NNP

Frank Gasparro

Biography

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In his early studies he was encouraged by Samuel S. Fleisher at the Graphic Sketch Club. He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and travelled and studied in Europe. Married Julia Florence Johnston November 11, 1939. They have one daughter.

Free lance sculptor 1932 to 1942. Gasparro was employed as a sculptor-engraver at the mint December 10, 1942. He served as assistant chief engraver 1962 to 1965. Appointed Chief Engraver of the U. S. Mint serving February 23, 1965, to January 16, 1981. In 1968 he received the ANA gold medal for Outstanding Numismatic Sculptor of the Year. In 1992 he received the ANA Medal of Merit.

During his time with the mint he designed many coins and medals:

Lincoln Memorial Cent reverse (1959- )

Kennedy Half reverse (1964- )

Eisenhower Dollar (1971- )

Susan B. Anthony Dollar (1979- )

Statue of Liberty commemorative (1986)*

Mount Rushmore Dollar reverse (1991)

U.S. Constellation 175th Anniversary (1972)

He designed these commemorative medals:

Federal Security Agency 1951

Coast Guard Commendation medal 1952

Department of Commerce medal 1952

Central Intelligence medal 1953

Nevada Silver Centennial medal 1959 (Turner 1)

Rush to the Rockies Centennial 1959 (Turner 2)

Pony Express Centennial medal 1960 (Turner 3)

Kansas Statehood Centennial 1961 (Turner 4)

West Virginia Centennial reverse 1963 (Turner 8)

Padre Junipero Serra 1963 (Turner 9)

Nevada Statehood Centennial 1964 (Turner 10)

Douglas MacArthur medal 1962 (Turner 11)

Federal Hall National Memorial (Turner 13)

American Museum of Immigration (Turner 14)

Castle Clinton National Monument (Turner 15)

American Numismatic Associatn 1964 (Turner 16)

ANA 75th Anniversary 1966

Ellis Island National Shrine 1967 (Turner 20)

San Diego 200th Anniversary 1969 (Turner 22)

First Transcontinental Rail Route "Golden Spike" 1969 (Turner 23)

Winston Churchill obverse 1969 (Turner 27)

Jose Antonio Navarro obverse 1971 (Turner 35)

Gasparro designed these medals:

1949 Assay Commission reverse (AC 94)

1950 Assay Commission obverse (AC 95)

1951 Assay Commission reverse (AC 96)

1952 Assay Commission reverse (AC 97)

1963 Assay Commission reverse (AC 107)

1965 Assay Commission (AC 109)

1966 Assay Commission obverse (AC 110)

1967 Assay Commission obverse (AC 111)

1968 Assay Commission obverse (AC 112)

1969 Assay Commission obverse (AC 113)

1970 Assay Commission (AC 114)

1971 Assay Commission (AC 115)

1972 Assay Commission obverse (AC 116)

1973 Assay Commission obverse (AC 117)

1974 Assay Commission reverse (AC 118)

1975 Assay Commission (AC 119)

1976 Assay Commission (AC 120)

1977 Assay Commission reverse (AC 121)

Eisenhower Presidential reverse (USM 133)

Kennedy Presidential reverse (USM 135)

Johnson Presidential first term reverse (USM 136)

Johnson Presidential second term (USM 137)

Nixon Presidential (USM 138)

Nixon Presidential second term (USM 139)

Jimmy Carter Presidential (USM 141)

George M. Humphrey reverse (USM 217)

Robert B. Anderson (USM 218)

Douglas Dillon reverse (USM 219)

Henry H. Fowler obverse (USM 220)

Albert Gallatin obverse (USM 221)

Joseph W. Barr obverse (USM 222)

David M. Kennedy (USM 223)

John B. Connally obverse (USM 224)

George P. Schultz obverse (USM 225)

William E. Simon obverse (USM 226)

Eva Adams first term obverse (USM 318)

Eva Adams second term obverse (USM 319)

Mary Brooks obverse (USM 320)

Stella Hackel obverse (USM 321)

Hyman Rickover (USM 533)

Dr. Thomas A Dooley (USM 655)

Sam Rayburn obverse (USM 656)

J. Edgar Hoover obv (USM 661)

Marian Anderson (USM 663)

John Wayne (USM 666)

Kenneth Taylor (USM 672)

American Revolution Bicentennial Medal 1975

Gasparro designed coins for five foreign countries including Cuba, Guatamala, Israel, Panama and the Philippines.

*Gasparro designed a set of 11 silver medals issued as the Statue of Liberty proof set released with the Statue of Liberty commemorative dollar in 1986. They were not struck by the U.S. Mint.

After his retirement he designed medals for Bowers and Merena, Paramount International Coin Company and the Unicover Corporation. In 1990 he became the first person to receive the Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial Founders Award. The medal was designed by Gasparro. Gasparro designed the 1991 ANA convention medal.

He was inducted into the South Philadelphia High School Hall OF fAME. He died at Haverford, Pennsylvania.

bio: CCUS; Fielding; P-F; WWA 92-93; WWAmArt 91-92; WWWAmArt

obit: CW 10/22/2001

profile: NN/WWH 11/7/72