
accession number
2009.0005
catalog number
2009.0005.060
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1977
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.005
accession number
2009.0005
catalog number
2009.0005.005
Although Gasparro made many drawings of eagles for the reverse of the new dollar coin, the mint ultimately chose to use a reverse that was very similar to that on the 1971—1974 Dwight D. Eisenhower dollar (an adaptation of the Apollo II insignia,) for the Susan B.
Description (Brief)
Although Gasparro made many drawings of eagles for the reverse of the new dollar coin, the mint ultimately chose to use a reverse that was very similar to that on the 1971—1974 Dwight D. Eisenhower dollar (an adaptation of the Apollo II insignia,) for the Susan B. Anthony dollar.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1965-1990
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.043
catalog number
2009.0005.043
accession number
2009.0005
In this marker sketch, Frank Gasparro drew an allegorical figure resmbling Liberty. She wears earrings and a crown of skyscrapers topped by a cow. Here the artist shows off his deft hand and sense of play.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
In this marker sketch, Frank Gasparro drew an allegorical figure resmbling Liberty. She wears earrings and a crown of skyscrapers topped by a cow. Here the artist shows off his deft hand and sense of play.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975-1990
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.096
accession number
2009.0005
catalog number
2009.0005.096
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975-1990
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.110
accession number
2009.0005
catalog number
2009.0005.110
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1984
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.102
accession number
2009.0005
catalog number
2009.0005.102
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1960
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.007
catalog number
2009.0005.007
accession number
2009.0005
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975-1990
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.090
accession number
2009.0005
catalog number
2009.0005.090
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1965-1990
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.077
accession number
2009.0005
catalog number
2009.0005.077
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1977
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.004
catalog number
2009.0005.004
accession number
2009.0005
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975-1990
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.084
accession number
2009.0005
catalog number
2009.0005.084
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1970
artist
Gasparro, Frank
ID Number
2009.0005.019
catalog number
2009.0005.019
accession number
2009.0005

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