JR Newsletter: 7 July 2013 (148)

No contributions this week.

JR Newsletter: 30 June 2013 (147)

We have some exciting news from Sheridan Downey:

 

I thought readers of the JR Newsletter might appreciate an advance copy of the announcement that will appear later in the week on my web site, www.sheridanscoins.com.   The big news is that Henry Hilgards's fabulous collection of bust half errors has been sold to a private collector.  Photos of Henry's coins as well as his descriptions will soon be available on my web site.  I will be out of town this weekend, picking up the still mysterious "Part 3" of my upcoming Mail Bid Sale #37.  I am accepting last minute consignments to the Sale through Wednesday July 3.  Readers not already on my mailing list are welcome to request a copy of the catalogue for MB 37, to be mailed in late July.

 

Kind regards,

Sheridan

 

Here is the announcement:

 

The ANA Convention this year is in Rosemont, IL, a suburb of Chicago, very close to O’Hare Airport. The show opens to the public at 10:00 AM Tuesday August 13 and runs through Saturday August 17. The Convention Hotels surround the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center and may be accessed (at discounted rates) via this ANA web site: http://worldsfairofmoney.com/plan-your-trip/book-a-hotel-room.aspx.

MAIL BID SALE 37

I will be conducting a significant Mail Bid Sale during the Convention. Catalogues will be mailed approximately 2 weeks before the show. The sale will close at 6:00 PM Wednesday August 14, 2013. At this writing there are 80 coins consigned to the sale, including two lovely PCGS XF 45 1795 flowing hair half-dollars:  

First, a 1795/1795 Recut Date O.112 PCGS XF 45 Ex Queller. 

Second, a 1795 O.124 PCGS XF 45:

The “anchor” consignment comes from the collection of Steve Nomura. For more than 20 years Steve put his sharp and practiced eye to good use in selecting beautifully toned coins grading AU and UNC. The provenance of Steve’s coin tells us of their quality: Pittman, Eliasberg, Prouty, De Olden, Meyer, Solomon and (surprise!) George Plimpton, consignor to the astounding Sotheby Sale of June 1992.

THE HENRY R. HILGARD COLLECTION OF MAJOR BUST HALF-DOLLAR ERRORS

Part 2 of the Sale consists of a small group of coins from the estate of my colleague and closest friend, Henry Hilgard.  The family consigned these coins to me along with Henry’s unrivaled collection of major bust half-dollar errors.  Not wanting to earn a 2^nd Can of Worms Award, I withheld the announcement of the consignment until negotiations for the outright sale of the primary collection were complete.  Do you remember the summer of 1993 when, after mailing the catalogue for MB 9 – Selections from the Overton Collection – I withdrew the entire consignment and sold the collection, intact, to an anonymous buyer.  (In whose hands the Overton Collection rests today.)   Henry’s set of major bust half errors has been sold to collector and will likewise remain intact.  Henry’s wife and daughters are thrilled with the disposition of the collection.  The importance of Henry’s error collection cannot be overstated.  There are 58 pieces (including a “Chinese” 1826 off center counterfeit) in the “primary collection.”  (Editor's Note:  The following two sentences provided by Sheridan had "place holders" for links, but the links were not live...so I suspect you will need to check Sheridan's website this week for the images and descriptions of Henry's coins) Here is a link to photographs of each coin.  Henry wrote a masterful description of each piece last year.  You will find it here.

Dick Kurtz photo of Wayne Aubel, Van Harvey, Wayne Smith and Lenny Schramm presenting the

Can of Worms Award to Sheridan at the July 1993 ANA Convention in Baltimore.

YET TO COME – PART 3 OF THE SALE

More consignments are coming the first week of July. I will update the list of consigned coins as soon Lance Keigwin is able to photograph these last minute consignments. The sale is limited to 150 lots. If you would like your bust halves to appear in the sale do not dally. The extended consignment deadline is Wednesday July 3, 2013. Call or email now!  Commission rates are very reasonable. Sellers’ fees range from 0 to 5%, depending upon the scope and value of your consignment.  The buyer’s premium in my sales continues at 10% of the hammer price.

To view a list of the coins currently consigned point your browser here. Photos are available here. Lot numbers and written descriptions will appear after the consignment deadline has passed.

HOW ABOUT A BOOK OR TWO?

In the meantime you may want to order the latest edition of Steve Herrman’s AMBPR. This invaluable pricing tool is yours for $30. (Postpaid, media mail; add $5 for Priority Mail.) I have 6 copies of the Spring 2013 Edition in stock. First come, first served.  Other books in stock include Edgar Souders Bust Half Fever, the 2^nd edition of Davignon’s book on Contemporary Counterfeits, Dick Graham’s recent reference work on die varieties of Reeded Edge Capped Bust Half Dollars and (just uncovered in the dungeon of my garage) Steve Herrman’s 2010 “AMBPR Complete Edition” on CD.  Call or write for current pricing on these items.

JR Newsletter: 23 June 2013 (146)

Two contributions this week:

Chuck Allen had an inquiry based on the announcement made by Don Willis that PCGS had price information for half dollars by Overton varieties:

Where on the PCGS website is the Overton price guide?  I have looked and cant find it, I can find pop report and price guide but for major varieties only, not Overton vatieties.
 

Thanks, 

Chuck Allen

Editor's note:  Here's the answer...

1.  Go to www.pcgs.com

2.  Click on Price Guide

3.  Find the Half Dollar series of interest (flowing, draped, or capped) and click on the series

4.  You will find listed in the second column of the price guide the major varieties/year for each Half Dollar in the series (e.g. 1807 Large Stars, 1808, 1809 XXX Edge, etc.).

5.  In the first column of each listing is a four or five digit "PCGS Number" that is preceded by a small plus sign surrounded by a small square.  Looks like this:

6.  Click on that small box and the desired Overton information will open.
------

David Kahn wrote:

 
I have just returned from an incredibly busy Whitman Baltimore Coin Expo with a major prize in hand, and would love to offer it to the JRCS membership before it is offered to the general public on my website. 

I have available a brand-new, absolutely mint copy of the super-deluxe, full leather-bound book, "Early Quarter Dollars of the United States Mint, 1796-1838", by Rory Rea, Glenn Peterson, Brad Karoleff and John Kovach.  This is copy number 38 of 50 prepared, all of which sold out very quickly, thanks in large part to the absolutely breathtaking, full-color photographs of the Eric Newman quarters, which can only be found within.  The book is signed by all 4 authors and by Eric Newman as well.  The binding is superb, with its raised spine and fabulous Draped bust obverse design executed on the cover.  A must-have item for the serious Bust quarter collector and/or the numismatic bibliophiles among us.  The price is the same as when issued - $500, plus $15 for Priority mail shipment.

Please contact me directly at David (at) DavidKahnRareCoins.com if you would like to add this very important and completely impressive book to your library.  First-come, first-served.

Dave
www.DavidKahnRareCoins.com

JR Newsletter: 16 June 2013 (145)

We have some very interesting contributions this week.  Enjoy!

Don Willis wrote:

Some of you may be interested to learn that PCGS now offers a price guide for all Overton varieties of Flowing Hair, Draped Bust and Capped Bust half dollars. This price guide is free to everyone and is available on www.pcgs.com. Estimated survival rates of each coin are published as well.

We recently completed the work of building this comprehensive price guide. All the prices were extensively researched. We used all the real world data we could find. This was a very time consuming project - there are a lot of prices!   If you notice anything that is askew please let either David Hall or I know.

Meanwhile enjoy and hopefully you will find it useful.

Thanks
Don Willis

------

Sheridan Downey wrote to tell us about an upcoming mail bid sale with what appear to be (in this editor's opinion) some very cool coins.  Details can be found on his web site:

http://www.sheridanscoins.com/

------

We have a couple of contributions from David Perkins:

Come view the Eric P. Newman Collection of Early U.S. Silver Dollars from 1794 to 1803 in Baltimore – Members of JRCS and Non-members are welcome to attend.

W. David Perkins, JRCS Treasurer and Early Dollar specialist will be hosting the JRCS Regional Meeting at the Whitman-Baltimore Expo.  The meeting will be held from 4:00-5:00pm on Friday, June 21 in Room 330 in the Baltimore Convention Center.

Members and non-members are welcome to come meet fellow collectors and view a presentation by W. David Perkins on the extraordinary Eric P. Newman Collection of Early U.S. Silver Dollars from 1794 to 1803.  This Date and Major Type Set of early dollars was hand-picked from the Col. E.H.R. Green collection in the 1940s.  All of these dollars are high grade and are the majority are beautifully toned from storage in Waite Raymond holders since at least the 1940s.

Photos of the Neman Collection of early quarter dollars 1796-1838 will be available for viewing in Baltimore.  Please see W. David Perkins if you would like to view these photos during the meeting or show - Dave will have the early dollar and early quarter dollar photos at the show on Thursday and Friday.  Dave can be contacted at wdperki (at) attglobal.net prior to the show if you have any questions or would like to arrange to view the photos at the show.

and

New and Possibly Finest Known Specimen of the R-6+ 1806 127a Die Marriage – Can be seen at Whitman-Baltimore Expo next Week

In the last issue of the John Reich Journal (Volume 23 / Issue 1) on page 40 there is a one page article on a newly discovered specimen of the 1806 O-127a half dollar die marriage in PCGS VF25.  It is now graded PCGS VF-25 CAC.   This specimen is likely one of the two finest known and possibly the finest known.  The other a specimen also in PCGS VF25 owned by a JRCS member.  According to Steve Herrman this die marriage is currently rated R-6+.

This specimen will be offered at the 2013 ANA Convention in Chicago in a Sealed Bid Sale at my Table, # 1030.   I will be at the Whitman-Baltimore Expo / Coin show on Thursday and Friday, June 20th and 21st.  I will have the coin with me if anyone would like to see it.  Please page or find me on the bourse, or contact me at wdperki (at) attglobal.net .  Thanks.

W. David Perkins

JR Newsletter: 9 June 2013 (144)

Brad Karoleff wrote:

We still need a few articles for the pre-ANA issue of the journal. There are a couple in the folder but not yet enough to put out an issue. The next journal will have to be shipped in the middle of July. I would love to have your submission by June 15 to give us ample time to put the issue together.

Please consider sending something for publication. It can be as simple as an experience you have had in collecting.

I would like to thank all of our authors past, present and future for their help. The journal only gets issued with the help of the membership.

Also,  JRCS is in need of a volunteer or two to help at the June Baltimore numismatic expo. We need some one to host the 4:00 PM Friday afternoon meeting. This will entail opening the meeting and moderating the program. Which brings me to the next need. Is there anyone willing to give a short presentation at the meeting?  I will be attending the summer seminar at the ANA and will not be in Baltimore.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at bkaroleff (at) yahoo.com

Brad Karoleff

JR Newsletter: 2 June 2013 (143)

We have one contribution this week.  Steve Herrman wrote:

 

 

Steve Herrman would like to announce the availability of a new auction prices realized compilation for Bust half dollars that supplements the information available in his AMBPR.

The inaugural issue of Auction Prices Realized for Certified & Graded Bust Half Dollars 1794-1839 (APRCG), shall be available in late June. Its focus is solely on auction prices realized over the past three years for Bust half dollars that have been certified and graded by ANACS, ICG, NGC, and PCGS. All die varieties in all grades are listed in this new, annual compilation.

Steve is accepting pre-orders through June 21 for the APRCG Summer 2013 Revision, Number 1, at $20.00 per printed copy. Thereafter, the cost will be $25.00. The APRCG is also available in searchable, PDF format for an extra $5.00. The cost for the PDF format version alone is $15.00. Current subscribers to the AMBPR need not send payment in advance. New subscribers should arrange to make payment via check or money order prior to shipment.

Please contact Steve at Herrman102<at>aol.com

One dollar shall be donated to both the John Reich Collectors Society and to the Bust Half Nut Club for each copy sold.

Best Regards,

Steve Herrman

JR Newsletter: 26 May 2013 (142)

Brad Karoleff wrote:

We need articles for the pre-ANA issue of the journal. There are a couple in the folder but not nearly enough to put out an issue. The next journal will have to be shipped on the middle of July. I would love to have your submission by June 15 to give us ample time to put the issue together.

Please consider sending something for publication. It can be as simple as an experience you have had in collecting.

I would like to thank all of our authors past, present and future for their help. The journal only gets issued with the memberships help.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at bkaroleff (at) yahoo.com

Brad Karoleff

------

Sheridan Downey sent a link to the online obituary in the San Francisco Chronicle for Henry Hilgard.  There is an online guest book which you can read and sign.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sfgate/obituary.aspx?n=Henry-Hilgard&pid=164834599#fbLoggedOut