Our brush with B Max. Mehl
RussHJB
Posts: 20 ✭✭✭
Recently we were fortunate enough to buy an OLD collection. When I say old, I mean over 100 years old. All of the coins were in old 2x2 envelopes, many of them from the legendary dealer B. Max Mehl. If you aren't familiar with Mehl I highly suggest you read his Wikipedia entry, but here is a summary:
"B. Max Mehl, was an American dealer in coins, selling them for over half a century. The most prominent dealer in the United States, through much of the first half of the 20th century, he is credited with helping to expand the appeal of coin collecting from a hobby for the wealthy to one enjoyed by many. During his half-century of coin dealing, his customer list included Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Colonel E. H. R. Green and sold many rarities including six different 1804 dollars."
Many of the coins are currently being slabbed but some of them we kept raw, this is my favorite piece. If you don't know me I'm a Liberty Seated specialist. So when I saw this coin I pretty much fell head over heals in love. 1843 Liberty Seated half dollar in XF. There are traces of luster under the old crust, the strike is super sharp and the color under halogen just pops, blues and greens.
Comments
I can see why you love it.
Congrats
BHNC #203
Looks like WB-21, R-3.
End Systemic Elitism - It Takes All Of Us
ANA LM
LSCC
EAC
FUN
That name sounds vaguely familiar.😉
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Is that the compass point obverse variety? Nice coin.
@coinJP said:
@edwardjulio said:
Looks like WB-21, R-3.
Is that the compass point obverse variety? Nice coin.
I missed the compass point while focusing on the reverse. It is not WB-21. It is WB-29, WB-30, WB-31 or WB-32, not sure which one. I am not able to see any reverse die cracks, so wondering if it is a very early die state.
I think it is WB-29, but difficult to ascertain with the toning.
End Systemic Elitism - It Takes All Of Us
ANA LM
LSCC
EAC
FUN
That's a gorgeous example of a tougher type in higher grades.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
Dave Bowers said that Max Mehl would catalog coins w/o regard to the mintmarks. Be on the lookout!
@RussHJB ... Welcome aboard. What a great opportunity. Getting a quality, old collection to study is fantastic. Have fun... and let us know of any treasures you find. Cheers, RickO