Was William Elliot Woodward the best-known coin dealer in the country?

Zoins

This is what his obituary ays:

Obituary said:
He was the best-known coin dealer in the country and his series of coin catalogues is to be found in every large public library.

Ref: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/146557625/william-elliot-woodward

Post anything on W. Elliot Woodward here

Here's a pattern coin from his personal collection:

• Sale: https://coins.ha.com/itm/patterns/1863-10-liberty-ten-dollar-judd-349-pollock-421-unique-pr64-cameo-pcgs-cac-pcgs-537340-/a/1374-4655.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
• Pedigree: Chief Coiner Lewis R. Broomall; Colonel Mendes I. Cohen Collection (Edward Cogan, 10/1875), lot 1342; Heman Ely Collection (W. Elliot Woodward, 1/1884), lot 590; All the Kingdoms of the World/Woodward's personal collection (W. Elliot Woodward, 10/1884), lot 1999; T. Harrison Garrett; Robert Garrett, John Work Garrett, Johns Hopkins University, by bequest in 1942; Garrett Collection, Part II (Bowers and Ruddy, 3/1980), lot 1088; A. Bernard Shore Collection (Superior, 1/1988), lot 4286; private collector; Bob R. Simpson Collection.

And the sale catalog:

291fifth

He (or perhaps the printer) certainly liked to use many different type fonts!

retirednow

NNP notation on Woodward

However Q. David Bowers book did not focus on him in his book "Those Who led The Way" while dedicated 12 chapters to other greats.

American Journal of Numismatics (Series One) (1891) Obituary
https://archive.org/details/AJN1891Vols26to28/page/n84/mode/1up?ui=embed&view=theater&wrapper=false

Jacques_Loungecoque

Never heard of him.

Zoins

Here's a nice coin that Elliot handled in 1885!

• Sale: https://coins.ha.com/itm/proof-early-half-eagles/1821-5-bd-1-jd-1-r8-as-a-proof-pr65-cameo-pcgs-cac/a/1353-11052.s

Heritage said:
PR65 Cameo PCGS. CAC. BD-1, JD-1. John Colvin Randall Collection (W. Elliot Woodward, 6/1885), lot 927; Randall Collection, Part II (W. Elliot Woodward, 9/1885), lot 1029; William H. Woodin, displayed at the 1914 ANS Exhibition (plate 15); Waldo Newcomer, inventory #108, plate matched to Newcomer plates, first example; B. Max Mehl, on consignment in 1931; "Colonel" E.H.R. Green; B.G. Johnson; King Farouk; Palace Collections of Egypt (Sotheby's, 2/1954), lot 237; Abe Kosoff, as agent for the Norwebs; Norweb Collection, Part I (Bowers and Merena, 10/1987), lot 773, realized $198,000; Harry W. Bass, Jr.; Harry Bass Core Collection HBCC #3144.

MapsOnFire

Could have been best known coin dealer in the country at that time. The Chapmans didn't come along until a few years later.

DCW

I have this envelope that John Adams Bolen addressed to W. Elliot Woodward:

It's too bad the letter is missing. I had always assumed that all the mules produced by Woodward using Bolen dies came from a third party, but perhaps Bolen himself had them struck?

Zoins

Elliot purchased this 1804 dollar from Joseph Jacob Mickley as part of his collection. Elliot sold it for $750 in October 1867.

Imagine when you could buy an 1804 dollar for $750!

Zoins

@DCW said:
I have this envelope that John Adams Bolen addressed to W. Elliot Woodward:

It's too bad the letter is missing. I had always assumed that all the mules produced by Woodward using Bolen dies came from a third party, but perhaps Bolen himself had them struck?

Very cool Den! Two great names in the same envelope!

RobertScotLover

Can I see the reverse please

DCW

@RobertScotLover said:
Can I see the reverse please

RobertScotLover

Can you explain what I am seeing on the reverse please?

DCW

No idea! Perhaps staining from how it was stored

tommy44

@RobertScotLover said:
Can you explain what I am seeing on the reverse please?

Could they be small depictions of different dies?

edited to add: or punches to be used on dies?

yspsales

Coin Dealers are (were) their own best promoters.

Colorful, successful, inventive doesn't always mean HOF pedigree renown.

The stories of Richard Nachbar comes to mind, with his $100K cash sitting in a dealer case welcoming all sellers to his table.

Zoins

@yspsales said:
Coin Dealers are (were) their own best promoters.

Colorful, successful, inventive doesn't always mean HOF pedigree renown.

Possibly, but it may not have lasted the test of time.

Here's a nice coin that has a nice long pedigree with some impressive names.

• Cert: https://www.pcgs.com/cert/46092587
• Sale: https://coins.ha.com/itm/proof-early-half-eagles/1829-5-large-diameter-large-date-bd-1-r7-pr66-pcgs-jd-1-r8-as-a-proof-pcgs-519944-/a/1359-4562.s
• Pedigree: PR66+ PCGS. Possibly Col. Mendes I. Cohen Collection (Edward Cogan, 10/1875), lot 149; John W. Haseltine; John Colvin Randall Collection (W. Elliot Woodward, 6/1885), lot 934; David S. Wilson Collection (S.H. Chapman, 3/1907), lot 79; Virgil M. Brand (Brand Journal #37148); Armin Brand; Christmas present to Frieda Brand in 1935; Jane Brand Allen; Virgil M. Brand Collection, Part I (Bowers and Merena, 11/1983), lot 280, to bidder #223 (either Stanley Kesselman or Joe Kuehnert in partnership with Anthony J. Terranova); Auction '85 (Superior, 7/1985), lot 941; Harry W. Bass, Jr; Harry Bass Core Collection (HBCC-3154); on display at ANA headquarters until 2022. The present coin.

Zoins

1860 Double Eagle Proof - NGC PF66CAM - Ely-Woodward-Garrett

This is the highest graded specimen.

• Sale: https://coins.ha.com/itm/proof-liberty-double-eagles/1860-20-pr66-cameo-ngc/a/1208-5741.s#
• Pedigree: https://coins.ha.com/itm/proof-liberty-double-eagles/1860-20-pr65-cameo-pcgs-cac-jd-1-low-r7-pcgs-89072-/a/1353-11070.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515

Heman Ely Collection; W. Elliot Woodward, sold privately 9/1/1893; T. Harrison Garrett Collection; Robert and John Work Garrett; John Work Garrett bought out his brother's interest in the collection, circa 1919; Johns Hopkins University Collection, by bequest; Garrett Collection, Part II (Bowers and Ruddy, 3/1980), lot 789, realized $80,000; Father Flanagan's Boys Home (Superior, 5/1990), lot 5737, realized $148,500; Henry Miller Collection (Heritage, 1/2011), lot 5276, realized $230,000; Charles G. Wright Family Collection (Heritage, 8/2014), lot 5741, realized $367,187.50.

Zoins

@retirednow said:
NNP notation on Woodward

However Q. David Bowers book did not focus on him in his book "Those Who led The Way" while dedicated 12 chapters to other greats.

American Journal of Numismatics (Series One) (1891) Obituary
https://archive.org/details/AJN1891Vols26to28/page/n84/mode/1up?ui=embed&view=theater&wrapper=false

Great bio!

Here's the large photo:

Zoins

Here's his bio on the Numismatic Mall from John Nicholas Joseph Lupia:

https://www.numismaticmall.com/encyclopedic-dictionary-of-numismatic-biographies/woodward-william-elliot

Of note, it includes an envelope Elliot wrote to Samuel Hudson and Henry Chapman:

John Nicholas Joseph Lupia said:
Letter of correspondence of W. E. Woodward to the Chapman Brothers, postmarked Dorchester Station, March 20, 1889, 3 P. M. (looks like 1888 but is really 1889), Blake-Davis No. 2605. This is the earliest known use of the Blake-Davis No. 2605 establishing a new earliest use record for CDS (Circular Date Stamp). Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic Library, Special Collection, The Chapman Family Correspondence Archive.

jmlanzaf

@Zoins said:
Elliot purchased this 1804 dollar from Joseph Jacob Mickley as part of his collection. Elliot sold it for $750 in October 1867.

Imagine when you could buy an 1804 dollar for $750!

And you got paid less the $1 per day...

Zoins

@jmlanzaf said:

@Zoins said:
Elliot purchased this 1804 dollar from Joseph Jacob Mickley as part of his collection. Elliot sold it for $750 in October 1867.

Imagine when you could buy an 1804 dollar for $750!

And you got paid less the $1 per day...

Not that most people can afford a 1804 dollar today! Also, the gold value back then is workth $83k today, which many people cannot afford either.

• $750 * (0.9675 troy oz / $20) = 36.28125 troy oz. in 1867
• 36.28125 troy oz. today * ($2,310.10 / troy oz) = $83,813.32

retirednow

@Zoins said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@Zoins said:
Elliot purchased this 1804 dollar from Joseph Jacob Mickley as part of his collection. Elliot sold it for $750 in October 1867.

Imagine when you could buy an 1804 dollar for $750!

And you got paid less the $1 per day...

Not that most people can afford a 1804 dollar today! Also, the gold value back then is worth $83k today, which many people cannot afford either.

• $750 * (0.9675 troy oz / $20) = 36.28125 troy oz. in 1867
• 36.28125 troy oz. today * ($2,310.10 / troy oz) = $83,813.32

Always good to put growth in perspective ...
the Dow Jones formed in 1894 and initial index value was 40.94 ... peak in 2024 was 39,282 - just saying

the bio indicated That an 1870 census valued his estate at $330,000.00 most likely good buying power back then

Byers

Woodward pedigree:

Zoins

@Byers said:
Woodward pedigree:

Great coin and educational info Mike!

It's amazing to have the Woodward pedigree going back to the Civil War in 1863!

Currin

Thanks Zoins for sharing the great information on W. E. Woodward. I know the name from studies of pedigree's but honestly, I did not know his history. Back to your opening question referencing best-known. I would say certainly not today. All though he was a great pioneer, he does not have the name recognition as some others. He may be the Ty Cobb of early collectors/dealers, but he is not the Babe Ruth figure for sure.