Sunday, May 12, 2019

JR Newsletter: 12 May 2019 (445)



We received a couple of responses to Steve Hermann’s contribution of a spreadsheet useful for keeping track of one’s inventory of bust coinage:

Thanks to Steve Hermann for the spreadsheets for the Capped Bust Series; they will be very useful in organizing my collection and as a reference in seeking new acquisitions.

Mike McDaniel
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Thank-you, very nice spreadsheet

Max Lebow

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Richard Meaney wrote: 

Since publication of the census articles on early half dimes in the John Reich Journal, I have received quite a few inquiries (email, telephone, and text messages) from collectors about the disposition of Steve Crain’s capped bust half dimes.  The Crain family selected David Perkins to handle the collection.  David and I are planning to make the capped bust half dimes available via a two-part series of fixed price lists and sealed bid sales.  The first iteration of the fixed price list will be available late Spring to early Summer this year.  David will email that fixed price list to those people who have contacted him to receive information on the Crain collection.  Then, at the August ANA show, David will hold the first (of an anticipated series of two) sealed bid sale with some of the “more special” coins from Steve’s collection.  

As most of you know, Steve kept nearly all of his coins raw.  He eschewed third party holders, for the most part.  Thus, getting his collection graded at PCGS has been and will continue to be a rather involved process.  Grading requirements and market factors helped David and I to decide to complete the second part of the Crain sale in 2020.  We anticipate a second sealed bid sale and second fixed price list next year.  To get an idea of what coins might be in this year’s sale and what might be in next year’s sale, the best advice is to contact David Perkins.  I can tell you with a teaser of sorts that I expect about 40 or so fixed price items this year and about 15-20 sealed bid sale items this year.  Among the sealed bid sale items, expect to see an 1829 LM-3 with full cud in PCGS XF45, 1829 LM-8 in PCGS XF45, 1833 LM-2 in PCGS AU55, two Plate Coins from Logan and McCloskey’s Federal Half Dimes 1792-1837, and the two most well-known rarities in the series:  an 1833 LM-5 and an 1835 LM-12.

In 2020, part two of the series of sealed bid sales should offer another 15 or so special coins, including an 1829 LM-18 in PCGS AU58, 1835 LM-9.2 with reverse cuds in PCGS AU55, and a nice die remarriage pairing:  1836 LM-1.1 in PCGS AU58 and 1836 LM-1.2 in PCGS AU53.

All of these plans must be considered preliminary for now.  Once David publishes the fixed price list and sealed bid sale list, that will be equivalent to “the truth coming out!”

Richard