In search of the Norweb pedigree
RYK
Posts: 35,797 ✭✭✭✭✭
Earlier this year I purchased an 1883 $3 NGC MS-61 from Doug Winter/Pinnacle Rarities. When I consummated the purchase, DW gave me an, "oh, by the way, the person who sold me the coin told me it was ex-Norweb." Wow! I thought to myself. Cool. The coin probably has had but a handful of owners in the last 100 years.
Now, the major rarities that are pedigreed to the major collections are usually well-documented. But what about the minor coins? The first step was to get hold of the Norweb catalog. Forum member Earlyhalfboobu was the resource for the Norweb I catalog from October 1987 which contained the auction lots for the $3's. (BTW, he is an excellent resource for old auction catalogs.)
Next, I needed a little luck. Many of the minor coins in the Norweb collection did not have pictures accompanying the auction items. I was lucky in that the 1883 $3 (Lot #729, AU-58) not only had a picture, but the black-and-white picture captured the unique toning pattern of the coin. It was indeed a match.
I brought the coin with me to the ANA. First, I asked David Hall if he thought it would cross. He gave me a 20% chance. I then walked the coin to the NGC table and submitted it for "variety" designation. I only wrote "Norweb" on the form--did not add any additional instruction or information. NGC obviously knew what to do with it. I received the coin in the mail today:
Now, the major rarities that are pedigreed to the major collections are usually well-documented. But what about the minor coins? The first step was to get hold of the Norweb catalog. Forum member Earlyhalfboobu was the resource for the Norweb I catalog from October 1987 which contained the auction lots for the $3's. (BTW, he is an excellent resource for old auction catalogs.)
Next, I needed a little luck. Many of the minor coins in the Norweb collection did not have pictures accompanying the auction items. I was lucky in that the 1883 $3 (Lot #729, AU-58) not only had a picture, but the black-and-white picture captured the unique toning pattern of the coin. It was indeed a match.
I brought the coin with me to the ANA. First, I asked David Hall if he thought it would cross. He gave me a 20% chance. I then walked the coin to the NGC table and submitted it for "variety" designation. I only wrote "Norweb" on the form--did not add any additional instruction or information. NGC obviously knew what to do with it. I received the coin in the mail today:
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Russ, NCNE
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<< <i>NGC obviously knew what to do with it. >>
Or else they just copied it down from your submission form
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since 8/1/6
Russ, where are you when we need you?
<< <i>there has got to be a funny statement about Jade we could add............................
Russ, where are you when we need you? >>
I would be the first response - the one that contains commentary about the Jade situation.
Russ, NCNE
DWL is very good at researching things out. Congrats on this...
EVP
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<<As with many of the great collections, the Norweb Collection was formed through a number of generations. The collection was begun by Liberty Emery Holden, the owner of the Cleveland Plain Dealer in the 1890's. His son, Albert Holden, was an ardent numismatist who added a number of important coins to the collection between the late 1890's and his death in 1913. His daughter Emery May Holden Norweb (or "Mrs. Norweb" as she became known to the collecting fraternity) and her husband R. Henry Norweb Sr. were well-known collectors who were very active from the 1930's to the early 1970's; he died in 1983 and his wife passed away in 1984. Their son R. Henry Norweb Jr. and his wife are still collectors although they decided to sell the bulk of their family's collection in 1987 and 1988.
The firm of Bowers and Merena was chosen to sell the United States coins from the Norweb Collection. The first of three sales was held in October 1987. It contained half cents, Indian and Lincoln cents, two cent and three cent pieces, half dimes, dimes, twenty cent pieces, three dollar gold pieces, California fractional gold and colonials. There were a total of 1413 lots and highlights included a Gem Proof 1829 Small Planchet half eagle that sold for $352,000 and a Gem Uncirculated 1864-S half eagle that realized $110,000.
Part II of the Norweb Collection was conducted in March 1988. This sale contained nickels, quarters, Trade dollars, gold dollars, quarter eagles, eagles and Colonials. There were 1269 lots in this sale and highlights included a Proof 1885 Trade Dollar that sold for $121,000 and a superb gem 1911-D eagle that realized $132,000.
The final Norweb sale was held in November 1988. This 1451 lot sale included large cents, half dollars, patterns, colonials, silver dollars, and double eagles. Highlights were a gem 1797 half dollar that brought $220,000, a Proof 1838-O half dollar that sold for $93,500, a 1792 Silver Center Cent that realized $143,000, an Uncirculated 1794 silver dollar which sold for $242,000, a gem 1893-S dollar which broke all records at $357,500 and the extremely rare 1861 Paquet reverse double eagle which sold for $660,000.
Overall, this 4000+ lot sale realized more than $10 million dollars. Many price records were set in all series.
The Norweb collection will long be remembered for its broad scope and superb quality. Over 95% of all United States regular issue coins were present and there were many finest known or Condition Census pieces in all series. The strongest areas included pre-1834 gold coins, early copper and silver proofs and mintmarked 19th century gold.
As with the Eliasberg collection, many of the Norweb coins were from famous auctions conducted in the early part of the 20th century. Thus, by owning a Norweb coin, it is often possible to trace its pedigree back another 50 to 75 years.>>
Link to full article
Congratulations on your acquisition!
Not to belabor the point, but others have asked...it was the greenish toning on the reverse that positively id'ed the coin as the Noweb 1883 $3. It matched the black-and-white photo from the catalog.
It would be fortuitous, but difficult, to find more of these minor coins and have them pedigreed to the Norweb collection. As an example, the 1854 $3 MS-60 (Lot 694) has less distinctive toning (and is pedigreed back to Lyman Low before 1913).
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
So HRH was basically saying the coin was not UNC?
I need to clarify one aspect of your post:
You said:
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<The final Norweb sale was held in November 1988. >>>>>>>>>>>>>
This is true only as far as the US coin part of his collection.
The Canadian and other foreign portion of the family collection was not sold until 1996, also by Bowers & Merena.
K S
This would empasize the origin of the coin collection-wise and help to track the coins through the eons to come and cut down the incentive to doctor coin in years to come since originality of the coin would be more appreciated.
Great job on matching the pedigree. I had a simlar experience about 4 years ago. I bought my 1904-S half in an NGC 66 holder, unattributed. I later found out that it might be the Norweb coin based on reading a description of the 04-S in the Thaine Price Collection auction catalog (Akers). I had the coin submitted to NGC and sure enough, it matched the photo in the Norweb catalog, and they attributed it as such. I obtained the Norweb catalog from a national dealer in Numismatic Books/catalogs. Later I crossed the coin to PCGS 66 and several years later when my whole set was regraded and pedigrees listed, it made MS 67. Here's a link to the coin image.
Linky.
By the way, the Norweb catalog further indicates that my coin came from the Peake collection in 1954. I hope to find a Peake catalog (if this was from an auction) some day to trace the coin further back in time, if possible. My coin is a bit unusual in that most Norweb barber halves were obtained directly from the mint at the time of issue.
No, Seth, there was no discussion. If you read between the lines, he intimated that which you said. Or, he just expressed the expected antipathy he/PCGS has for NGC-graded coins. BTW, I showed him a second coin in an NGC holder that he said had an 80% likelihood of crossing. I did not submit that one either but may in the future. If he gave both coins the 80% nod, I would have submitted them both on the spot. When push comes to shove, his grading opinion is just that: "his opinion."
My opinion on the coin, based on the little experience I have in grading them, is that it is an old time AU-58 with nice eye appeal and originality that market grades to MS-61 at NGC and could probably eventually 61 at PCGS. I have no interest in making that happen. The Norweb label, to me, is considerably more important, as it will be to the person who purchases the coin from my estate 50 years from now.
You said: <<<<<<<<<<<<<<The final Norweb sale was held in November 1988. >>>>>>>>>>>>>
Oreville, I was quoting DW's article and do not personally guarantee the contents thereof. I expect that you are correct.