Vote Lincoln-Hamlin in '60!
1860 Abraham Lincoln - Hannibal Hamlin campaign ferrotype. Brass and ferrotype photograph, Dewitt AL 1860-98. Features Lincoln Portrait 1, the earliest of the ferrotype images of Lincoln, captured in the fall of 1859. Extremely Fine. The metal surfaces show nice color and preservation on both sides. The Lincoln portrait is of excellent quality, a bit light but showing no damage or crazing. The Hamlin side hasn't fared quite so well but, let's be honest, who buys a Lincoln-Hamiln ferrotype for Hamlin? Issued early in the 1860 campaign, this ferrotype is one of the first photographically based campaign tools. It might not seem like much, but this tiny technological innovation seriously changed the nature of our elective democracy. Lincoln might have been the last ugly guy elected President...Sold
(ca. 1873-74) Great Eastern Menagerie shell card token. Mitchell-Rulau 256. Brass shells. Choice About Uncirculated. One of the most popular entries in the shell card series, a token depicting an elephant and a hot air balloon ("The Great Mammoth Baloon Air Ship") produced for a traveling circus of the era. Great condition for one of these, lustrous olive brassy surfaces showing only the most minor little ding or two and no serious damage or spotting. A little stripe of toning is present near 10:00 on the obverse. This is nicer than the example that brought $488 in a 2008 Stack's sale. Word has it than Dave Bowers is working on a shell card book, which might increase interest in this fascinating and fragile relics...Sold
"1789" (ca. 1825-30) Mott token. Breen-1020. Thick Planchet. Fine to Very Fine. A pleasing circulated example of this popular early American token. Not a colonial by any stretch, instead this was likely struck in the late 1820s, when the Mott clock firm was flourishing and using similar iconography in their advertising. For some reason, this issue is tough to find in nice circulated grades (though that may have something to do with the grading services calling every example of this issue that threatens the Very Fine level MS--62 BN or somesuch). The crummy quality of the dies and the advancement toward obliteration do make this a difficult type to grade, and pieces at every grade level seem to show more nicks and scratches and other assorted damage than other tokens of the era. This one shows some light scratches on the reverse and a shallow old scrape across the clock face on the obverse, but the color and surface quality are excellent. This isn't the latest die state, but it's past what I would term middle die state. Considering how ugly most Mint State examples are, a pleasing circulated example seems like a nice alternative...Sold
Encased Postage. Joseph L. Bates, Fancy Goods, Boston. One Cent. Hodder-Bowers 50. Extremely Fine. A very nice looking piece of encased postage, with problem-free mica showing no splits or crazing. The case is light golden tan, very choice but for a little speck of verdigris clinging at the reverse periphery at 8:00. Good golden lustre remains in protected areas, lustrous and glossy otherwise. I've seen a couple extremely choice specimens of this encasement bring well over $2000, and this one is not too far behind that quality. The stamp retains good color and centering, and the overall visual appeal is very positive...Sold
1856 Millard Fillmore Presidential election token. Brass, 29 mm. Dewitt MF 1856-4. Extremely Fine. Nice golden brassy color with good gloss and eye appeal. A glass turns up a network of ancient pinscratches in the right obverse field, but they don't look like much in-hand. Fillmore accidentally became President when Zachary Taylor died in 1850, then finished a pretty distant third in 1856, behind James Buchanan and John C. Fremont. It was his first Presidential election; he carried just Maryland. Tokens like this, as historic and interesting as they are, generally don't cost much. A set of one from each election from 1840 to 1860 is well within reach, and one token each from every major candidate is also an achievable goal. This would be an inexpensive way to start a fun challenge...Sold
Skull and crossbones engraving on 1818 N-1 large cent. Coin About Good, engraving finer. A crude but charming rendition of the icon of piracy, poison, a certain club at Yale, and about a thousand other things. The crossed "bones" look like a serpent and a club, which might be purposeful and might just be poor artistry. The most famous numismatic skull and crossbones must be the one on the 1800 Washington Funeral medal, but there are several others. Engraved renditions are scarce and popular...Sold
1821 Philadelphia Museum token. Julian UN-23, Rulau PA-398. Bronze, 32 mm. Extremely Fine. A very nice example of a token that often comes with problems and evidence of careless handling. Attractive medium brown with traces of violet and navy blue in protected areas. Some hints of lustre, good liveliness remains in the fields. No bad marks, some very minor hairlines here and there. A very popular early token, struck at the US Mint, engraved by Christian Gobrecht, and depicting the great Charles Willson Peale, whose sons Franklin, Rembrandt, and Titian went on to some level of numismatic-related fame. A year after these pieces were struck at the Philadelphia Mint, Charles Willson Peale painted a now famous self portrait entitled "The Artist and His Museum," giving us a good idea of just what those who presented these charming tokens were bound to encounter on their visit. The museum, founded in 1786, took up new confines on the second floor of Independence Hall in 1802, where it remained until its closure with Peale's death in 1827. Much of its contents ended up in the possession of PT Barnum. Peale's son Titian designed the reverse of the Gobrecht dollar; fifteen years before Gobrecht engraved the dies for that coin, he engraved the dies for this one...Sold
1838 Am I Not A Woman And A Sister token. Copper, 28 mm. Low-54, HT-81. Choice About Uncirculated. A classic entry in the American token canon, ranked number 10 among the 100 Greatest American Medals and Tokens. Struck in late 1837, these tokens were distributed through abolitionist newspapers and merchants. Clearly they were struck in enormous numbers, and most that survive are today very well circulated. A decade or more ago, Mint State pieces were fairly easy to find -- the best one I ever owned came from an old New England family who had had it since its mintage. Today, high grade pieces are tough to find. This one shows hints of mint color against lustrous and reflective light brown fields. A little spot is present under the rear foot of the kneeling slave, but no other notable flaws are present. The planchet has a nearly imperceptible clip above NOT. Well detailed and absolutely lovely in hand...Sold
Very Rare Atwood's Railroad Hotel Three Cent Token
Prized by Hard Times Token and Washington Specialists
(ca. 1836) Atwood's Railroad Hotel, New York, 3 cent token. Copper, 25 mm. Low-201, HT-221, Baker-510A. Choice About Uncirculated. Reeded edge. After more than a decade as either a full-time cataloguer of early numismatic Americana or a full-time dealer of such material, there are very few items among the 100 Greatest American Medals and Tokens list that I had neither owned nor catalogued. (If you're keeping score, I've handled 92 of the 100, and most of the others are either known only in museums or, in the case of the Congressional Medal of Honor, illegal to own.) Until I acquired this piece, the Atwood's Railroad Hotel token -- number 46 on the list -- had eluded me. A piece would have to be of pretty impressive rarity to never have one come through Bowers and Merena, American Numismatic Rarities, or Stack's in the years I catalogued there; alas, one of these never crossed my desk. There have been a few that turned up lately: in the July 2008 Stack's sale, an "Uncirculated" piece of suspiciously similar sharpness to this AU sold for $1,955. The next year, two examples were present in the September 2009 Stack's Americana sale: a holed and plugged piece at $575 and an extremely rare white metal striking in Good that brought $1,725. This one shows good gloss, barely toned down from lustre, on nice chocolate brown surfaces. A few low spots in the upper left obverse field are as-struck, manifesting as shallow granularity under a glass. Washington's portrait is barely worn and nicely detailed. The reverse shows bold lustrous gloss and exceptional eye appeal. The 100 Greatest American Medals and Tokens book estimates a population of 25 to 50 examples in copper, which seems far too high; 25 might be close to the truth. This is the scarcer Low-201 "small planchet" variety, more elusive than the Low-200, though both are very rare. Ex. Chet Krause collection; Presidential Coin and Antique's November 1999 Robert Centola sale at $1100...Sold
Rare Lancaster, PA Rohrer's Wild Cherry Tonic Shellcard
1868 Rohrer's Wild Cherry Tonic shellcard token. Brass shell and pink cardboard, 34 mm. Choice Extremely Fine. Standard obverse imitative of a Liberty $20 double eagle. Reverse is a printed ad for "The Great Destroyer of Dyspepsia ... for diseases of the Chest, Liver, Kidneys, Stomach, and Bowels, sold by all druggists." A small area of loss affects just TOR of EXPECTORAL above CHERRY, making this about as nice as any known -- shellcards like this generally come in pretty crummy shape. Lancaster, Pennsylvania is a popularly collected area (home to the world class Red Rose Coin Club) and patent medicines also have a following all their own. This came out of a Joe Levine sale last year at a hammer price of $380...Sold
1848 large cent love token. Very Fine. Nice medium brown. A very curious engraved piece, with the planed-off reverse showing an oval inscribed within a circle accomplished with a geometric lathe, a tool used in 19th century banknote engraving. This was not a common implement -- needless to say, it wouldn't have been highly useful as a counterfeiting deterrent if it was -- and I don't recall ever seeing a coin engraved in this fashion. That the piece is a large cent, made from the same substance as most 19th century currency plates, makes it even more interesting...Sold
(ca. 1838-39) W.A. Thomson, Buffalo, New York Hard times token. HT-213, Low-unlisted. Rarity-4. Very Fine or better. Reeded edge. "Importers of Cutlery, Silver Plate, Hardware, Iron, Tin, & c." A scarce and historic token from the boom era of Buffalo, struck just over a decade after the Erie Canal made the region both prosperous and important on a global scale. Most examples of this scarce large size (38 mm) token show some kind of problem or other -- dents, corrosion, and severe scratches are commonplace. This one shows a few old spots on the left side of the obverse, after A of W.A. Thomson and to the left of the anvil. An area of minor pitting is seen at the lower reverse, but the surfaces are mostly hard and smooth. William Thomson was listed as a cutler at 9 Webster Block in the 1842 directory. This relic of downtown Buffalo's earliest development would make a distinctive and interesting addition to a Hard Times token collection...Sold
1828 Andrew Jackson political token. Brass, 24mm. Dewitt AJACK 1824-4. Fine. Unholed. This isn't a terribly rare token, as 1824 election tokens go, but is almost always found holed. The Dewitt plate piece, while sharper, is also holed. This example is a pleasant brassy tan, a little granular in areas, with two fine planchet cracks from the rim at 4:00 and 11:00. The portrait of Jackson is pleasant, the reverse wreath is essentially identical (though the branches are opposite) as that found on Low-1 in the Hard Times token series. Political tokens like this are undercollected, given their scarcity, the number of varieties, and their historical value...Sold
1853 Draper and Sandland calendar token. Silvered (i.e. tinned) brass, 39 mm. Rulau Mass 600. Choice Mint State. An absolutely gorgeous piece, with fully silvering and remarkable frosty lustre. This looks about as it did when it was issued. While I've seen a couple examples of this token -- nearly all in well worn grade -- I've never seen a fully silvered one aside from this one. For his part, Rulau notes this "token is so rare the ANS does not possess a specimen, thus we are raising its valuation." He listed the piece only in gilt brass; Storer likewise listed it exclusively in that composition. Pocket calendars are a fun specialty, and they are nearly all very rare in Mint State. Notable events in 1853 include the signing of the Gadsen Purchase and the introduction of P.T. Barnum's Bearded Lady...Sold
(ca. 1849) National Road, Wheeling Suspension Bridge token. Atwood-Coffee WV890-L, Brunk T-258. Struck on large cent blank planchet. Very Fine. Holed off-center, as illustrated. A rare and historic token from the first Federally-sponsored interstate road, one of a series of similar tokens struck for various gates or tollhouses along the route as it snaked through Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. This particular one happens to be struck on an unstruck large cent planchet, as seen on several other examples of these tokens (including at least two of the four illustrated in Brunk). This variety seems to come on blank large cent planchets more often than not, which begs the question of how they were acquired, by the state of West Virginia from Crocker Brothers privately or somehow via the US Mint. This one weighs 10.3 grams, certainly proximate to the typical weight of a large cent blank in the 10.4-10.5 gram range considering the hole. Check out some large cent blank planchets of the era for comparison, along with their weights, here and here, for instance.
This variety may be the most common in the whole National Road token series. Brunk lists four and I've seen a few others. This relative commonness and Federal sponsorship may have something to do with the importance of the tollgate represented by "20 West:" the suspension bridge across the Ohio at Wheeling, an engineering masterpiece which was the longest suspension bridge in the world for several years. By this time, the Federal government was no longer funding the bridge, leaving the states to subcontract out toll collection to individuals. The main perk of the position was to live in the fascinating little roadside tollhouses. Apparently, these mysterious and rare little tokens were used to help show that a toll through to a certain toll gate had been paid. This one has choice smooth light brown surfaces with no issues, aside from the hole that clearly dates to near the time of production. This historic token is a rare relic of the expansion to the West, as at home in a token collection as in a large cent focused cabinet...Sold
(ca. 1850-70) Masonic love token on U.S. half dollar. Very Fine or so. 8.83 grams. 30.4 mm. Holed at 12:00. Finely reeded edge. Engraved on "obverse" with the compass, square, and G of the Freemasons, "reverse" nicely engraved W.H. CULP / Hammondsville / Jefferson Co. / Ohio with flourishes between lines and a fine scalloped edge decoration around the circumference of both sides. A very nicely accomplished mid-19th century Masonic piece. Hammondsville is a tiny village in far eastern Ohio, about a mile west of the Ohio River and about fifty miles west of Pittsburgh...Sold
Houck's Panacea, Baltimore, MD. Counterstamp on 1834 O-102 Bust half dollar. Brunk H-779. Choice Very Fine. Lightly cleaned ages ago, now showing pleasant deep gray toning over all surfaces and hints of more colorful highlights at the peripheries. This has to be the best struck Houck's I've ever handled, with the border complete and the placement ideal. A glass shows that there might have been a lighter, errant punch first, visible at star 2. This issue is endlessly popular, and well-struck ones like this are a small minority of those that turn up on the market...Sold
A Collection of 1860 Campaign Ferrotypes
Abraham Lincoln, Steven Douglas, John Bell
Campaign of 1860 Ferrotypes: Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin. Dewitt AL 1860-106. Solid brass. ~ Stephen Douglas and Herschel Johnson. Dewitt SD 1860-39. Brass shell. ~ John Bell and Edward Everett. Dewitt JBELL 1860-29. Solid brass. Each is Extremely Fine or so, with bold photographs and very few flaws. The Hamlin photograph shows some light defects, Johnson is a little wrinkly, and Bell shows a minor bubbled area before his forehead. The Lincoln ferrotype, with its inscription THE CONSTITUTION AND THE LAWS and UNION OF THE STATES is said by Dewitt to be "probably made for the Northern Democratic party candidates -- Douglas and Johnson," a rare variant. Each retains some lustre, particularly the Stephen Douglas piece, which retains some gilding. The Lincoln piece is especially nice quality, both of the brass shell and the early Lincoln portrait, Dewitt's portrait 1. The three together look nicely matched and would make a perfect little collection from this most important of American Presidential campaigns.
| Individually | Lincoln-Hamlin | $950 |
| Douglas-Johnson | $525 | |
| Bell-Everett | $450 | |
| As a collection | Sold | |
Civil War-Era Steamboat Countermark
JENNIE HUBBS countermark on 1866 Rays Shield nickel. Brunk H-861. Very Fine. A fascinating countermark, evoking the world of Mississippi River steamboats made enduring by Mark Twain's writings. The mark is soundly marked on a pleasant if circulated example of the premier date in the Shield nickel series, struck from a prepared oval punch. The Jennie Hubbs was built in Cincinnati in 1863, when the Union was comfortable in the northern reaches of the Mississippi Valley but didn't have control of the full river until after the fall of Vicksburg. Into that world, the Jennie Hubbs was delivered, ferrying goods and passengers from Cincinnati to Memphis. In 1864, apparently the ship sank and was raised, and in early 1866 its owners petitioned Congress for a namechange (presumably a Valujet style name change after a calamity). The ship went down for good "thirteen miles south of Natchez" in December 1868, by which time she had been renamed the Empire. This counterstamp must have been produced in the short interval between when this nickel was struck (1866) and when the Jennie Tubbs was renamed the Empire (sometime before December 1866). Unsurprisingly, the mark is rare. Brunk knew of five specimens, and I have seen another on a two cent piece. Surely the full story of the Jenny Hubbs would make a fine miniseries or page-turner -- and a fine research project...Sold
G. GREENLEAF countermark on 1798 S-174 large cent. Very Good, mark better. G. GREENLEAF is the hallmark of Newburyport, Massachusetts silversmith George Greenleaf, who was active ca. 1815. The mark was stamped twice on the obverse at right angles, then softly on the reverse two more times, best seen near OF AM. The coin is a very pleasing medium brown, smooth and attractive, with just a few little marks and old circulation scratches. Greenleaf's mark is not listed in Brunk, nor have I encountered it on another coin. Other Newburyport smiths are known to have countermarked early cents though, including Theophilus Bradbury, whose marks are quite similar to Greenleaf's. There has been some suggestion that Jacob Perkins did the engraving for Bradbury's marks, and Greenleaf hallmark punches and pseudohallmarks are seeming echoes of those belonging to his Newburyport neighbor. Not that this is persuasive evidence one way or the other, given the size of Newburyport in this era, but Jacob Perkins married George Greenleaf's second cousin. For such a little town, Newburyport has some fascinating numismatic history, and this large cent was there to see it. A very rare countermark...Sold
Edward Cogan Storecard, ex. Eliasberg Collection
(1860) Edward Cogan storecard token. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Miller PA 101. Copper. Choice Mint State. A lovely little small cent sized token from the self-proclaimed Father of the American Coin Trade. Lustrous light brown with some hints of prooflike reflectivity, suggestions of mint color remaining around some legends. Very attractive, an historic connection with the salad days of American coin collecting. Better still, for a piece whose desirability hinges on an interest in the history of American numismatics, this piece traces its provenance to the greatest of all American coin collectors, Louis Eliasberg. It was offered in the April 2010 Coin Galleries sale that included some leftovers that never made it into the more mainstream Eliasberg sales. A lot of history is wrapped up in this little token...Sold
Great Britain. Spence's farthing. Dalton & Hamer Middlesex 1089. Mint State. Rich chocolate patina reveals reflective lustre in the fields. A beautiful piece, with only two old spots at the reverse rim mentioned as minor defects. Unworn, though softly struck on the reverse as always seen. This popular type, with the anti-slavery themed Am I Not a Man and Brother obverse and Adam and Eve on the reverse under the legend "Man Over Man He Made Not Lord," is rated as scarce by D&H. Spence's pieces are very popular of late, with red and brown Uncs selling for four figure prices. The historic nature of these Conder tokens, inspired by Wedgwood's designs and serving as inspiration to later American abolitionists, makes them easy types to add to any cabinet. From Davisson's Sale #9, October 1997, Lot 357, with lot ticket...Sold
England. (ca. mid 1790s) Am I Not a Man and Brother token. Middlesex D&H 237. White metal, hand-enameled. About Uncirculated. Lustrous and reflective brilliant silvery surfaces show some evidence of handling, with light marks and hairlines but nothing egregious. The central figure of the kneeling slave has been hand colored black in the era, now rubbed off the high points. This was apparently one way this issue was marketed; Baldwin's had a specimen similar to this on D&H 238 (different reverse die) last year. Scarce in any form, rare like this, an interesting manifestation of this iconic depiction...Sold
1868 Grant-Colfax political medalet. Dewitt 1868-23. Copper, 28 mm. Choice Mint State. Struck on a thick, hefty planchet. A beautiful prooflike piece, essentially full screaming mint color but for a little toning down on the cheeks of the jugate busts and a trifle of mellowing in the fields. A few little spots, not spotted or flyspecked, a boldly original piece. This variety was struck by Scovill Manufacturing of Waterbury, Connecticut and engraved by J.E. Ellis, who also did the 1870 HK-13 Pilgrim so-called dollar. The many varieties of Grant medalets were eagerly collected at the time of their production, and this piece was obviously very nicely preserved. Today, it is in a stapled 2 x 2 inscribed in the familiar hand of Steve Tanenbaum...Sold
American Numismatics' First Celebrity Endorsement
(ca. 1860) Sommer Islands / Dickeson's Coin & Medal Safe token. Silvered white metal, 34 mm. Rulau Pa-Ph 52var. Mint State. A compositional variant not listed in Rulau, who cites only copper, brass, white metal, and copper nickel. Lustrous and reflective light silver gray with abundant amber and golden toning, along with deep blue-green at the rims. A good looking example, a few light marks on the reverse but nicely preserved for this fragile composition. I've always felt like this variety got a bad rap and an incorrect date in Rulau, who places this variety in 1869, long after Dickeson's career peak. He bases this on the fact that this reverse die is known muled to a W.H. Key political die from 1869. It seems more persuasive to me to put this around 1860. The Sommers Island copies by Dickeson were struck about this time (most sources say late 1850s), and in the 1860 edition of Dickeson's American Numismatical Manual advertises the very safe illustrated and described on this token. Evans and Watson were Philadelphia safe manufacturers of good reputation (one of their safes held off a James/Younger Gang attempt in Minnesota in 1876). Montroville W. Dickeson was perhaps the highest profile numismatist in the country in 1860, and he apparently entered into a marketing agreement with the Evans & Watson partnership. This token was issued into the thick of the burgeoning Philadelphia numismatic scene in the era just before the Civil War, and makes a fine association piece with one of that community's most colorful citizens...Sold
1864 George C. McClellan Presidential election token. Lead, 34 mm. Dewitt GMcC 1864-9. Extremely Fine. Maybe a bit better technially, with some remaining lustre, particularly on the reverse. Deep and attractive pewter gray, lighter at the peripheries and across the reverse. A little flat on the high points, not a surprise for the soft but heavy composition, a few marks and light scratches in the left obverse field. Signed "R.L." under the bust for Robert Lovett. A popular token from the middle of the Civil War, with a well done eagle, flag, and shield gracing the reverse. Lovett material continues to be popular...Sold
L.S. SWAN counterstamp on an 1820 JR-2 dime. Brunk S-1143. Choice Fine host, stamp finer. Clearly an early mark, with no known undertype dated after 1820, most in the 1815-20 range. Brunk cites four large cents, a half dollar, a British copper, and two two reales; this has also been seen on an 1807 quarter and a Mexican four reales of 1775. I know of no others on dimes. Brunk suggests this is related to the Swan family of silversmiths in Maine, while the consignor of the September 2011 StacksBowers offering suggested either a knife maker or a tool maker. This could be any of the above to my mind; whomever it was, he worked early and somewhere near enough to a major Est Coast city to be seeing plenty of early Mint silver coins. There were no examples of this mark in the Terranova counterstamp sale on any host, but the large planchet Capped Bust dimes with countermarks brought prices ranging from $375 to $977.50. The 1807 quarter in the September 2011 StacksBowers sale with this mark brought $690. Considering the rarity of this undertype and the interest in this early mark, this seems like it's worth...Sold
A and O Piscatorial Prize / July 4, 1890 engraved on a Seated Liberty Quarter. Emma Cannon engraved on the coin's obverse. Coin Good, engraved side finer. An unusual fishing prize love token, awarded to a young lady named Emma Cannon. I have not been able to puzzle out where the A and O Piscatorial Prize was awarded, but the census shows several Emma Cannon's born in the late 1870s and early 1880s, when this young fisherwoman probably would have been born. This piece reminds me of a July 4 fishing derby when the longest fish was also caught by a young woman -- namely my sister, who landed an enormous, fierce eel in a lakeside competition when we were about 10. Anything fishing related tends to be popular...Sold
Am I Not A Woman And A Sister Hard Times token. Low-54. Copper. Choice Extremely Fine. Choice even light brown with ideal gloss and surface quality. About as nice a specimens as could be hoped for without waiting for a Mint State example. Number 10 on the list of the 100 Greatest American Tokens and Medals and easily the most popular Hard Times token, this issue transcends the limits of a token collection or even an Americana collection...Sold
High Grade 1813 Cent with Early Philadelphia Counterstamp
1813 large cent counterstamped EBERLE. Sheldon-292. Choice Very Fine. Counterstamped twice, once on obverse at the crown of the head (not coincidentally, the point of highest relief on the coin) and on the reverse upside down across CENT. The coin itself is an anomaly in the Turban Head large cent series, with choice tan surfaces, perfect and smooth, a bit darker on reverse than obverse. The surface is almost entirely devoid of marks, just a tiny nick far above the last A of AMERICA and three closely placed cuts on the edge above stars 1 and 2, invisible from either side. Uncounterstamped, this would be a beautiful and desirable large cent. The counterstamp has been previously listed by Brunk, known solely on an 1811 large cent, but without any description as to its origin. It appears the mark is that of Charles Eberle, a Philadelphia cutler and scientific instrument marker who worked until his death in 1814 at age 52. Eberle emigrated to Philadelphia in 1794 and immediately went to work for Henry Shively, a cutler and instrument marker on 3rd Street while his brothers found work "at Mr. Eckfeldt's, on Fifth Street, a first class smith." By 1807, when he moved into the workshop he remained in until 1814, he hadn't strayed far, when he occupied a spot at 11 N. 6th Street across the block from the US Mint. This cent likely traveled a pretty short distance in its life. This Philadelphia countermark of interesting character, with a connection to Adam Eckfeldt, definitively attributable before 1814, would be an important addition to an advanced merchant counterstamp collection...Sold
As Found In Lower Manhattan ca. 1675
Netherlands, Dordrecht.1590 jeton. Silver, 28 mm. Dugniolle-3256. Choice About Uncirculated or better. Lustre persists on both sides, with the central obverse toned a rich blue and the peripheries a lighter gold. The reverse is more brilliant with some peach and olive tones. Softly struck at centers, ideally centered, legends and date complete. A fascinating issue, both allegorically and archaeologically. The central device on the obverse depicts six hands grasping the same Liberty-cap topped pillar, representing the six provinces united under Prince Maurice. This device was copied, legends and all, on a rare August 1775 $10 note of North Carolina. While the distance from Netherlands in 1590 to North Carolina during the American Revolution may seem unbridgeable, archaeology has given us a very important middle step: a specimen of this exact jeton (in bronze) discovered in a mid 17th century context in Lower Manhattan at a site known as Heerman's Warehouse. Augustine Heermans operated a trading post at Pearl and Whitehall Streets that dealt in furs, tobacco, and slaves, among other things. The ANS also makes note of the Heerman's Warehouse find along with cataloguing their specimen. I've owned a couple specimens of this fascinating jeton in bronze, usually well worn, but I've never had a silver one. That this one is beautiful only makes it that much more desirable...Sold
Rare 1861 Jefferson Davis "Death to Traitors" Medalet
1861 Jefferson Davis / Death To Traitors medal. Dewitt-C-1861-13. Brass, 24 mm. Very Fine, holed. Pale golden bronze with some deeper toning and spotting. Crudely holed at 12:00 on the obverse to be worn and displayed in the era, as testified by the level of wear. A scarce and popular medalet from the dawn of the Civil War, showing President Jefferson Davis hanging on the obverse, a scene that wins some sort of numismatic prize for lack of subtlety. In Mint State, this medalet has auction records close to $3000. While those examples are attractive, placed in a cabinet and saved by a savvy contemporary collector, a specimen like this must hide an interesting story of a vociferous Unionist, perhaps a soldier, who was so moved by this medalet that he wore it for what must have been most of the conflict...Sold
1893 Columbian Exposition elongated three-cent silver piece (1854-73). Mint State, as rolled. An extremely rare denomination among the wide range of Columbian Exposition elongates. Coin nerds then were like coin nerds now, and they took all manner of coins to be rolled out: large cents, $3 gold pieces, foreign coins, and odd denominations. The surfaces are nice silver gray with some light toning and hints of lustre. Before elongating, the owner carefully scratched W above the central reverse device and A below it on the rolled but blank reverse. The obverse, under the elongate inscription, is pretty well obliterated. Cute, attractive, and unusual...Sold
1859 John Allan / The Antiquary token for John K. Curtis. Miller/Rulau NY-186. White metal, 37 mm. About Uncirculated. Bright lustre survives on most surfaces, a little handling and toning in central fields, very attractive overall. Issued by Curtis, a New York coin dealer, this token depicts John Allan, an early American numismatist who by the time this token was issued had been a coin dealer for almost forty years. The classic reverse design by George H. Lovett (who signs on the obverse) depicts "The Antiquary," peering into a magnifying glass while exclaiming "A real antique, but alas! It is indecipherable."...Sold
Beautiful 1845-O Half with Rare Pennsylvania Gunsmith Mark
CHAS. ROTH on 1845-O Seated half. Charles Roth, Wilkes-Barre, PA. Brunk-unlisted. Choice Extremely Fine. A beautiful undercoin, with some remaining lustre and delicate gold and pale rose toning. The mark is bold and complete in the right obverse field. According to the cataloguing accompanying this piece in the September 2011 StacksBowers Americana sale, "Christian Charles Roth (1815 - 1903) was a Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania gunsmith and maker of long rifles. He was born in Darmstadt, Germany and learned gunsmithing from his father (who was a student of Freund in Firstenau). Roth arrived in the United States in 1837 and settled in Wilkes-Barre in 1840, setting up shop on Bank (River) Street. He stamped his work Chas. Roth, which he preferred to be called. In the period 1840-1887 Roth produced a large number of percussion hunting and target rifles for the sportsmen of the Wyoming Valley, eventually turning his business over to his son, Ernest R. Roth, who was in business until his death in 1917. Chas. Roth's guns are valued up to $2,000+ depending on condition." A mark this interesting, on a coin this attractive, unlisted in the standard references, must be worth...Sold
Remarkable High Grade AM I NOT A WOMAN AND A SISTER Token
1838 AM I NOT A WOMAN AND A SISTER token. Low-54, HT-81. Choice Mint State. Dark chocolate brown toning on the obverse conceals hints of mint red on the lustrous, reflective fields. The reverse is closer to tan with olive highlights and more faded mint color. A superb example, truly unworn, with remarkable eye appeal and vivid fields. Some light handling and scattered hairlines are seen in the obverse fields, made evident more from the slightly mirrored nature of the surfaces than the severity of the impacts. Last date digit a bit soft, late die state with "die rust" apparent in upper obverse fields. Though this token is by no means rare, true Uncs are tough to find...Sold
Counterstamp. McKENNEY / GUNSMITH / BIDDEFORD (Maine) on Matron Head large cent. Brunk M-471. Host About Good, stamp Fine. Boldly marked from three prepared punches oriented vertically on the obverse. The host has been very lightly cleaned long ago and shows some brightness on golden brown surfaces. The mark is an historically interesting one, from gunsmith J.F. McKenney, who also worked in the Maine towns of Saco and Bath. Dave Bowers, perhaps the world's expert on American merchant counterstamps, wrote a nice history of the mark along with the Terranova specimen, which brought $345. This mark is a rare and interesting one, and gunsmiths are among the most popularly collected counterstampers...Sold
Rock Cod, By God!
1893 love token on Barber quarter. "Oct. 8th, 93 / RAMONA / Rock Cod, By God." Looped for suspension. Extremely Fine, granular. Dark gray with grainy surfaces, perhaps from salt water exposure. The obverse of the 1893 Barber quarter is sharp, and the charming reverse inscription is perfectly legible. One of the most evocative fishing related love tokens I've encountered -- Ramona was presumably the name of the vessel. The term "rock cod" can refer to a lot of fish, but in this case it seems likely that the genus in question was the avidly-fished rockfish or "Pacific snapper," which is especially common off Southern California. (This piece came from a Southern California source.) A particularly interesting love token...Sold
The EAC Charter Member Token of Dr. Charles Ruby
1968 Early American Coppers Club Charter Member token. #61. Copper, 30 mm. Nearly As Issued. Antiqued brushed copper patina, as issued. A single reedmark on Liberty's chin suggests this spent some time in a pocket, presumably Dr. Ruby's. Charles Ruby is a legend among early American copper enthusiasts, a law professor whose collection of early dates remains unrivaled by depth. When I acquired this piece, I did not recognize the 61 membership number until finding it on the EAC website -- where it has been since Ruby's passing in 1997 is unknown to me. Just 293 of these tokens were struck, with only 93 of those being marked and issued to Charter Members. These are avidly snapped up when they hit the marketplace, as most still remain with the collections or families of members active in 1968. That this piece was Charles Ruby's obviously increases its desirability...Sold
A Betts Medal ... Depicting Andrew Jackson?
(ca. 1860) Andrew Jackson portrait medal by C. Wyllys Betts. White metal, 44 mm. Dewitt AJACK-A. Choice About Uncirculated. A rare and unusual production of C. Wyllys Betts, engraved when he was a student at Yale, about the same time he was producing his legendary colonial-themed copies and fantasies. The three-quarter profile portrait of Jackson shows a folk-art sensibility, though the deep relief and poor striking technique (a hand-held sledge hammer) didn't bring up much of the central detail on either side. The eye appeal is excellent, with strong lustre, no corrosion, only a few tiny spots and minor surface abrasions. Despite the soft consistency, the rims are in pretty good shape, with only a couple little nicks. Betts signed the piece "CWB" underneath the bust. Betts produced a very similar William Henry Harrison medal (and various intermulings), listed as Dewitt WHH-B. Both are rare and hardly ever encountered in the marketplace. C. Wyllys Betts was a fascinating character, a mischievous young numismatist, a pioneering paleontologist, and a legendary numismatic author whose 1894 American Colonial History As Illustrated By Contemporary Medals is still the standard reference on early American medals. This rarity is a conversation starter...Sold
1837 Roxbury Coaches token. Low-137, HT-169. Nickel (German silver). Extremely Fine. A handsome example of this popular Hard Times-era transportation token, used by a horse-drawn trolley line near Boston. Fare was 25 cents, making this undenominated token essentially good for a quarter. Light toning of blue and gold is present on medium gray surfaces, some minor old buildup and toning around legends, only utterly trivial hairlines are noted as a defect. Choice for the grade and boasting a fine appearance, better than most examples of this distinctive type...Sold
(ca. 1832-33) Phoenix button. Regiment 20. Large size, 25 mm. Rulau-E Ore 5. Extremely Fine. An exciting and interesting relic of the old Northwest, a button produced for the Haitian forces of Henri Christophe that was imported to Oregon in large quantities by trader Nathaniel Wyeth. Specimens are found all over Oregon and California by relic hunters, and sometimes much further afield, indicating that they became popular trade items with the natives. This specimen, offered in the January 2011 Stack's Americana sale, was consigned by an Oregon family with roots in the area dating to 1852, sold along with about a dozen other examples from the same source. I wish I'd bought all of them, because since that sale I've probably had a dozen people ask to buy an example, mostly while I was at the PNNA show in Tukwila, Washington or the EAC show in Portland, Oregon. Well, I had the chance to buy this in the aftermarket in Baltimore, and I'm glad to offer it to all those folks who were disappointed when I said I didn't have one in stock!...Sold
William W. Wormood, Dubuque, Iowa. WW WORMOOD countermark on Lima 1793 one real. Very Good. A good bold stamp on a well worn coin, showing typical light silver gray surfaces. The left end of the mark is indistinct, but the rest is crisp in its crudity. According to the September 2011 StacksBowers Americana sale, Wormood began his career in Rochester, New York but found himself in Iowa by the late 1850s, which is probably when and where this coin was marked. Clearly Wormood was not an expert engraver, though he was well known as a clockmaker and was in charge of tending to Dubuque's town clock. His full name was William Wallace Wormood, known mostly as W.W. Wormood and as a partner in Thompson and Wormood. While the circulating medium of the eastern cities has been well studied and understood, less well known is the day to day pocket change of the antebellum Midwest. Clearly the Spanish denominations were still present, even prominent, on the eve of the Civil War. Apparently unique, an important and interesting piece...Sold
(ca. 1870) Dr. I. Douglas, Dentist, Romeo, Michigan shell card mirror/token. Brass and glass, 40 mm. About Uncirculated. An undoubtedly rare entry in the shell card series. The token side looks quite like other ca. 1867-75 shell card tokens, giving Dr. Isaac Douglas's "office & residence" address in Romeo, Michigan. The other side is a mirror which remains in remarkably good shape, with just a few minor peripheral injuries. The token side is an ideal and undamaged deep brassy gold. Dentistry is an avidly collected numismatic specialty, and shell cards have their following as well. From a well-collected state, this nice piece should be worth...Sold
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. JONES EXCHANGE HOTEL counterstamp on Peru 1782 MI Lima 2 reales. Brunk J-184. Very Fine. A sharp, bold mark on a glossy, choice coin. Deep silver gray and very attractive. The mark JONES EXCHANGE HOTEL / 77 DOCK ST / PHILA is well defined but for slight weakness on ES of JONES. A popular mid-19th century advertising countermark, and an unquestionably genuine and worn piece. There are variants of this mark, often found on blank brass discs, whose potential authenticity has always bothered me. This one doesn't bother me in the least. It once graced the Anthony Terranova Collection, sold by Stack's in October 2010, and is accompanied by his envelope. A contemporary description of the hotel may be found here and two good images are posted here...Sold
(ca. 1854-62) Shelton's Curd House, Lexington, KY. Countermark on 1854 Arrows, No Rays quarter. Brunk S-367. Fine or better. A nice mark, boldly impressed in the right obverse field of an attractive and well worn Seated quarter. The mark SHELTON'S / LEX. KY is short for Shelton's Curd House, a hotel in Lexington, Kentucky that also issued scrip notes payable in Confederate currency during the Civil War. The mark could well have been placed during the War, and the undercoins are often well worn despite being from the 1850s. This is a pleasing, well-balanced example of this interesting Southern mark...Sold
1896 New York Stamp and Coin Co. shellcard. Cardboard and gilt tin, 40 mm. Choice About Uncirculated. Bright yellow paper on the back, good lustrous golden tone on the obverse with some light spotting. Excellent condition for this fragile, rare shellcard. Unlisted in Baker. New York Stamp and Coin Company, the partnership of H.P. Smith and David Proskey (he of the India rubber conscience, according to Ed Frossard), brought us the 1890 sale of the Parmelee Collection, along with the sales of R. Coulton Davis, George Woodside, and others. This token was listed in Ralph "Curly" Mitchell's shell card list, compiled and annotated by Russel Rulau and published in the TAMS Journal in 1961, as number 473a. Despite the fact that Rulau knew about this piece in 1961, it didn't make his update to Baker with George Fuld (which has an extensive list of 19th century storecards depicting Washington) nor did he included it in his Tokens of the Gay Nineties reference. So it goes. As it is, it's quite scarce, and it has the dual collectibility of depicting Washington and advertising a legendary 19th century coin dealership. This could go into a token collection or a numismatic literature collection...Sold
(1896) Bryan dollar. Schornstein-910. Tin, 26 mm. Very Fine. An ephemeral-appearing, paper thin slice of tin, embossed with BRYAN DOLLAR, DON'T LET IT JAR YOU around a central device of 16 to 1, inverted in relief on the otherwise blank reverse. Somewhat patinated, dark gray with some lighter areas, oxidation spot at 3:00 of reverse. The soft spot near 3:00 on the obverse also shows up on the Schornstein plate piece. He calls it "very rare." I've never seen another one, and I doubt many have survived. I found no historical reference to the inscription, but surely there is one -- maybe this was somehow attached to labels of some jarred product? It's the only "Bryan dollar" the size of a quarter that I know of. It's certainly unusual and will stand out in a Bryan dollar collection...Sold
1868 Grant-Colfax election shell token. Gilt brass, 25 mm. Dewitt USG 1868-74. About Uncirculated. Integral loop broken from top rim. Undoubtedly made by the same producer as above, with the exact same portraits on a different hollow shellcard configuration. Bright golden lustre remains, some light field toning. The piece illustrated by Dewitt also appears to have its loop broken off...Sold
1868 Grant-Colfax election shell token. Gilt brass and silvered brass, 23 mm. Dewitt USG 1868-81. Choice Extremely Fine. Integral loop remains. Listed but not illustrated by Dewitt/Sullivan. The outer ring of 21 stars on gilt brass remains bright and lustrous, while the silvered brass portrait insets of Grant and Colfax are toned to gray and chocolate brown, with hints of bright silver lustre remaining in areas. A scarce and fragile item, this hollow and inexpensively produced shellcard was used by the Republican Party in the 1868 Election. The portraits are detailed and accurate, Grant in profile and Colfax in three-quarter profile. This would pair nicely with the other Grant/ Colfax shellcard below...Sold
Colombia. 1838 Manuel Marpla of Cartagena token, struck over an 1837 Hard Times token. Rulau (Latin American Tokens) Bol-17. Very Fine. Struck over a Low-33 type "Not One Cent" piece; the undertype is attributable with patience. Nice chocolate brown, plenty smooth on the reverse, where the obverse of the Hard Times token is nicely visible, with even the 1837 date seen with scrutiny, The obverse of the Colombian token, with a ship reminiscent of those on various Hard Times varieties, is also attractive, despite some very minor peripheral scale and some thinner patina in areas. Just a hint of undertype of the reverse of the Hard Timer is visible on that side. This token, along with several other Colombian varieties described by Rulau, is occasionally found on a Hard Times token undertype, and undoubtedly both undertype and overstrike were struck on the same presses at Scovill & Co. A similar piece (presumably rarer?) brought $1,380 in nicer condition in the Stack's 2009 Americana sale. I've only seen a couple of these in all the years I've played with early American tokens and catalogued them for major auction. I've often wondered if there was a ton of them buried in Latin American collections, but my poking around in that specialty has not yielded more than this one. There was one on a Karl Stephens pricelist in 2009 with no Hard Times undertype mentioned that was noted as "very scarce and important," and needless to say the Hard Times undertype makes it more so on both counts. I think this would make a fascinating addition to an advanced Hard Times Token collection -- and Rulau agreed, spending a half page and an enlarged photo on these in his telephone book-sized U.S. Tokens 1700-1900). I can't say I expect to see another anytime soon...Sold
1868 U.S. Grant / Washington medalet. Baker-249, DeWitt USG 1868-25. Silver, 28 mm. Choice Mint State. A very attractive medalet pursued by both political collectors and Washingtoniana enthusiasts. Highly reflective mottled silver gray surfaces exhibit excellent eye appeal and originality. Problem free and nicely preserved. The dies by William H. Key feature a detailed bust of Grant on the obverse and a tiny bust of Washington superimposed atop radiate flags with the legend THE UNION MUST AND SHALL BE PRESERVED. Rulau lists this as Rarity-8...Sold
(1876) Lingg and Brothers Libertas Americana token. Philadelphia. Copper, 22 mm. Choice Mint State. The storecard of the producer of this best-known series of Centennial cards, struck for a wide range of Philadelphia-area merchants. They were avidly collected in their day, though gems are a lot tougher to find than either handled specimens or pieces that have been holed for suspension. This example shows beautiful reflective chocolate brown surfaces with delicate field toning and hints of mint color. A natural low spot is present on the right side of the reverse. These tokens reflect the popularity of the Libertas Americana design in a popular context in the late 19th century, and they remain popular today. A fun miniature rendition of the most beloved American medal, copied from John Adams Bolen's 1867 rendition, which in 1872 became the property of coin dealer John W. Kline, whose Philadelphia shop was just six blocks from Lingg's. While very similar, this die is actually different from the Bolen-Kline die. These Lingg & Brothers tokens with the Libertas Americana obverse are most often found in white metal, and nice copper strikings are scarce...Sold
1864 George McClellan campaign medalet. Gilt brass, 25 mm. DeWitt GMcC 1864-25. Reeded edge. Choice Uncirculated. Bright, thick, lustrous gilding fully coats both sides, about as bright as when it was made but for a hint of peripheral toning. Some little spots and specks are seen under a glass, nothing noteworthy. When seen, this issue tends to be EF or so; this near-gem is an outlier. McClellan did one state better than Mondale in 1984--he scored Kentucky and New Jersey--though he accrued 45% of the popular vote...Sold
(ca. 1850) California Counter, $10 size. Brass. About Uncirculated. Reeded edge. Good lustre remains on brassy yellow gold surfaces, lightly toned in olive and rose. Some spotting is present on the reverse, a few subtle lines of toning on the obverse. The "California Counter" side of this jeton is also found muled to an 1847-dated obverse in imitation of a Federal $10 gold piece. This muling seems much rarer in my experience, particularly in this fine grade. The flag depicted shows a 25-star flag, then 15 years out of date, but an unusual star-cluster formation that deserves more research. This is the best one of these I've seen (though the total is a count-them-on-one-hand-with-fingers-to-spare number) and deserves a spot in a connoisseur quality collection of territorial tokens or California Americana...Sold
1909 Thomas Elder Lincoln Biographical medalet. Delorey-27, King-359. Brass, 31 mm. Mint State. Bright lustrous brassy gold with some fading and discoloration in the fields. A small rim bruise is present at 8:00 on the obverse. Elder struck these medals with 31 different reverses, representing different chapters of Lincoln's life. The mintages were small and putting together a set today is quite a task. A scarce and interesting Lincoln centennial piece...Sold
Superb 1825 Peale's Museum Token, Perhaps Finest Known
1825 Peale's Museum, New York City. Admit the Bearer. Low-269, HT-303. Copper, 35 mm. Choice About Uncirculated. The best example of this token I've ever seen or heard of, finer than the piece I catalogued in the 2004 Medio sale. This one shows lively lustrous flash on glossy light brown surfaces, with glorious hints of mint color around the entire reverse periphery. There are light scattered marks and just the barest whisper of friction. The reverse shows some pleasing woodgraining, and both sides are choice and original. Though once classified as a Hard Times token, this piece was dated and issued at the time of the museum's opening: the same day as the opening of the Erie Canal. Peale's Museum in New York was run by Charles Willson Peale's son Rubens, and it was liquidated to PT Barnum in 1840. In the intervening years, most examples of this token apparently got pretty well beat up. A typical one is nicked and banged around, maybe Fine or VF. I've seen three I'd consider EF or better. This is the best of them...Sold
A pair of 1873 Boston Numismatic Society medals. Dies by G.H. Lovett, issued by Isaac F. Wood. Copper and brass. Choice Mint State. A nicely matched pair of these fascinating productions from the salad days of American coin collecting. The obverse famously depicts the NE threepence of 1652, making these popular with colonial coin enthusiasts. The copper piece has a bit of "carbon" inside 3:00 on the obverse and a few reverse specks, the brass specimen is gem with just a few little central flecks. Interesting and collectible, dies by George H. Lovett, a pair of neat relics made for coin collectors almost 150 years ago. For the pair...Sold
(ca. 1836) Houck's Panacea, Baltimore. Low-400. Countermark on 1831 O-108 half dollar. Choice Extremely Fine. A bold mark, fully outlined but for the bottom right corner, in its usual location on the left obverse field of a Bust half dollar. Lovely pale blue toning fades to crimson and gold at the rims. A rim nick is present at 9:00, and a thin hairscratch across the bust towards the date is only noted under careful scrutiny. Great color and surfaces and the especially bold countermark make this an above average example...Sold
A Revolutionary War-Era Sweetheart Token, dated 1778
1778 sweetheart token to Anne Guy, engraved on both sides on a thin copper coin, probably a worn counterfeit halfpenny. Extremely Fine Two different pattern borders surround the fancy Anne Guy 1778 inscription, along with some floral decoration above and at either side. The reverse shows crossed horns-of-plenty with abundant and intricate floral decoration around. Nice chocolate brown, smooth and glossy, no scratches or damage. Probably engraved by a departing member of the military, or perhaps produced to commemorate a birth during this pivotal year. More likely British manufacture than American. Nice workmanship and a relic that begs a story be wrapped around it...Sold
A Choice 1834 Running Boar Hard Times Token
1834 Running Boar token. Low-8, HT-9. Rarity-1. Choice Mint State. Lively satiny cartwheel luster is pervasive on both sides, with deep steel brown enriched by mint red around legends on both sides. Just a beautiful example. This popular anti-Jackson token is one of the most iconic in the series. It features a quote from Rep. Samuel Beardsley on the obverse, "Perish credit, perish commerce!," which he continued "give us a broken, a deranged, and a worthless currency, rather than the ignoble and corrupting tyranny of an irresponsible corporation." Well, here's his deranged and worthless currency, except for people like you pay a lot of money for ones this pretty now...Sold
Mexico / Love Token. 1776 FM one real, engraved EP 1799 in fancy script on the obverse. Fine or better, engraving sharper. Nice two-tone old silver gray with deep gray fields enlivened with pastel blue and violet in the right light. Very nicely engraved in a florid 18th century hand, perhaps by an early fan of Elvis Presley. The two "magic dates" on this piece - 1799 was the year of WashingtonÕs death, not to mention a key large cent date - make it a particularly interesting love token...Sold
Am I Not A Woman And A Sister Hard Times token. Low-54. Copper. Choice Very Fine or better. Just a nice, even, glossy chocolate brown example with light wear and no problems. An endlessly popular token, distributed by abolitionists in New York and Boston in imitation of a popular 1790s anti-slavery token from England. This one is listed among the 100 Greatest Tokens and Medals as number 10...Sold
Choice Tremont House Five Cents Encased Postage
(ca. 1862) Tremont House, Chicago. Five Cents encased postage. HB-122, EP-77, S-90. Choice Very Fine. A very nice example, with a flawless lightly worn case free from corrosion or other problems. The stamp is fairly well centered, with just a small spot of crazing at the bottom of the mica. Tremont House is a slightly scarcer issuer, not to mention an historically interesting one, as the spot where Lincoln launched his 1858 campaign. This piece compares favorably to the VF in Ford that brought $483 in 2007...Sold
New Orleans, Louisiana. PHILLIPS CHEAP STORE, NAYADES ST, N.O. on a French 1828 M (Toulouse) 5 francs of Charles X. Choice Extremely Fine. One of the best looking hosts I've ever seen on this popular issue, stamped in the 1850s almost entirely on French 5 francs pieces. Most hosts are early types, often well worn, while this one shows relatively little wear. Soundly marked and very appealing. The near-exclusively French undertypes of the known Phillips Cheap Store pieces suggest either the remaining French influence in antebellum New Orleans, or nostalgia for "les bon vieux temps," or both. Unlike most marks, this is always (to my knowledge) found on large silver coins. A fascinating entry into any countermark collection...Sold
Superb Gem White Metal Dickeson Sommers Island Copy
(ca. late 1850s) Sommers Island Shilling copy by Dr. Montroville W. Dickeson. White metal, 32 mm. Choice Mint State. Flashy, beautiful, barely toned white metal, as reflective as when struck. Some faint toning is present, only minor hairlines, sharp and spectacular. The Boyd-Ford Collection had specimens of this popular and scarce struck copy in copper and brass, but none in white metal. This is also said to exist in nickel. Prices for gem examples have been strong at auction, and this composition seems far rarer than either copper or brass. In fact, in technical terms, this is probably rarer than real Sommers Island shillings of 1616, even though it was produced as (and remains) a more cost-effective way to represent British North America's first circulating coinage. Of course, this thing is also a whole lot prettier than any Sommers Island shilling...Sold
Superb Gem White Metal Dickeson Sommers Island Copy
(ca. late 1850s) Sommers Island Shilling copy by Dr. Montroville W. Dickeson. White metal, 32 mm. Choice Mint State. Flashy, beautiful, barely toned white metal, as reflective as when struck. Some faint toning is present, only minor hairlines, sharp and spectacular. The Boyd-Ford Collection had specimens of this popular and scarce struck copy in copper and brass, but none in white metal. This is also said to exist in nickel. Prices for gem examples have been strong at auction, and this composition seems far rarer than either copper or brass. In fact, in technical terms, this is probably rarer than real Sommers Island shillings of 1616, even though it was produced as (and remains) a more cost-effective way to represent British North America's first circulating coinage. Of course, this thing is also a whole lot prettier than any Sommers Island shilling...Sold
Rare Maryland Civil War Dogtag
1864 George B. McClellan Civil War dogtag. Bronze, 29 mm. Dewitt GMcC 1864-30. Choice About Uncirculated. Once gilt, traces remain at peripheries. Choice glossy light brown with superlative eye appeal. Marked on the reverse for Charles H. Long of Co. I, 8th Maryland Volunteers. The roster for the 8th includes a Charles H. Lange (not Long) in Company I, so perhaps the name is wrong, but there was a Charles H. Long who was a lieutenant with Company I of the 13th Maryland Volunteers. Charles H. Long had a long and eventful career until after Lincoln's assassination. As plenty of records exist for the era, a dutiful researcher will undoubtedly be able to piece together the exact war story of Charles Long of Maryland. As for the dog tag, any Maryland dog tags are dozens of times rarer than other states. This small-cent sized tag is a very elusive form. The thorough Ford Collection of Civil War dogtags (Part VII, 2005) included two examples of this tag, both issued to New Yorkers. The first (similar to this one) hammered at $850 ($977.50), and the second, with a battle list, brought $1495. This one is...Sold
"The King of Encased Coins:" A Red Unc Indian Head Cent in a Teddy Bear
1908 Teddy Bear Bread / Kolb's Bakeries, Philadelphia, PA. Encased 1908 cent. Choice Mint State. 41 x 31 mm. Bright and lustrous white metal surrounding a bright red choice Mint State 1908 Indian Head cent, just barely faded in the obverse fields. Some minor marks, none serious. A classic encasement, celebrating Teddy Roosevelt's saving of a bear cub that became a national phenomenon -- and begat the teddy bear. This is a very scarce token, called "the king of encased coins," with auction records close to $500. This is a little more common than it used to be, thanks to a small family hoard, but certainly every bit as interesting and desirable as ever. A great crossover collectible: how many numismatic teddy bears are there that don't have state quarters buried in their bellies?...Sold
H.E. HUNT countermark on 1828 O-107 half dollar. Very Fine. Brilliant silver gray, lightly cleaned but still showing deeper toning in areas around design elements along with good overall eye appeal. Boldly marked H.E. HUNT in large capital letters within a serrated cartouche. This mark is a new one on me, and it's not listed in Brunk either. The size and depth of the mark suggests a worker in a non-precious metal, more likely a blacksmith or clockmaker than a silversmith. Somewhere in a directory, or online, is the answer. Any kind of countermark on a Bust half (or any denomination) is avidly sought, and today's maverick becomes tomorrow's rarity with the help of evolving information resources...Sold
Am I Not A Woman And A Sister Hard Times token. Low-54. Copper. Choice Extremely Fine. Choice even light brown with ideal gloss and surface quality. About as nice a specimens as could be hoped for without waiting for a Mint State example. Number 10 on the list of the 100 Greatest American Tokens and Medals and easily the most popular Hard Times token, this issue transcends the limits of a token collection or even an Americana collection...Sold
1775 Mexico two reales counterstamped H. SAGE. Brunk-35570 (or Brunk S-88, new edition). Very Good, mark better. This is the Brunk plate coin. The book also cites an 1806 half dollar, and an 1830 half dollar in the Terranova Collection (Stack's, September 2010) also had this mark. It is perhaps the mark of Henry Sage, a silversmith who worked in Circleville, Ohio in the 1850s. This is a rare countermark, yet it's in Brunk, which is seemingly more attractive than a maverick so rare that it's unlisted. I've always liked countermarked foreign coins better than American ones, as they offer information of just what foreign types circulated in America, and in what proportions. Lots of two reales are marked, a prime indication of the primacy the "two bit" denomination had among silver coins in early American pockets...Sold
A Beautifully Original Bryan Dollar
1896 Bryan dollar. Silver, 52 mm. HK-781, Zerbe-6. Choice About Uncirculated. Nicer than so many of the certified Mint State pieces, and the vast majority of surviving examples of this variety overall, with beautiful old toning of slate blue and deep violet with gold around the motifs. Still lustrous and reflective, some minor hairlines and handling, a few little marks on the reverse. Just a very attractive example of this classic and historical type by Gorham...Sold
Peck and Burnham / S.B. Schenck storecard. Boston, Massachusetts. Low-326, HT-168, R-2. Choice Mint State. Superb cartwheel lustre over hard, smooth chocolate brown surfaces. Some mint color remains in protected areas. Pretty much flawless but for a single pit, as struck, at RT of WOODWORTH'S. A gorgeous example of this Hard Times token...Sold
"Hey there, want to come see my mastodon?"
1821 Philadelphia Museum token. Julian UN-23, Rulau PA-398. Bronze, 32 mm. About Uncirculated. Some luster persists on lively medium brown surfaces, lightly toned with pale blue around devices. Quite flashy, an unusually handsome specimen of this popular early token. There are some minor hairlines, a bit of schmutz around the reverse devices, and a couple of rim nicks, including a significant one over UM of MUSEUM. Excellent eye appeal, far nicer than these usually come...Sold
A more worn example, perhaps VF or better by detail, with slightly granular surfaces and a bit of pitting. It probably totally wrecked some Philadelphia school kid's day when he or she lost this in the ground almost 200 years ago...Sold
A year after these pieces were struck at the Philadelphia Mint, Charles Willson Peale painted a now famous self portrait entitled "The Artist and His Museum", giving us a good idea of just what those who presented these charming tokens were bound to encounter on their visit. The museum, founded in 1786, took up new confines on the second floor of Independence Hall in 1802, where it remained until its closure with Peale's death in 1827. Much of its contents ended up in the possession of PT Barnum. Peale's son Titian designed the reverse of the Gobrecht dollar; fifteen years before Gobrecht engraved the dies for that coin, he engraved the dies for these.
(ca. 1850s) Vine Street Line, Philadelphia transit token. Brass, 27 x 18 mm. Atwood-Coffee PA 750F. Eight sided. About Uncirculated. A beautiful example of this horse trolley token, with traces of brassy color remaining on the otherwise highly glossy chocolate brown surfaces. The 2002 Steinberg specimen lacked significant obverse detail and was graded Choice VF. This line was converted to electric trolleys before the 1876 Centennial Exposition, when a program noted that "Passenger railways running north and south issue exchange tickets good on the above-named lines." It appears this token was used the same way, as an exchange pass a few decades earlier as a traveler transferred to the Vine Street horse trolley at Fairmount Park. The rendering of a period stagecoach is classic on this scarce early token. Sold