The Columbian Expo Doctor's 1892 Proof Set
Zoins
Posts: 34,113 ✭✭✭✭✭
This proof set was purchased from the US Mint at the Columbian Expo by a well known physician who worked at the Expo. @Currin mentioned this set in the Hansen thread but I think it's worth a thread of its own.
The set was sold by Harlan J Berk for $145,000 over 17 years ago and recently acquired by @DLHansen.
Update: The set was handled by @CaptHenway, then Harlan Berk Senior Numismatist, when they came in and was later owned by @Windycity for over a decade as discussed below.
This set has a number of great coins with the headline coin being the 1892 PCGS PR68DCAM dollar shown below.
Imagine having a relative at the Columbian Expo who purchased this set there and having it in your family for over 100 years!
How many well-known physicians worked at the Expo?
https://www.hjbltd.com/#!/inventory/item-detail/us-coins/71265
Original 1892 Proof Set - sold as a set. All coins in this remarkable set are PCGS graded and CAC verified. Grades are as follows: 1c - Proof 66 Red, 5c - Proof 66 CAM, 10c - Proof 68 CAM, 25c - Proof 67+ DCAM, 50c - Proof 67 DCAM, $1 - Proof 68 DCAM. Without a doubt the finest Proof set we've handled and I believe one of the finest Proof sets obtainable. Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. purchased the set, intact, from a Chicago family who's great, great Grandfather purchased the set from the Mint at the conclusion of the 1892 Columbian Expo held in Chicago. The family indicated he was a collector, a well known physician and worked at the Expo. Research indicates the Mint did in fact have a display of their current coinage at the expo. Absolutely original and quite amazing! The Dollar is the finest known by three grade points, the Half has just one coin graded finer at a 67+ and the Dime has only one coin graded finer as a 68+.
- 1892 Morgan Dollar - PCGS PR68DCAM POP 1/0 CAC
- 1892 Barber Half Dollar - PCGS PR67DCAM POP 1/1 CAC
- 1892 Barber Quarter Dollar - PCGS PR67+DCAM POP 4/5 CAC
- 1892 Barber Dime - PCGS PR68CAM POP 1/1 CAC
- 1892 Liberty Head Nickel - PCGS PR66CAM POP 36/16 CAC
- 1892 Indian Head Cent - PCGS PR66RD POP 18/3 CAC
Comments
Now that is an incredible story, piece of numismatic history and beautiful coinage.
TY
Wow!
Great provenance!
“... The Dollar is the finest known by three grade points,...” That refers to examples designated DCAM and excludes CAM/non-CAM representatives.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Harlan means finest known DCAM by 3 grade points.
https://www.pcgs.com/pop/detail/morgan-dollar-1878-1921/744?ccid=0&t=5&p=PR
Nice set.
Edit to add: That half is just fantastic.
One set of my great grandparents first met at the Columbian Exposition.
Unfortunately, they didn't buy any proof sets. 
Beautiful...
POST NUBILA PHOEBUS / AFTER CLOUDS, SUN
Love for Music / Collector of Dreck
If I'm not mistaken, this set used to be owned by a forum member. Assuming this is the same set, I have seen it in hand and it is absolutely phenomenal.
-Paul
Are you speaking of the collection with the name (something like) “Windy City”? If so, that was my first thought when I saw this thread.
Edited to add: Yes, that’s the set. Here’s a thread about it from 2010:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/780632/annual-birthday-post-1892-proof-set
And another from 2003, apparently, just after it had been graded by PCGS:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/196977/results-for-1892-windycity-proof-set-unbelievable
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Great info and finds @commoncents05 and @MFeld!
Congrats to @Windycity for owning it so long!
An amazing set of coins. Incredible that it has remained intact for so long. Cheers, RickO
Now that it's in Hansen's collection, I'm curious if it will stay together as not all the coins are top pops.
Hope it does stay together!
@Zoins.... Yes, it would be a shame to break it up, but the lure of registry position is strong. Cheers, RickO
Yep... This set was mine for 10 years.... and I miss it terribly. Note that my forum member icon is the Morgan Dollar - Spectacular set!!! Here's a picture of a poster I created to display in my office.
Wow, a Morgan that even I like.
Great photo set!
Do you or @messydesk still have the photos posted way back in 2010?
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/780632/annual-birthday-post-1892-proof-set
I posted all the TrueViews to the OP now.
It would be great to be able to compare the TrueViews with John's photos and that from Harlan Berk as well!
By the way, PCGS does 6 coin multi-holders so that could be an option here:
https://www.pcgsasia.com/article/pcgs-launches-multi-coin-holder
Just wow!
When I see "1892 Proof" set I thought of Windy City's set. Really cool back story to the set. Hope it stays together forever.
It's great that it was owned by two forum members! @Windycity and @DLHansen!
This this go directly from Harlan to @Windycity to @DLHansen? Were any other collectors or dealers involved in the provenance chain?
I remember handling those coins raw when they came in. Incredible!
Wow! What an amazingly small world!
I didn't know you worked for Harlan and just read you were Senior Numismatist there when you won the Numismatist of the Year award!
It would be incredible to handle those raw!
https://www.money.org/ana-blog/Tom-DeLorey-Named-Numismatist-of-the-Year
I wonder how many well-known physicians worked at the Expo and were collectors. I wonder if this could be tracked down via the Chicago Coin Club?
I wonder how they would fare on reconsideration today.
Some of the grades have increased since 2010, so they were already regraded at some point.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Did you ever try to learn the identify of the physician?
In 1949 Max Mehl provided an auction description for a coin that he described as having been purchased by Dr. C.W. Green "as a proof" 1850 Double Eagle. As the current owner of that coin I did some research as to Dr. Green but I am presently unable to locate those notes. My best recollection though is that he was a prominent doctor from a city other than Chicago and I am not sure that the dates correspond to that of the Columbian Exposition. Perhaps someone here can add more.