Grande Dame of Numismatics Catherine Elias Bullowa-Moore (1919-2017)
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Anyone here know Catherine Elias Bullowa or have pieces from her?
What was she known for, coin wise? Did she collect herself?
She was a PNG Founding Member and in the PCGS Dealer Hall of Fame.
- https://www.coinbooks.org/v20/esylum_v20n21a09.html
- https://www.coinworld.com/news/precious-metals/png-founding-member-catherine-bullowa-moore-dies.html
Catherine Bullowa-Moore (1919-2017) Dealer career 1953-2017. HOF: 2020. Catherine was involved in the coin business in the late 1940s before marrying dealer David Marks Bullowa in 1952. After David’s untimely passing in 1953, Catherine decided to keep operating the couple’s Philadelphia coin business and became an expert dealer by teaching herself all aspects of the numismatic hobby. A founding member of the Professional Numismatists Guild in 1954 and appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to the United States Assay Commission in 1965, Catherine was an active coin dealer dedicated to advocacy of the hobby until her passing at the age of 97 years old in 2017.
Over the years, she changed her name due to marriage. Her obituary lists her name as Catherine B. Moore (nee Elias). It seems "B" would stand for Bullowa. It then makes that here eearlier middle initial, E, would be her maiden name Elias.
Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/catherine-moore-obituary?pid=185407800
1832 Philadelphia Civic Procession Medal. Original. Musante GW-130, Baker-160. Silver. Plain edge. PCGS MS64 POP 3/1/0 - Ex-Bullowa-E. Pluribus Unum
I picked up this one in the E. Pluribus Unum Collection sale this year. This is one of less than 10 known original Washington Civic Procession pieces struck in silver and last sold 36 years ago in 1984. It's a PCGS POP 3/1/0 and NGC only has 1 in the census at NGC AU53 along with a F12 and VF Details, all via Heritage. It came with the flip saying the following.
LOT #95
COINHUNTER
C. E. BULLOWAAUCTION
SEPT. 19, 1984
NEW YORK, N.Y.
Comments
I had numerous conversations over the years. Even bought a couple coins and learned later that a number I owned were listed in her late husbands auctions. She was quite a dealer and new her stuff.
I just ran across the following again.
The NNC is part of the National Museum of American History.
https://coinsweekly.com/icon-of-american-numismatics-passed-away/
Would love to see some of the pieces you have!
I bought a number of nice coins from her in the 1970s. Here are a few of them.
This 1805 dime was the first big coin I purchased from her. She graded it "EF." It's now in a AU-58 holder.
She was of the opinion that this 1807 quarter might have come from the Brand Collection. She said that it was "a hair's breath from Unc." It's now in an AU-55 holder.
I still have the her envelopes from these pieces somewhere in my boxes.
She graded this 1793 Wreath Cent, S-11c, "Almost EF. NGC did over grade it as an AU-50, which it isn't.
I bought this Hard Times Token, Low #8, from her for the princely sum of $4.50.
This Civil War token was the last piece I purchased from her, in the 1990s. It's the rarest die combination with the "Liberty and no slaves" obverse.
Looks honest.
Great coins and tokens @BillJones!
It's nice to see and hear the history on these coins
2008 interview
2017 thread
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/981124/catherine-bullowa-passed-away
Certainly a pillar of numismatics in her time, and her legacy continues in collections with attribution. Cheers, RickO
I met Catherine at the 2012 ANA at Philadelphia. She was auctioning off a number of items from her collection, and it was a blind auction, such that no one would know what the other bidders had bids, and the highest bids won. I was lucky to come away with this one:
My guess is that this was like a die trial, as it is extremely close to the image in the December 1783 Hibernian Magazine:
I won quite a few pieces from the miscellaneous section in the back of the small auction catalogs she put out in the '80s and '90s. I got to know Catherine at the ANA conventions & she would often have a So-Called $ or a better Pennsylvania token set back for me. but it was always enjoyable to touch bases with here whether she had anything in my line or not. She was also quite knowledgeable about obsolete currency and helped a traveling mate of mine get started in that field.
One of the few downers of ANA Conventions is noticing the dealers missing that you have seen for years and expected to always be there in the future.
I would have to see the large cent in hand before I agree with you Bill
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
I remember going to her office/shop in Philly about 2001 -2002. I really did not know just who I was talking to, but she was very gracious to me and my son and had some fabulous large cents .
WS
Great to hear those stories!
Wish I was able to visit when I was in Philadelphia.
I rarely buy coins on the bourse, mostly auctions and a few select dealers. But I realize that in the interview with Catherine that I have missed much of the great interpersonal relation aspects of our hobby. Coin dealers are the transactional agents that provide much insight into our collections.
OINK
Here is one more ex Catherine Bullowa coin that I have.
I bid on this small planchet Pine Tree Shilling in one of her auctions in the early 1980s. I didn't win it. About six months later, I spotted this piece in Tony Terranova's case at a Bay State Coin Show in Boston. I bought from him. A couple years later, I ran into the auction catalog from the Bullowa sale. I looked at the plates, and had a shock. This was the same coin I had bid upon two and a half years earlier.
Here is the last one I still have in my collection. It is an 1800 "LIKERTY" half dime.
I think that is probably just a flat strike on the obverse which is why it went AU-50
While the strike is flat, there is a significant die break on the obverse which likely accounts for some weakness. In looking at the image and observing the quality of the cheek and fields, an argument can be made that NGC got it right which was basically my point.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
I think you meant 1800 "LIBEKTY".
(vs. 1796 "LIKERTY")
A very cool coin, in any die state.
You are right, “LIBEKTY.”
It’s not a die break; it’s a large planchet defect. These S-11 Wreath Cents and the 1793 C-4 half cents were made at about the same time in the late summer of 1793. The copper that went into them was really bad, and lamentations are not unusual. Thank goodness this coin held together.
Here's the Bullowa - Pogue - @Floridafacelifter 1795 dollar
Slab photo courtesy of @Floridafacelifter posted here:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/comment/13446221/#Comment_13446221
...so far.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
I recall meeting her at shows, but did not know her well. She had a very large impact on our hobby.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
That MS-66, 1795 dollar was probably the reason why Catherine Bullowa stayed in business until her death. The auction in which it appeared was to be her last, marking her retirement. After it sold for $1 million, she changed her mind.
This coin has a wonderful history with her. It's great that she sold it herself.
She sold it in 2005 so she stayed in the hobby for over a decade afterwards.
Here's the provenance:
That is one gorgeous Flowing Hair dollar! The best I've ever seen.
Never met Ms. Bullowa, but she seemed like such a sweetheart. All class
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
My avatar coin was purchased from Ms. Bullowa by Benson in the late 40s. Probably before her husband passed away. The coin was subsequently sold at the Benson sale by Goldbergs in 2002 or so. The coin ended up with Kirk Gorman. His coins were then sold which is where I purchased it.
jom
Very nice coin and great provenance @jom!
Here's your photo for those viewing the thread.
It looks like a match for this TrueView:
I was just lazy....I was working on something else or I would have posted it. Thanks
jom
No worries, and you're welcome! Great to see more of Catherine's great coins!
Great coins from everyone! Keep them coming
Just found out that Catherine / Coinhunter's 2005 sale was called "My Personal Treasures". What a nice touch.
Here's a Bullowa coin recently surfaced in the Bass sale. She sold this way back on 2/26/1972.
I should also tell a story about these Capped Bust Dimes. I bought Kirk's coin thru a small auction held by David Perkins at the ANA in Anaheim in 2016 (similar to what Sheridan Downey does occasionally). When I arrived at the show I placed my bid (some would say nuclear bid) for this coin probably on a Thursday and it would be announced on Friday who won the coins. I had already did some searching on the coin and found it in Goldberg's archives from the Benson sale.
In the meantime I was walking the bourse floor when I found a 1911 CBD and I thought was nice so I bought it. No big deal.
Then Friday comes along and I win the 1828. Great...two good coins for the show. Yay.
Now a few weeks later I went to the Goldberg website to check out the Benson sale again...probably to download the photo for the 1828. While searching I noticed in the same sale (a few lots before the 1828) was this 1811 dime. I look it and was shocked to find out that it the SAME 1811 I bought at the ANA. AND it's noted in the catalog both coins were purchased originally from Bullowa on the same day by Benson in 1948 or some such. I mean really....what are the odds that happening? That was just too weird.
jom
Here's the 1811 dime.
jom
What a great coincidence and what a great story! Thanks for sharing it.
Copying @WDP so he partake in the reuniting of these coins!
Here's a coin pedigreed to David Bullowa, John Jay Pittman, Bob Simpson, Eugene Gardner and Dr. Bender.
Here's a half cent pedigree to Catherine Bullowa and James R. McGuigan: