Ron Guth wrote:
1811/09 DIME CONDITION CENSUSBy Ron Guth
The 1809 Dime Census in the last installment prompted one comment. Alan Weinberg wrote about a Lester Merkin sale he attended many years ago that contained a collection of high-end Dimes. He thought he recalled that there was a Census-quality Dime that might have been overlooked. After some searching, I found an April 1966 catalog wherein Merkin offered “The Finest Existing Collection of United States Dimes.” Alan confirmed that this was the sale he attended and remembered. Unfortunately, Merkin’s 1809 Dime was described as Extremely Fine, which excluded it from the Census. Anyway, thanks for trying, Alan. It’s true that there are some Gems hidden away in old sales, as we’ll see below.
The 1809 Dime Census in the last installment prompted one comment. Alan Weinberg wrote about a Lester Merkin sale he attended many years ago that contained a collection of high-end Dimes. He thought he recalled that there was a Census-quality Dime that might have been overlooked. After some searching, I found an April 1966 catalog wherein Merkin offered “The Finest Existing Collection of United States Dimes.” Alan confirmed that this was the sale he attended and remembered. Unfortunately, Merkin’s 1809 Dime was described as Extremely Fine, which excluded it from the Census. Anyway, thanks for trying, Alan. It’s true that there are some Gems hidden away in old sales, as we’ll see below.
1811/09 DIME CONDITION CENSUS CANDIDATES
PCGS MS66 03142619
Superior 5/1990:3583 (as PCGS MS66), $66,000
Comments: Does anyone know the whereabouts of this coin? It seems to have disappeared after the Superior sale in 1990. It would have been a good candidate for the Pogues, but they chose a different coin (see below).
Superior 5/1990:3583 (as PCGS MS66), $66,000
Comments: Does anyone know the whereabouts of this coin? It seems to have disappeared after the Superior sale in 1990. It would have been a good candidate for the Pogues, but they chose a different coin (see below).
Raw Gem Brilliant UncirculatedNew Netherlands, sold privately on 6/10/1953 - Norweb Collection, Part I - Bowers & Merena 10/1987:409, $18,700 - Stack's 10/1995:316, $24,200
NGC MS65 566024-007
Superior 2/2002:1666, not sold - Superior 7/2003:986, $16,675
Superior 2/2002:1666, not sold - Superior 7/2003:986, $16,675
Raw Gem Uncirculated
Barney Bluestone 6/1946:917, $65 - John Jay Pittman Collection, Part I - David Akers 10/1997:545, $18,700
Barney Bluestone 6/1946:917, $65 - John Jay Pittman Collection, Part I - David Akers 10/1997:545, $18,700
PCGS MS64+ 80839200
Superior 2/1999:117 (as NGC MS64), $4,600 - Goldbergs 10/2001:714 (as NGC MS65), $14,950 - Superior 5/2006:325 (as NGC MS65), $17,825 - Heritage 11/2006:492 (as NGC MS65), $17,250 - Kevin Lipton, sold privately in 12/2006 - Bowers & Merena 6/2010:1779 (as NGC MS65), $14,950 - Eugene H. Gardner Collection, Part II - Heritage 10/2014:98228 (as NGC MS65), $18,800 - D. Brent Pogue Collection, Part V - Stack's/Bowers & Sotheby's 3/2017:5010 (as PCGS MS64+), $14,100
Superior 2/1999:117 (as NGC MS64), $4,600 - Goldbergs 10/2001:714 (as NGC MS65), $14,950 - Superior 5/2006:325 (as NGC MS65), $17,825 - Heritage 11/2006:492 (as NGC MS65), $17,250 - Kevin Lipton, sold privately in 12/2006 - Bowers & Merena 6/2010:1779 (as NGC MS65), $14,950 - Eugene H. Gardner Collection, Part II - Heritage 10/2014:98228 (as NGC MS65), $18,800 - D. Brent Pogue Collection, Part V - Stack's/Bowers & Sotheby's 3/2017:5010 (as PCGS MS64+), $14,100
PCGS MS64 34899635
Stack's/RARCOA/Akers 11/1995:2024, $9,900 - Bowers & Merena 1/1997:72, (as NGC MS65) - Superior 7/2005:959 (as NGC MS65), $17,825 - Stack's/Bowers 8/2012:11305 (as NGC MS65), $19,975
Stack's/RARCOA/Akers 11/1995:2024, $9,900 - Bowers & Merena 1/1997:72, (as NGC MS65) - Superior 7/2005:959 (as NGC MS65), $17,825 - Stack's/Bowers 8/2012:11305 (as NGC MS65), $19,975
PCGS MS64 34583046
Heritage 7/2003:6522, $5,060 - American Numismatic Rarities 8/2004:292, $6,900 - Dr. Charles Link Collection
Heritage 7/2003:6522, $5,060 - American Numismatic Rarities 8/2004:292, $6,900 - Dr. Charles Link Collection
Raw Very Choice Uncirculated, called MS65 by Davis et al and plated in EUSDLester Merkin - Kam Ahwash, sold privately on 4/28/1977 – Allan Lovejoy Collection – Stack’s. Comment: Lot 471 in the Stack’s 5/1997 was presented as the EUSD plate coin, but the plates don’t match and that coin is now in a PCGS MS63 holder.
Raw Very Choice Brilliant Uncirculated
Stack’s 5/1993:376 - Lemus Collection - Stack's 10/2005:522, $17,250
Raw Very Choice Brilliant Uncirculated
Stack’s 5/1993:376 - Lemus Collection - Stack's 10/2005:522, $17,250
Additional comments:
Eliasberg’s 1811/09 Dime would be in the Census were it not for a shallow planchet fissure that spans the reverse nearly vertically, just left of center. That coin is in a PCGS MS63 holder as of this writing and it is owned, coincidentally, by D.L. Hansen, the man who is attempting to duplicate Eliasberg’s feat of completing a collection of all dates and mintmarks in the U.S. series.
Please send any comments, edits, additions, or corrections to info(at)expertnumismatics.com. This Census is provided for information purposes only and may be incomplete or contain errors. Any updates will be published in future editions.
