NEWP! My First Paper Purchase with a Tie to My Earliest Collecting Days & the Declaration of Indep.
airplanenut
Posts: 22,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
I started collecting coins in third grade and became a regular visitor to the small coin shop in downtown (I didn't have enough money to be much of a customer, rarely spending more than $10-20). The shop had a small display case with some neat items, and a bit of random stuff in a few boxes in the safe. I always looked through the boxes (they had the cheaper stuff), but front and center in the display case for the longest time were three New Jersey coppers, $75 each. Oh how I wanted one of those!
Growing up in northern New Jersey, the oldest house in my town (dating back to 1741) on my street, and mere miles from Washington's headquarters in Morristown and many colonial estates, I was fascinated by the history around the Revolution. True my collecting interests over the years has taken a turn to the artistry of coins (with a healthy appreciation for history), but back when I could afford little, I'd read about the colonial era and the money of that time and the early days of the USA. And like lots of other kids, I played soccer.
One day after practice, my coach mentioned to my brother (three years my senior--at the time a 7th grader) that he should consider being a referee. He could make $25 per game and ref three games each Sunday. I quickly did the math to realize that one weekend of reffing was equal to one New Jersey copper. My brother did become a ref, and every Sunday he was reffing, I was thinking about those coppers in the display case. A few years later--when I was in 7th grade--I followed suit, and by then, games were paying around $45 each. Unfortunately, that's also around the time I was learning about saving money and developing a more discerning taste. Those $75 coppers were no longer nice enough, and I was putting enough of my reffing money into savings that I wasn't ready to spend what was needed to get a New Jersey copper that fit the bill.
Fast forward a few years. The weekend after I graduated college was the Baltimore show, and conveniently, my parents moved to Baltimore two weeks after I graduated high school. I was only home six days before starting my drive west to Seattle, but I timed it right for the show, and I thought I deserved a graduation present. I was talking with John Agre (@CoinRaritiesOnline) and he pulled out just the right coin. A 1787 New Jersey copper (born in 1987, I wouldn't stand for a 1786 or 1788), wonderful details and surfaces, and not too much for my now larger budget. My taste and budget finally intersected, and it only took 16 or 17 years.
A few months ago, I was perusing John's inventory and saw he had a rare Vermont colonial note in the mid 5 figures. Not for me (when I have that money available, I'm buying an airplane), but it got me thinking about how I always wanted a nice example of colonial paper. I asked him if he ever carried lower priced notes (rarely at best) and if he had any advice for finding a nice New Jersey note. He gave me some great information, and even answered one of the questions I didn't want to burden him with: are there any notes signed by a signatory to the Declaration of Independence? Meet John Hart, New Jersey delegate to the Continental Congress and signer of the Declaration of Independence.
I was on the hunt. I found a few notes for sale on eBay. A few more on various dealers' websites. Many decently worn, and most with rather faded signatures. I then checked out Heritage and found two coming up in the FUN sale. One had a notably strong signature and looked like an all-around wonderful example, but I also knew that I know little about paper. I pinged Mark Feld (@MFeld) in hopes that he'd know paper like he knows coins, and that failed. But, he did know some of his colleagues at Heritage who could answer my questions and sent me their way. Off went an email, and back came a very detailed reply. I knew this was the note, I just had to figure out what to pay. Looking at all of Heritage's results of John Hart notes going back to 2011 was daunting, since I cared about the signature, and here I was looking at various denominations, grades, and, though not noted officially, signature strengths. I graded the signature of every note that I saw, and determined the one I wanted was among the top 2 or 3 strongest Heritage has had in a decade, possibly barring some uncirculated notes that were beyond what I would spend. I placed a bid, and then I waited for the live auction, where I did what you aren't supposed to do. Bid again. Then again. And then one more time. Maybe I paid a little more than I should have, but for what I saw, this was a great example, and a decade from now, an extra $100 or $200 won't mean a thing.
And all of a sudden, some 25 years after I first set my eyes on a New Jersey copper, I have not only the copper, but also my first piece of paper money, boldly signed with the same signature that appears mere inches from those of greats the likes of John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and more. And that's a pretty awesome piece of history.
There it is, second column from the right, second signature from the bottom (Full size image).
Jeremy
PS- If you saw my write-up of the Boeing show last weekend, you'll see that I got a note there, too. I had that one in hand first, but this was the first one I actually purchased. Another exciting colonial with a historic signature is on its way to me. I think I might be starting a paper collection!
Comments
Hey Jeremy,
Great story and I really enjoyed reading it. A super looking New Jersey too.
Joe
Congratulations, Jeremy and great write up!
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Thanks @airplanenut for that great write up and your love for history.
That's pretty cool! Thanks for the post.
The Wikipedia page is interesting. Doesn't have a happy ending.
My current "Box of 20"
Very nicely done write up, I applaud your appreciation of history and acquiring the artefacts that are a direct link to past events.
Great article Jeremy..... and the coin and the note are really nice - with ties to your childhood and area in which you grew up. I like collectibles that have ties to my personal history....Very special. Cheers, RickO