Obscure Numismatic Research

pruebas

For years, I have understood numismatic researchers have been paid to write for numismatic periodicals and newspapers. Generally, this means that research is almost impossible to find 10+ years later as newspapers and periodicals are rarely saved and the research is rarely compiled elsewhere.

For example, author/researcher Bob Julian has written for COINage magazine for years. And author/researcher Neil Shafer (RIP) has written for World Coin News with updates to his 1974 Philippine Guerrilla Currency book. These periodicals have a very low circulation to begin with, and I bet the issues are not saved in any great number. This research is essentially lost to time.

While listing some duplicate auction catalogs on eBay, I came across the following article containing research that I believe never made it into any other published media, and was essentially lost to numismatists. It was published once in an auction catalog and never seen again.

Yes, many auction catalogs are digitized at the Newman Numismatic Portal, but they have not been OCRed and cannot be indexed by Google, for example.

William Christensen (RIP) wrote an article in his father's firm's auction catalog of April 14, 1972 and while the research is over 50 years old, it still has tremendous value today as there has been very little written about Paraguayan numismatics.

As an aside, some of Mr. Christensen's research made it into mass media. His excellent article on Peruvian patterns is in the published ANS COAC compilation on The Coinage of El Peru and is available online.

Here for posterity is "An Attempt at Straightening Out the 19th Century Paraguayan Patterns," by William Christensen and now forever findable via Google. (Poor images due to me using an iPhone camera rather than a scanner.)

Boosibri

Great post and an area I have tried to learn more on in the past.

Here is an 1867 10 Reales which is noted as more crude than the others as Christensen notes. I have begun a census of this issue and would guess 5-7 exist.

It was locally manufactured in Paraguay vs France but it may not be a pattern. Every example is heavily circulated owing probably to the fact that its manufacture came during the period of the War of the Triple Alliance, and perhaps is an emergency issue vs a pattern. Why issue a pattern 10R during a massive war?

ELuis

@Boosibri Maybe you found this one sold at SB in 2011

Edit to add one that was sold at world numismatics not cheap: Paraguay Republic silver piefort pattern 10 Reales 1855 UNC Details

I know it is a different year - Okay need to stop.

JohnnyCache

Maybe, just a thought, add "19th Century Paraguayan Patterns" to your title therefore making it even easier to locate in the future.

Very kind of you to take the time and post this Pruebas as this is really for the benefit of the future numismatists of the world.

pruebas

@JohnnyCache said:
Maybe, just a thought, add "19th Century Paraguayan Patterns" to your title therefore making it even easier to locate in the future.

Very kind of you to take the time and post this Pruebas as this is really for the benefit of the future numismatists of the world.

@JohnnyCache I think Google can index inside the thread. Plus, I was hoping for a discussion and possibly other examples of this kind of obscure research.

In the following post, I will OCR the first page of text so the indexing will be improved.

pruebas

AN ATTEMPT AT STRAIGHTENING OUT THE 19th CENTURY PARAGUAYAN PATTERNS

William W. B. Christensen

The numismatic history of Paraguay is a classic example of Gresham's Law - that bad money drives out good. Throughout its independent history Paraguay has periodically attempted to issue and maintain a circulating, metallic currency but always without success. Aside from the usual melting and hoarding of coins with intrinsic value, even base metal pieces have been hoarded, leaving only paper in circulation. These curious circumstances have, for the numismatist, resulted in a rather limited and dull coinage but, at the same time, a fascinating pattern series. At various times the Paraguayan government has essayed the possibilities of issuing a new coin or series of coins. At other limes foreign minting authorities, notably the French, have tried to convince Paraguay of the merits of such issue. These efforts produced some most attractive patterns though, generally, no circulating coins.

Most collectors are familiar with the majority of the Paraguayan pattern types and that most of them were issued in various metals. There remained the task of poring through catalogs and references to determine just which patterns were struck in which metals. The recent monograph on Paraguayan coins by Alcedo Almanzar and Dale Seppa attempts such a compilation, but, unfortunately, it is far from complete. Consulting a few of the classic catalogs of Latin American coins produced many more listings. Of particular use was the monograph "Monedas Y Medallas Paraguayas" by Enrique Pena, published in Asuncion in 1900. This work lists and illustrates several patterns otherwise unknown.

As it is virtually impossible to judge from a catalog listing, no matter how reliable, the possible differences between pieces from identical dies struck in Tin, Pewter, or White metal, or between Copper and Bronze, all such pieces will be referred to as pewter and copper respectively. Similarly, pieces described as being silver plated or gold plated bronze or white metal will be listed merely as base metal with the respective plating.

It is difficult to avoid a certain degree of awkwardness in the evolution and application of a numbering system for a series which involves similar pieces struck in several metals. In order to minimize this hazard the number preceding the listing will refer to the design of the piece and the letter following to the metal in which it is struck. In this manner, should a piece be reported in a previously unlisted metal, one need merely use the number assigned to that set of pattern dies and the appropriate letters from the list given below. This, the cataloguer feels, results in greater flexibility, and new listings, which are quite possible, do not entail revamping the entire system.

The letters following the catalog numbers will refer to these metals:
a = silver
b = silver plated base metal
c = pewter
d = copper
e = aluminum
f = gold
g = gold plated silver
h = gold plated base metal

A Note On Rarity: These pieces do not appear with sufficient frequency to determine with any degree of accuracy their relative rarities. Generally, it can be said that the 2 Centavos of 1868 is scarce; all other pieces are rare; the dollar size pieces in silver and the gold pieces are extremely rare.

Boosibri

Here is another bit of obscure numismatic research which relates to the proof 1868 Chilean peso that I now own.

In seeking its story and provenance I found mention to a Bob Julian article documenting James B Longacre relationship with Chile and the design of its new coinage. Julian sources Longacres letters from the Pennsylvania historical society and crafted an outstanding narrative of the development of the condor designed coinage beginning in 1868.

I recreated his research sourcing the same material to see if something was missed outlining the striking of the proof I owned, but no luck.

No luck until I came across another article by @EagleEye in the Longacre ledger which made mention to a small addenda to the Longacre estate with Chilean coinage.

The Newman portal example of the estate sale did not include this addenda which is why I missed it. I found a fully annotated example on Archive.org and there was the peso.

So two obscure and extremely well done pieces of research which helped to combine into the insight that all proof Chilean coins from 1867 and 1868 were struck by Longacre for Longacre and were in his collection for the short period of time before his death.

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1095395/longacre-and-his-connection-to-chile-updated-with-discovery

Namvet69

So very interesting. Thanks for laying it out. Peace Roy