More fun with Max Mehl...(Poll)--results revealed

RYK

This past weekend, I ran a Max Mehl auction contest/giveaway using the November 28, 1939 auction of the William B. Hale Collection booklet. Today, the question is simple and there is no prize. Which coin sold for the most money? Answer will be posted tomorrow at 7 PM. Please add why you think your choice is the most valuable to ttt the thread if you find it interesting. If not, let the thread slip into cyberoblivion.

RYK

To "help", I will add recent Trends retail pricing for the five issues:

1. In Fine-12, $8500
2. In MS-60, $11,000
3. In AU-58, $30,000
4. In MS-65, $25,000
5. In Proof-65, $65,000

Dahlonega

What else could I answer? The 61-D dollar has had 'mystique' for a long time.

RYK

The prices realized range for the five coins was $16 to $105.

XpipedreamR

Did you already give the answer for the other thread?

RYK

Yes, the answer was $52, correctly guessed by Cardinal, who (unknowingly) won and donated the coin to the closest YN, Betta.

BTW, the 1916 quarter would have been considered a "modern" in 1939, right?

aem4162

who is max mehl? why does he have an auction?

RYK

Max Mehl is best known for being the great-uncle of our own Coinguy1 Mark Feld. Mehl was actually a very successful Texas coin dealer of the first half of the 20th century, perhaps the David Bowers of his day (minus the writing).

aem4162

ok, thank you

291fifth

Interest in the 1861-D Gold Dollar would probably have been the highest at that time. The 75th anniversary of the end of the Civil War was rapidly approaching. An intriguing issue because of its Confederate connections.
The 1796 Dime would probably have been a close second.
The 1836 Dollar would probably only have brought moderate money because it would have been considered a pattern.
A chain cent in only Fine would probably only have brought so-so money at that time.
The 1916 SLQ would probably not have brought particularly strong money as it was too recent an issue. Nice circ. ones could still have turned up in change, though not often.

Dennis88

I would say the 1796 dime. It is uncirculated and old (it still is) And I think that was quite important those days....

Dennis

coinguy1

I have no clue but will go with the Chain cent.

LAWMAN

Buy Mehl's old catalogs - they are cheap and very entertaining. The man was the P.T. Barnum of numismatics.

mgoodm3

I went for 1861D

Numismanic

I'll go with the Chain cent since early copper was popular back then.

CalGold

I guessed the chain cent just because its a classic, collecting copper cents is pretty much where US coin collecting started and I am guessing that old coppers were the most popular series of coins back then.

CG

RYK

The 1861-D $1 sold for $105, the highest of the five coins.

The Gobrecht dollar sold for $35. FYI, it was not listed as a pattern, and there were pattern coins in the sale that were listed as patterns.