Vintage Whitman blue coin folders
jfriedm56
Posts: 1,213 ✭✭✭✭✭
So I read an article in the Numismatist magazine from December 2020, about collecting vintage blue Whitman coin folders. I’m sure most of us started out trying to fill in all the holes in our Lincoln cent folders. I know I did. So now I always look at the old used folders at the coin shows I attend. Surprisingly many are in real almost new shape. Well anyway getting back to my question- does anyone else collect these and what have you found? There are many copyright dates starting in 1940 and just like PCGS holders, many generations. Some are quite valuable and only 1 or 2 known. Here’s a few to start off with that are 1940 copyrighted, but not 1st generation folders. Show what you have.
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Comments
Do NOT put zinc cents in them.
Here’s the Merc folder complete with the rare and valuable cardboard 16D.
Only two pics from archive for now even though I had started with filling up the Whitman albums before moving them into Danscos.
Part II of the Washington Quarters from 1946-1964
** Edited to add second picture.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/quarters/PCGS-2020-quarter-quest/album/247091
Ok, so maybe you all don’t get my point. I’m not looking for those of you who have folders that you use to store coins in. I’m interested to know how many of you if any, just collect the vintage folders as a collectible. Let me show you what I mean. These are 1st editions.
what ones are valuable? I like their coin boards from the 30's.
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No, not I. Those are nice folders though. The ones I had as a kid are all beat up! Reminds me of the guy on another thread that collect Dansco's.
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
I have both Whitmans and Danscos but there is no interest in collecting their specific editions per se since it started off in that order and now the empty albums lie in a corner inside the closet after I got sucked into the slabbed coin game.
Two years ago at the height of the pandemic, had two LCS folks telling me to take all of their Whitmans for free because they were going to toss it into the garbage, but I politely declined at that time.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/quarters/PCGS-2020-quarter-quest/album/247091
Yes, that's kinda my same story.
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
I have this "new" unused Merc 9014 from 1940. This one has a 16d hole ready to be filled. Racine Wisconsin with no black hole backgrounds.
Should I fill it or sell it?
I don't collect them, but I never throw anything away (my wife does not feel that this is one of my better traits). And I still have a bunch of those (yes, starting with Lincoln cents, 1909-1940. They now house the coins I've upgraded from, pending figuring out what to do with them."
Oh, and mine do not look new, being roughly 60 years old; heck, I bought some of them used.
I like this old style Whitman Album,,,,,
Great trip down memory lane looking at these folders.
I do not collect coin folders.... Have a few old ones with a few coins in them... have not looked at them in years. Cheers, RickO
From what I’ve been able to find out, the first editions that have a somewhat shiny, alligator looking blue skin to them. They will have a blackish looking paper/glue in the holes, and will have a1940 copyright along with the added city of Poughkeepsie,NY.
On the early blue folders the glue backing was on the paper rather than the boards. This can be easily seen. I suspect this was changed around the late 1950's. Does anyone know for certain?
those are the ones that leave black stripes on the back (or side next to the glue) of silver coins
David Lange has authored a few books and dozens of articles. He is at this
time going thru some serious health issues. Maybe googling his articles at
the Numismatist or Newman Numismatic Portal can give you some answers.
@jfriedm56
I do have about 15 or so first edition folders and I would love to be able to purchase a 1916 standing liberty half dollar
folder like you show here. Let me know if you ever want to sell it!!
In August of 2010 I went to a coin shop in central Ohio and the dealer had a 4 x 8 foot table that was piled up with
hundereds of these old folders going back in time to the early 1940ies. There was a sign next to the table that said
fifty cents each or 5 for a dollar! thats about one tenth or retail, so I started buying them up and selling on ebay.
I learned a lot and I bought David Lange's book on Whitman coin products and learned even more.
They are fun to collect!
buffnixx
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
Have been looking for the above Standing Liberty Half Dollar collection starting 1916 for my first edition collection of folders!!
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
@BUFFNIXX , so what would be a ballpark figure. When I talked to David Lange the other day, he said in his 40+ years of collecting these 1st editions, he’s only seen 1 Standing Liberty half dollar folder and it’s in his collection. It’s extremely rare and it looks like I own only the second one known.
I would not be able to value it to be honest. I have purchased some off of David Lange for up to $50 so I would say
$200 maybe.
Tom
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
Thanks for that added info. @BUFFNIXX
Wow I've never heard of anyone collecting these folders. I've kept all that I come across and have about 100 in a box in the garage. I'll probably toss them eventually.
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you" Matthew 6:33. Young fellow suffering from Bust Half fever.
BHNC #AN-10
JRCS #1606
These are both copyright 1940, no idea if they are first editions or scarce.
These are not first edition folders that were produced from 1940 to 1942. I think they are second or third edition folders.
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
If you want to learn more about Whitman folders you will need David Lange's book shown below.
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
@Walkerguy21D , no don’t think so. Last page should say Poughkeepsie,NY. Black glue and paper in holes, different blue paper and small series # on front. The silver braided design on front should be 1/2 inch from left side
I spent $5 at a coin show on Friday to buy a used Jefferson nickel album. I had no trouble filling 19 holes from a roll of old nickels pulled from circulation over the years. Are people saying these are collectible in their own right?
Nope not those.
Isnt it cool how Whitman lets you complete your "ultra rare" 1916d with a cardboard plug?
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
A few years ago, I actually moved my Lincoln Cents to new folders. Who would have thunk it that the old ones are collectible...
My current registry sets:
20th Century Type Set
Virtual DANSCO 7070
Slabbed IHC set - Missing the Anacs Slabbed coins
Most aren’t. Perhaps many reading this post missed my point. Pretty much any folder printed with a 1960 or later copyrighted date isn’t valuable. If there is writing on the outside spine, it is new and not valuable. Anything with a picture of the coin on the front is not valuable. My intentions of this thread was to see if anyone collected 1st, 2nd, or possibly even 3rd editions of the folders with a 1940 copyrighted date. Apparently not anyone except for BUFFNIXX. . Again if anyone wants to know if the old folders they have are valuable take a look at the pictures I posted earlier in this thread. All others do not carry a premium. Hope this clarifies things a bit and gives a better understanding of collectible folders.
I am surprised that they plugged the 1916-D hole. That coin has always been available for a price. It’s not like a 1913 Liberty Nickel or an 1894-S dime.
I don’t think that the Blue Whitman albums are. The company sold a lot of them.
The Library of Coins albums are to a minor extent. They are sturdier and better quality than Whitman albums, but did have the wider marketing program.
I don't really collect them, or I would have made an inventory indicating the rare ones.
I do have an accumulation, most without the title on the spine.
I enjoy the older ones that have somewhat outdated labels:
I remember a specific older thread on this, but I have not been able to locate it.
Exactly! Like these that I believe are 2nd generation
Would like to see the old thread
The reason that the "Standing" Liberty Half Dollar collection starting 1916 is so scarce/rare is that it was intitialy released in mid 1940 and there were only two empty holes for the three 1941 issues, p d, and s. So they had to make a new folder the
very next year for the issues starting 1941. Rather than use the same folder layout with 16 openings per page they split
the series from 1916-1936 and the volume two was "Collection starting 1937". The second volume initially stated Starting 1937 and when
the series ended in 1947 the second volume was changed to only have enough openings to hold the coins issued.
Whitman was averse to ending a series and leaving some blanks at the end.
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
Interesting that it states Starting 1937, but it would appear that they knew the series ended in 1947.
These also state copyright 1940, but must’ve been produced after 1947.
You're right, @Walkerguy21D. If you flip the back flap over, you can see what other folders are available. look for the latest year on those and that will give you some indication of it's age. If for example one says starting in 1959, yours can be no older than that.
I have the Barber quarter albums which they called "Morgan Quarter Liberty Head". I have had these for many years and don't remember where or when I got them or why I still have them. Are these rare ones? They appear to be unused but the 1897-S spot does have a small hole through it.
A bust dime folder with 4 "Rare" fill holes. The 1821 small date is not rare at all, but was thought to be at the time.
My dad's Franklyn Half dollar folder which only has dates to 1953 printed.
@rec78 Yes! Absolutely! The first two are definitely 1st editions. They possess the blue alligator skin, the black backing and glue, and the Poughkeepsie, N.Y. printing on the last page . Congrats on your find! And it looks like your other 2, though not 1st editions are early too, because they possess the glue in the coin spaces
I used to have a very early whitman folder for US Large Cents (1826-1857) I don't think it was a first edition because it did not have the "alligator skin" look, but it did have black holes with glue in them, I filled it up and sold it a while back... I don't think I have any pictures of it but I'll look...
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Here is another monster first edition folder
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
As you can see on the first page, there are two holes for the 1892-O half dollar, one is called the "medium O" variety
and the second is referred to as "microscopic O". The "micro O" variety as it is also called, is extremely rare and I think
the estimate of its mintage is around 200 specimens. And there is also two openings for the 1894-s, "high S" and
"low S" varieties. Eventually Whitman removed the plugged hole for the 1892s micro O variety and left the two
1894s openings as they were. Eventually they consolidated the two openings for the 1894s into one and created a
third version of this first volume starting 1892. Collectors were not too happy with the first two versions because
of a lack of interest for the two minor positional varieties of the 1894S and the lack of availability for the 1892-O
micro O. A very interesting folder indeed.
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
I have a stack of them.
Wasn't my intention to collect... but I have a stack of them.
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@yspsales- 1st editions? Show what you have.
Anyone else have this one?
I think I can actually fill this folder with COINSTAR finds.
it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide
May have a few toners in there by now.
My 2 series 2 cent folders are of the 1940, Racine Wisc. Must not be the First Edition type? I noticed they listed the S MM before the D. 1950-S,50-D and so forth for all the dates. Where as other folders list the D than S MM.
@BLUEJAYWAY, if you don’t see Poughkeepsie it’s not a 1st edition(maybe 2nd or 3rd). And yes, most early folders have the S before the D which got switched around later on. But I did find that this 1st edition has the modern, standard way of D then S. Go figure. Also on this 1st edition of the Standing Liberty Quarters, the 1920 spaces have 2 spots for 1920-S, but with the mintage of the D printed in the correct location. Was corrected in later editions
