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What ever happened to Peck's.......

collection.

I recently received the nickel 3d shown in my avatar back from the Royal Mint after 7 months of investigation. They had very little to say which is a pity, just confirmed its composition as being nickel so an off metal strike. I was hoping that the mint would attribute it to being a Peck 2171 but no such luck.

As a next step I took a day off work and visited the British Museum to see the piece recorded by Peck, I should heve read Peck more closely, he included other collections in his opus not just the British Museum collection. They don't have it, the nickel 3d was from Peck's own collection.

So as not to waste the trip I had a look at a few other nice pieces including their 1933 penny which they let me hold.....wearing rubber gloves so that I couldn't leave my mark for prosperity image

So to make any further progress I need to find out what happened to Peck's collection, I enquired at Spinks who are just around the corner from the museum but they couldn't help as they thought the collection was spit up before being sold. I also spoke to Micael Goulby about this and he thought that the collection was listed in a numismatic chronical at about the time it was sold.

Does anyone else have any recolections regarding this.

thanks

Gary

Comments

  • MacCrimmonMacCrimmon Posts: 7,051 ✭✭✭
    Not much help, but I cut this bit from an email I received several years ago about an inquiry about an otherwise common 1902 penny:

    "Purchased from a collection assembled in the early to mid 1970s, and believed to be ex C. Wilson Peck duplicates collection because of the 1970s source."

    It would appear that there were probably a few prominent collectors who may have split up the collection privately. Was the source of this 1902 penny a personal friend or acquaintance? Probably so. Were dozens of nice 1902 specimens in Peck's collection? Again, probably so, especially given these things cost practically nothing 40-50 years ago.

    Have you checked to see if M. Freeman knows any details that he might be permitted to divulge?


    FWIW, here's a obv. pic of the 1902 penny which I bought although the colours aren't right. It's really has lustrous rose centers with med. orange on the peripheries.


    image
  • TwoKopeikiTwoKopeiki Posts: 9,528 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hi Gary. Sounds like you're doing some major research. I wish I could help, but alas I am unfamiliar with Peck's collection image
  • HussuloHussulo Posts: 2,953 ✭✭✭
    Sorry I can't help Gary, but I wish you lots of luck with your research.
    Wouldn't it be great if your coin turned out to be Peck's example?


  • << <i>Sorry I can't help Gary, but I wish you lots of luck with your research.
    Wouldn't it be great if your coin turned out to be Peck's example? >>



    Yes it would be something but talking to the guy in Spinks I would need a letter or something from Peck with it and still its value would be questionable. According to the person I purchased it from he had pulled it from a junk box in an antique dealers about 25 years ago.

    I don't when Peck passed away for it to be a possibility of being the actual coin catalogued, although it does match his short discription very closely.

    Gary
  • The Norweb catalogue states the CW Peck collection was purchased by Spink and Sons in portions 1964 - 8.
    There is also a reference to the purchase of certain Soho coins by Birmingham Museum 'Purchased from the executors of C W Peck in 1969 with assistance from the V & A Purchase Grant Fund, Mint Birmingham Ltd (Ralph Heaton & Sons), Imperial Metal Industries (Kynock) Ltd, W A Cadbury Charitable Trust, John Feeney Charitable Trust and Birmingham City Corporation.'
    © Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery http://bmagic.org.uk/results?s=peck
    Hope this helps!


  • << <i>The Norweb catalogue states the CW Peck collection was purchased by Spink and Sons in portions 1964 - 8.
    There is also a reference to the purchase of certain Soho coins by Birmingham Museum 'Purchased from the executors of C W Peck in 1969 with assistance from the V & A Purchase Grant Fund, Mint Birmingham Ltd (Ralph Heaton & Sons), Imperial Metal Industries (Kynock) Ltd, W A Cadbury Charitable Trust, John Feeney Charitable Trust and Birmingham City Corporation.'
    © Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery http://bmagic.org.uk/results?s=peck
    Hope this helps! >>



    That's interesting thanks.

    Speaking to Michael Goulby he was of the opinion that Spinks were involved in the sale of part of it but Spinks themselves were not very forthcoming. I guess there was no one there that went that far back. What they did suggest was that if I could come up with any specific references to Spinks they would be able to look it up but had no way of searching for information.
  • Were They sold through Spink Numismatic Circulars ? And if so were they identified as Pecks?


  • << <i>Were They sold through Spink Numismatic Circulars ? And if so were they identified as Pecks? >>



    I believe they may have been at least listed in the circulars, I wonder it they would be something I could find in a library?
  • HussuloHussulo Posts: 2,953 ✭✭✭
    I'm sure my father in law has quite a few old Spink Numismatic Circulars at his house. If you could give me a rough date I could take a look for you Gaz.
  • Thanks Hus, according to one of geogrethree's earlier posts 1964-68 should be about the time span to search.
  • HussuloHussulo Posts: 2,953 ✭✭✭
    Hi Gaz.

    I gave him a phone but unfortunately he hasn't got any from that period. He used to have older ones but he gave them/traded them some time back. He only has ones from the 80's until about 10 years ago when he stopped getting them.

    Sorry I couldn't be of anymore help. Hopefully someone else might have some copies from that era.

    Hus
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