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STOLEN Pocket Watches, Coins, Paper Money in Anaheim, CA
ThePennyLady
Posts: 4,448 ✭✭✭✭✭
Just received this email regarding Doris Stephens so I thought I'd pass on the information:
"I just recently lost my husband of 48 years and was encouraged to go away for the weekend by family. Mothers Day weekend, May 12 or 13, while I was away, someone stole my collection of coins, stamps, paper money, confederate paper money, first day covers, gold coins and antique pocket watches including a 3 function Swiss automaton pocket watch referred to as a Knife Grinder Automaton. Richard Gilbert of Ashland Investments is familiar with this watch and tried to purchase it from my father, Roman Lester, before he passed away 20+ years ago.
The face of one antique pocket watch was a $20 Gold Piece. The collection is valued over $500,000 . Some of the gold coins, silver dollars, etc. were graded/slabbed by PCGS and ANACS.
An example is a 1793 Chain Cent, PCGS Graded F12BN, Certification No. 16012771, Variety America. Rolls of BU Morgan Dollars, some in paper rolls with tinfoil inside, 1890-Os, 1880-O proof like roll, BU 1897, 1900, 4 BU rolls of 1904D, 1896, 97, 98, etc.
1912, 13 and 19 AU to BU Canadian $5 Gold coins
1875 $20 gold franc
1868 gold peso Philipinne Ile (very rare)
1875 gold 100 Piast. Turkey
1922 Gold 10 Swiss Franc
There is also a large quantity of antique paper money, silver certificates, gold certificates, confederate paper money, etc. I have an extensive list of their serial numbers, here is a small sample:
1933 Series B City of Hamtramack Note A064908
1899 Series 1$ and 2$ Silver Certificates, H96180405A, E48441913
1875 Series $5 Bank Note, B1174868E,
1914 $5 Federal Reserve Note, G54264549A
1$ Silver Certificate 1928B G14568683B
1$ Silver Certificate 1928A R98086987A
14 1$ Silver Certificates, 1934 Series, A72470216A, A72470210A, D34611654A, E14797420A, C90623228A, C84680848A, D87548097A, D87525137A, etc.
There are hundreds more of all denomination notes and certificates
.
An example of confederate notes: 3 $20 notes, no. 8261, 54188, 21872, 2 $50 notes, no. 19663, 93219, etc
.
3 $10 U. S. Gold Certificates, 1922 Series, H46695789, H38268543, H90660965E and dozens more gold certificates of various denominations
.
1837 Bank of Saline $1 note, 1544,
1859 Col. Bank of Canada $1 note, 1070;
1849 Farmers Joint Stock Bank $5 note, 230821
A packet of 50 $1 silver certificates, 1935 Series, with a Cover that says "Texas Scratch Pad".
An example of stolen key wind pocket watches, 2.25" diameter silver pair case Verge movement pocket watch, Maker is Bayley London 1761; Silver pair case Verge by Thos. Howard, London, 1830.
Gold 18th Century, pump drive, repeater, open face, hour and quarter strike.
Verge by Johann Riel, Stadtamhof, circa 1710, pair case, tortoise shell outer case, 2.75" dia.
18th Century key wind gold hunter case pocket watch know as 'ultra thin' for its time.
There are dozens of 18th century cylinder movements stolen from the collection also.
Don't know if all this information is helpful, but if something turns up? Contact information is Doris Stephens, 714-974-8272, 714-612-1273 or Anaheim Police Burglary Detail, Case No. 12-68768, Sgt. Briggs.
Thank you for your help."
"I just recently lost my husband of 48 years and was encouraged to go away for the weekend by family. Mothers Day weekend, May 12 or 13, while I was away, someone stole my collection of coins, stamps, paper money, confederate paper money, first day covers, gold coins and antique pocket watches including a 3 function Swiss automaton pocket watch referred to as a Knife Grinder Automaton. Richard Gilbert of Ashland Investments is familiar with this watch and tried to purchase it from my father, Roman Lester, before he passed away 20+ years ago.
The face of one antique pocket watch was a $20 Gold Piece. The collection is valued over $500,000 . Some of the gold coins, silver dollars, etc. were graded/slabbed by PCGS and ANACS.
An example is a 1793 Chain Cent, PCGS Graded F12BN, Certification No. 16012771, Variety America. Rolls of BU Morgan Dollars, some in paper rolls with tinfoil inside, 1890-Os, 1880-O proof like roll, BU 1897, 1900, 4 BU rolls of 1904D, 1896, 97, 98, etc.
1912, 13 and 19 AU to BU Canadian $5 Gold coins
1875 $20 gold franc
1868 gold peso Philipinne Ile (very rare)
1875 gold 100 Piast. Turkey
1922 Gold 10 Swiss Franc
There is also a large quantity of antique paper money, silver certificates, gold certificates, confederate paper money, etc. I have an extensive list of their serial numbers, here is a small sample:
1933 Series B City of Hamtramack Note A064908
1899 Series 1$ and 2$ Silver Certificates, H96180405A, E48441913
1875 Series $5 Bank Note, B1174868E,
1914 $5 Federal Reserve Note, G54264549A
1$ Silver Certificate 1928B G14568683B
1$ Silver Certificate 1928A R98086987A
14 1$ Silver Certificates, 1934 Series, A72470216A, A72470210A, D34611654A, E14797420A, C90623228A, C84680848A, D87548097A, D87525137A, etc.
There are hundreds more of all denomination notes and certificates
.
An example of confederate notes: 3 $20 notes, no. 8261, 54188, 21872, 2 $50 notes, no. 19663, 93219, etc
.
3 $10 U. S. Gold Certificates, 1922 Series, H46695789, H38268543, H90660965E and dozens more gold certificates of various denominations
.
1837 Bank of Saline $1 note, 1544,
1859 Col. Bank of Canada $1 note, 1070;
1849 Farmers Joint Stock Bank $5 note, 230821
A packet of 50 $1 silver certificates, 1935 Series, with a Cover that says "Texas Scratch Pad".
An example of stolen key wind pocket watches, 2.25" diameter silver pair case Verge movement pocket watch, Maker is Bayley London 1761; Silver pair case Verge by Thos. Howard, London, 1830.
Gold 18th Century, pump drive, repeater, open face, hour and quarter strike.
Verge by Johann Riel, Stadtamhof, circa 1710, pair case, tortoise shell outer case, 2.75" dia.
18th Century key wind gold hunter case pocket watch know as 'ultra thin' for its time.
There are dozens of 18th century cylinder movements stolen from the collection also.
Don't know if all this information is helpful, but if something turns up? Contact information is Doris Stephens, 714-974-8272, 714-612-1273 or Anaheim Police Burglary Detail, Case No. 12-68768, Sgt. Briggs.
Thank you for your help."
Charmy HarkerThe Penny Lady®
0
Comments
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
Good luck !
Humm... Friend of a friend? Inside job?
In God We Trust.... all others pay in Gold and Silver!
<< <i>"was encouraged to go away for the weekend by family."
Humm... Friend of a friend? Inside job? >>
The word "encouraged" really stood out to me when I read it ......
It's the least we can do.
<< <i>Not to pile on the victim, but keeping 500K at home???? I understand about the pocket watches, but all the other stuff is worth enough to live in a safety deposit box or very good home safe. I hope they get the person that did it (look closely at the usual suspects, i.e. people close to her who know about the stash) and feel badly... But it is a lesson not to keep more at home than you can lose without being overwhelmed at the loss. >>
Lenny Bruce did a routine about this...see if you can Google it.
You need a massive, high quality floor safe and a grade A alarm system with a cellular communicator connected to central station.
With that much money at stake you should have redundant (2) alarm systems-one silent and 1 audible.
25 Years working security for Holmes Protection (Edison N.J. and Philadelphia) and Wells Fargo Protection (NYC and L.I.) I have seen it all.
This kind of security is in the $6,000.00 range.
Although the theft was on Mothers Day weekend: One of the reasons it took so long for me to begin searching for the stolen coins and watches is the police detective handling the case asked me to not publish the theft, it would hamper his investigation. I recently discovered the detective in charge had retired and no one was assigned to the case for a while. I employed private detectives and began to try to search myself. It was a shock to discover how apathetic and incompetant the burglary department can be. Not at all like it is portrayed on TV.
As a result of this published letter, I did receive one hit from an auction house who was approached with some currency that might be on my stolen inventory list. It turned out to be a false lead, but proves there are some honest dealers out there. I very much appreciate the heartfelt compassion many of you have expressed.
The collection was housed behind a false wall, the responding officers to my 911 call thought it was better than a safe.It was considered an inside job and the suspect list is quite small.
The Long Beach show is coming up soon and I was wondering if it would be helpful for me to attend and broadcast my list of stolen items. Any thoughts?
D
Larry L.
the chances of someone coming forward when a piece shows up at their shop (or at the show).
It would not hurt and being proactive is the best course.
bob
<< <i>Certainly the more people know about the collection, including cert numbers and such, the better
the chances of someone coming forward when a piece shows up at their shop (or at the show).
It would not hurt and being proactive is the best course. >>
I agree with AUandAG. Let's keep our eye out for this material and let's not blame the victim of this crime.
I agree, it does sound like an inside job.
Have you informed the Numismatic Crime Information Center? www.numismaticcrimes.org is their website and they are quite good at circulating this information.
Doug Davis is the head of the NCIC and he is diligent and does a great job.
Hope this helps, and my condolances on the loss of your husband as well as the collection.
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
set up "saved searches" on eBay that e-mail you lists of matching results.
<< <i>Have you informed the Numismatic Crime Information Center? www.numismaticcrimes.org is their website and they are quite good at circulating this information.
Doug Davis is the head of the NCIC and he is diligent and does a great job.
>>
That's where I got the information.
https://thepennylady.com/
From the sounds of things, there's a very high probability this was an inside job.
"“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)
"I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)
https://thepennylady.com/
Are you saying that you saw my post on another site?
LostHorde
I also thank you for your sympathy in the loss of my husband. He was a good man, a small consolation is he did not have to see this.
LostHorde