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Random numismatic holdings poll #1941: auction catalogs
Aegis3
Posts: 2,896 ✭✭✭
When is the oldest US auction catalog you own from? Please do not include reprints. Literature dealers, please use what is in your library rather than your inventory (and yes, I realize these are not always mutually exclusive). Note that the current decade is split up differently than the rest.
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Ed. S.
(EJS)
Ed. S.
(EJS)
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Ed. S.
(EJS)
Ed. S.
(EJS)
<< <i>ttt again; 9 votes so far is pathetic. This should be more popular than the big one threads! >>
Not really surprising as information (even though catalogs can include much misinformation) is not as interesting as controversy and conflict.
Tying in to the current rage of the plus sign discussions, is that you can see in catalogs the plus sign is nothing new. Especially in 1970's and 1980's catalogs, though maybe not intended to be as precise as the latest plus situation.
There are plenty of things in catalogs that could also be used to stir up controversy. (Such as the just unsold Heritage 1793 Chain cent graded PCGS-63 Brown that used to be called raw AU-50/55 -obverse/reverse- by Heritage in the 1988 ANA at $22,000 later in Holmes 2009 PCGS-63 at $253,000. In 1988 they had a star by the grade which meant they would issue an NCI certificate at that grade. NCI wasn't known for being conservative. Rather than just a clean catalog, I like ones that have notes from people who viewed the coins. In my 1988, there is a note by an interested bidder, who I will not name, with their price and grade - EF-45. To be fair, that may be an EAC grade which is the same as noted in the latest offeriing. Also, in Steve Ivy's 1978 sale it was graded AU-50+; there is that plus again.)
My interest has been mainly in the 1960's and later, especially after color pics started in the 1970's. The oldest I have are in the 1950's. Started dropping off several mailing lists in the the early 2000's, so missing a number of recent ones. Not sure where to put them if I had them.
Have noticed in past threads about catalogs that some (many?) view them just as advertising junk mail. If you have ones to throw out, please, if possible, at least try to give away at a coin show or coin club or to someone who can take them there. Maybe even at a worthwhile coin shop. (Keep in mind to remove or blot out your address, phone or other identifying info.) Auction catalogs are what boosted my interest in coins.
One thing against modern catalogs is understandable, that they can take up a lot of space which makes a newer generation of collectors more used to online and digital. And the common ones keep getting more expensive to ship, even to just give away free.
Just a few of many interesting auction cat pics:
Here is one of my all time favorite copper pics from the March 1981 Garett Collection Part 4 where it brought a record $200,000 which stood for many years. Don't think this has ever showed up again. Bet it would bring over a million if it did.
"To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin
Win: Yeah, modern catalogs can be a grab bag, and it also depends on the collector/accumulator/researcher. I'm not exactly sure what goals I have with regards to catalogs; at minimum it's all Bowers & Ruddy/Merena catalogs (when Bowers was there), all summer ANA catalogs, the Apostrophe auctions (completed), and all(?) catalogs with at least one assay medal. Plus whatever ones I feel like getting. These are in general far from complete, but sometimes I think that's a good thing. And getting back to my point (if I have one), for the assay medal category, I have some Kurt Krueger catalogs. My guess is that few people would want these, as from a general perspective they are not the best catalogs out there; I'm certainly not trying for a complete set; but for my purposes some of them are necessary.
Oh, and my oldest catalog, is Mehl's Dunham sale from 1941. It fell into the "whatever I feel like getting" category. Plus it was cheap at a used book store.
Ed. S.
(EJS)
<< <i>I own E.H.R. Green's copy of the Charles Ira Bushnell catalog, 1882 IIRC. >>
Ed. S.
(EJS)
I do have older British catalogues though.
Collecting:
Conder tokens
19th & 20th Century coins from Great Britain and the Realm
Ex: Harry Bass, Abe Kosoff
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
Whoever voted that they had one in 1849 or earlier is mistaken, regarding American coins and medals, as the earliest one that contained mostly coins was the Roper sale.
However, with that being said, there were other earlier auction catalogues in the U.S. that contained either coins or medals; but the contents were not described (only numbered) and there were other items (usually books or furniture) offered.
New Yorker, Pierre Du Simitere in the 1780's had a numismatic collection, as did Reverend William Bentley in Salem during the same time; both before Federal coinage was ever produced in Philadelphia.
Charles Wilson Peale in Philadelphia had a small collection displayed in his museum during the late 1790s, but later auction catalogues of that museum's contents did not offer such material. Perhaps one of his sons, Franklin Peale, the Chief Coiner at the Philadelphia Mint (1839-1854) still had them.
The June 12, 1828, Benjamin Watkins collection (also from Salem) one page broadside is another early auction sale of American numismatic material.
<< <i>New York Coin & Stamp --- The Lorin Parmelee Sale (1890)
Ex: Harry Bass, Abe Kosoff >>