Which pedigrees equate to "Eye-Appeal"?
dizzyfoxx
Posts: 9,823 ✭✭✭
When it comes to pedigrees (world famous or not), which ones conjure up images of incredible eye-appeal?
...There's always time for coin collecting. 
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roadrunner
The Continental-Illinois National Bank Hoard.
The grand-daddy of all coin hoards, and the leading example of a successful hoard dispersal in all senses of the term, must be the Continental-Illinois National Bank hoard of silver dollars in the early 1980s.
Banks are required by federal law to keep a certain percentage of their “deposits” in cash at all times as one of their federal reserve requirements. For more than a century, it seems, the Continental-Illinois National Bank in Chicago kept a portion of its reserves in original mint bags of silver dollars.
Because of the bank’s financial difficulties in the early 1980s, the Board of Directors of the bank decided to sell the bags for the significant profit that they were worth over their face value, to help soften the financial crisis that so many banks were facing at the time.
Beginning in 1982 and lasting for several years, as many as 1,000 original bags of brilliant uncirculated Morgan silver dollars, and another 500 bags of circulated silver dollar, came out of this hoard. That means more than 1.5 million coins! The majority were common dates: 1879-S, 1880-S, 1881-S, 1882-S, 1883-O, 1884-O, 1885-O, 1886-P and 1887-P. There were a dozen or so bags each of 1883-P and 1884-P and a few more single bags of some other dates. Beyond the sheer numbers, the condition of the coins was remarkable. Many from this hoard were absolutely breathtaking gems, exhibiting incredible cartwheel luster, magnificent rainbow toning, and outstanding proof-like strikes.
Marketing of the Continental-Illinois National Bank hoard was handled in model fashion. From the very start, the two or three major retailers who were charged with organizing the dispersal understood that the greatest benefit to all would be obtained by utilizing the abilities of the entire industry, wholesalers and retailers alike. By establishing an extremely wide distribution channel, they could rely upon the grass-roots marketing efforts of mail order and storefront dealers, and millions of customers would be reached directly. The combination of product, story, and price was a perfect fit for them. Extraordinary demand was created, and because so much of the industry was involved, the after-market support was firmly in place and demand for the hoard coins continued to build.
As a result of this successful dispersal strategy, the entire silver dollar market grew for the next five years. From 1982 to 1985, for example, Morgan Silver Dollars in MS 65 increased in average value by 450%! Collectors and investors alike were happy, and the hobby enjoyed a wonderful resurgence.
As is typical of the Continental-Illinois Bank hoard coins, these Morgan Dollars exhibit strong strikes and lovely rainbow toning.
"Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen
<< <i>Clapp (portion of Eliasberg) is nearly uniformly of high quality and eye appeal. I'd also say James Stack, James Pryor. Most pedigrees have a mixture of eye appeal and go from one extreme to the other.
roadrunner >>
Add to that Harry Bass and Walter Childs. There was a recent one sold by Bowers and Merena (recent post-Dave, Escala brand Bowers and Merena, if you can believe that) that was impressive as very selective on eye appeal even though it was marketed by registry status. Can't remember it right now, but it was within this year.
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Also, on the Darkside, Mortimer Hammel.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
Sunnywood Rainbow Morgans
NY Connossieur Bust halves( just a few coins)
Kaufman Seated Libs in Proof
These collectors have(had) the eye for very special coins.
Michael