"Ed Price has succeeded in finishing a set that had not been completed for 120 years.
mrdq
Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭
NGC Certifies Price Collection of Early Half Dimes
Posted by NGC at 4/21/03 2:31:57 PM
Only Complete Set Known
Numismatic Guaranty Corporation is pleased to announce that it has certified the superb collection of early United States half dimes assembled by Mr. Ed Price of New Jersey. Comprising 31 coins from 1794 through 1805, this collection is without peer for both rarity and completeness.
Every known variety is represented, and each specimen in Price's set served as the plate coin for the standard reference on this series (Federal Half Dimes 1792-1837, by Russell J. Logan and John W. McCloskey). NGC has attributed all of Price's half dimes by Logan-McCloskey numbers under its VarietyPlus grading and attribution service.
A very rare variety within the Flowing Hair series is 1795 LM-2. Rated R7 by Logan and McCloskey (4-12 pieces known), the Price specimen grades MS-61. Very rare Draped Bust half dimes in the Price Collection include 1800 LM-2 and LM-4. The former is rated R8 by specialists in this series, with just three known. Ed's coin, grading AU-58, is the finest of these. Price discovered the LM-4 variety and first published it in 1994. Displaying some environmental damage and thus not certifiable by NGC, Price's LM-4 will be certified with details-only grading by Numismatic Conservation Services.
The Price Collection includes some outstanding condition rarities, too. His 1795 LM-10, while not rare in overall numbers, is represented by a near-gem MS-64 example. His 1796/5 LM-2 grades an impressive MS-62. Another choice specimen is Mr. Price's 1801 LM-2, which NGC has certified as MS-63.
For date collectors the highlight of any half dime collection is the rare 1802, and the Ed Price Collection features a wonderful example. Pedigreed to the collections of Lorin Parmelee, William F. Dunham and John J. Pittman, this beautiful specimen grades AU-50. Other pedigrees of note among Price coins include Newlin, Maris, Garrett and Eliasberg.
Certification of his collection was a high priority for Ed Price. "My half dime collection was handled fairly and professionally by NGC, Price noted. "I was very pleased with the entire process, including grading, research, attribution and encapsulation."
A collector since 1950, Ed Price graduated from collecting 20th Century coins from circulation to forming a United States type set. These collections were ultimately sold, as Ed decided to focus on early Federal coinage exclusively, with a particular interest in half dimes. Ten years were required to complete the series from 1794 to 1805 by date and variety. His was the first complete set assembled since that of early half dime researcher, Harold P. Newlin, whose collection was sold in the 1880s. Along the way Ed had the rare privilege of discovering a previously unknown variety, 1800 LM-4. When the late Russ Logan joined together with John McCloskey to pen a new book that would replace Daniel Valentine's outdated reference, Ed generously loaned his collection to serve as the plate coins.
Mr. Price's advisor has been coin dealer Stuart Levine of Massachusetts. "It has been both an honor and a privilege to work with Mr. Price," Levine acknowledged. "The assemblage of half dimes by Ed Price is a major milestone in the history of United States coin collecting. It is the most extensive collection of early half dimes ever amassed, comprising 31 separate and distinct varieties. Since Newlin's collection of 24 different varieties (considered complete at the time) was sold in 1883, no one has been able to put all the pieces back together."
Levine also observed that seven different varieties have been discovered since Newlin's time: "Ed Price has succeeded in finishing a set that had not been completed for 120 years. It is my opinion, given today's numerous and competitive collectors, with their increasing levels of knowledge and wealth, that no one else may complete this set by variety for another 120 years."
Posted by NGC at 4/21/03 2:31:57 PM
Only Complete Set Known
Numismatic Guaranty Corporation is pleased to announce that it has certified the superb collection of early United States half dimes assembled by Mr. Ed Price of New Jersey. Comprising 31 coins from 1794 through 1805, this collection is without peer for both rarity and completeness.
Every known variety is represented, and each specimen in Price's set served as the plate coin for the standard reference on this series (Federal Half Dimes 1792-1837, by Russell J. Logan and John W. McCloskey). NGC has attributed all of Price's half dimes by Logan-McCloskey numbers under its VarietyPlus grading and attribution service.
A very rare variety within the Flowing Hair series is 1795 LM-2. Rated R7 by Logan and McCloskey (4-12 pieces known), the Price specimen grades MS-61. Very rare Draped Bust half dimes in the Price Collection include 1800 LM-2 and LM-4. The former is rated R8 by specialists in this series, with just three known. Ed's coin, grading AU-58, is the finest of these. Price discovered the LM-4 variety and first published it in 1994. Displaying some environmental damage and thus not certifiable by NGC, Price's LM-4 will be certified with details-only grading by Numismatic Conservation Services.
The Price Collection includes some outstanding condition rarities, too. His 1795 LM-10, while not rare in overall numbers, is represented by a near-gem MS-64 example. His 1796/5 LM-2 grades an impressive MS-62. Another choice specimen is Mr. Price's 1801 LM-2, which NGC has certified as MS-63.
For date collectors the highlight of any half dime collection is the rare 1802, and the Ed Price Collection features a wonderful example. Pedigreed to the collections of Lorin Parmelee, William F. Dunham and John J. Pittman, this beautiful specimen grades AU-50. Other pedigrees of note among Price coins include Newlin, Maris, Garrett and Eliasberg.
Certification of his collection was a high priority for Ed Price. "My half dime collection was handled fairly and professionally by NGC, Price noted. "I was very pleased with the entire process, including grading, research, attribution and encapsulation."
A collector since 1950, Ed Price graduated from collecting 20th Century coins from circulation to forming a United States type set. These collections were ultimately sold, as Ed decided to focus on early Federal coinage exclusively, with a particular interest in half dimes. Ten years were required to complete the series from 1794 to 1805 by date and variety. His was the first complete set assembled since that of early half dime researcher, Harold P. Newlin, whose collection was sold in the 1880s. Along the way Ed had the rare privilege of discovering a previously unknown variety, 1800 LM-4. When the late Russ Logan joined together with John McCloskey to pen a new book that would replace Daniel Valentine's outdated reference, Ed generously loaned his collection to serve as the plate coins.
Mr. Price's advisor has been coin dealer Stuart Levine of Massachusetts. "It has been both an honor and a privilege to work with Mr. Price," Levine acknowledged. "The assemblage of half dimes by Ed Price is a major milestone in the history of United States coin collecting. It is the most extensive collection of early half dimes ever amassed, comprising 31 separate and distinct varieties. Since Newlin's collection of 24 different varieties (considered complete at the time) was sold in 1883, no one has been able to put all the pieces back together."
Levine also observed that seven different varieties have been discovered since Newlin's time: "Ed Price has succeeded in finishing a set that had not been completed for 120 years. It is my opinion, given today's numerous and competitive collectors, with their increasing levels of knowledge and wealth, that no one else may complete this set by variety for another 120 years."
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Comments
P L E A S E
Finest known, 208 years old, THREE KNOWN TO EXIST and they won't slab it.
there MUST be some exception that can be made for one of the crown jewels of numismatics
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mrdq wrote:
there MUST be some exception that can be made for one of the crown jewels of numismatics
I would disagree. For one of the crown jewels, the fact that it's not in a slab doesn't reflect badly on the coin.
New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.
(btw, anyone named Ed can't be all that bad
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
Great Post and a great collection. This is the kind of news and accomplishment that we deserve to hear.
Of personal note, Stuart Levine sold me my first 3 cent silver pieces at a Long Beach show.
Thanks Stuart and congratulations on helping Ed Price with this special accomplishment.
Joe T
<< <i>Ed worked INCREDIBLY hard to put this set together. He went everywhere, talked to everybody, and left no stone unturned. Luck had very little to do with his achievement. >>
Once again resides with Legend, the original purchaser "raw" at live Eliasberg auction. Laura and i "love" the same lady!
Mike Printz
Harlan J. Berk, Ltd.
https://hjbltd.com/#!/department/us-coins
mrdq
there MUST be some exception that can be made for one of the crown jewels of numismatics
Well, it is no longer an exception. NCS slabbed it AND assigned a details grade. No points in the registry (I think) but slabbed and graded nonetheless, and a comparable slab.
I'm wondering if you are aware whether his set included an example of the 1795 "6 curls" half dime (LM4, V3) and if so, what grade? If Mr. Price's 1802 half dime is an NGC au50 example then I think I'm familar with the coin. If it's the same one I'm thinking about it is very attractive. Does anyone know if this is the same coin that was auctioned by Heritage a few years ago? Thank you again for the great info mrdq. It's very exciting news for Half Dime collectors.
matteproof
That 1800 and 1802 are just legends to me.
Being that Ed has collected since 1950 I applaud him for having built enough of a savings to put such a wonderful set together. Now doing that is NOT luck!!!!!
But money alone would not have put this set together. Ed was among a group of the most incredible group of collectors I have had the pleasure to observe from afar. Someday when I have more time I would like to spend less money on coins and enjoy the camradery of sharing experiences and learning more about coins as that is priceless. Of course, staring down the barrel of nearly $40K a year in College expenses for the next four years for my kid must have something to do with that?