Early commem ? for the experts

GaCoinGuy

Were any of the early commems made in proof? And if so, which ones?

GoldenEyeNumismatics

There are proof Columbian 1892 and 1893 halves, but TPG services rarely designate them as proof, even if they really are.

DRUNNER

Best reference on the subject is the 1990 Swiatek/Breen "Silver & Gold Commemorative Coins". Bowers (1992), Taxay (1967), and Laibstain (1995) basically avoid the issue.

PP. 273-276 of the Swiatek/Breen lists known mintages as:

1893 Isabella -- 20
1892 Columbian -- 104
1893 Columbian -- 1
1900 Lafayette -- 10
1915 (No S) Pan-Pac -- 3
1920 Maine -- 2
1922 Grant (Star) -- 3-4
1926 Oregon -- 2 (Aubrey Bebee--1975)
1926 Sesqui -- 2
1928 Hawaiian -- 50 (these were all assigned to various dignitaries and well documented)
1934 Maryland -- 4 (Sinnock--sold in 1962)
1935 Connecticut -- 4 (Sinnock--sold in 1962)
1936 Ark. Robinson -- 8
1937 Boone (set) -- 2 (Sinnock--appeared in 1979)
1938 New Rochelle -- 50 (One strike of the press)
1938 New Rochelle -- 10 (Sinnock--sold in 1962)
1938 Arkansas (set) -- 2


There are also many others "reported", and these were primarily clandestine 'Sinnock' pieces that were matte and ended up in his personal collection. I am not sure what has happened to them.

Drunner

tcmitssr

I spoke this week with someone who owns one of the three Grant with Star. He said it looked more sandblasted than proof.