A piece of history from B. Max Mehl (numismatic pioneer)

WingedLiberty1957

yes, it was def. a gamble.

WillieBoyd2

Mr. Mehl issued this interesting advertising token at some time during his career:

B. Max Mehl Good Luck Token

Obverse: Indian god Hanuman twirling a lasso
Reverse: Horseshoe and B. MAX MEHL / NUMISMATIST - FORT WORTH - TEXAS / GOOD LUCK be with you
Bronze, 31mm, 11.40gm

oldabeintx

It may have been mentioned above, but i believe the Max Mehl building is still in use in Fort Worth. Last time I passed by it had the Mehl plaque above the door.

SeattleSlammer

@WingedLiberty1957 said:
This was a case of the seller over-saturating the photo. The coin was actually terminal in places. I ended up dumping it on ebay with a better photo. Took a loss on it. This is a good case on why buying coins with better photos like TrueViews available is a good idea! Live and learn. Surprisingly PCGS crossed it at the same grade that NGC put on it: MS64. I thought they might doc it down to 62 for the terminal toning. It's still a cool piece of history though.

Did NGC/PCGS have Max’s name on the label?

robec

@SeattleSlammer said:

Did NGC/PCGS have Max’s name on the label?

It does show the Max Mehl Pedigree on the Cert page.

BryceM

@MFeld said:
Sadly, I never got to know B. Max Mehl, as I was born in 1954 and he passed away in 1957.

He was my grandmother's uncle and my grandmother was thrilled when she learned that I was a serious coin collector at a young age. Over the years, I have acquired a number of Mehl catalogs, checks and a poster from family members, as well as forum members.

My most treasured remembrance of him and my grandmother is one I have posted about previously, but will mention it again now. This time, however, I will add a bit more information....My grandmother was born in 1909 and for her wedding gift, her uncle/B. Max Mehl gave her a gem 1909-S Saint, along with a handwritten note of congratulations. When I was young, my grandmother promised me that she would give me the coin one day. Fast forward several years to a time when her son/my uncle told me he had the coin and would be giving it to me. He also told me that my grandmother (who had apparently forgotten her promise to me) was about to have the coin made into a necklace, but he convinced her not to do so and to keep the coin for me. Whew!

For many years, I have had the coin in an NGC holder, with a label which includes my grandmother's name. Needless to say, I will always treasure it and the handwritten wedding congratulations note which accompanies it.

Mark,

I love stories like this. Circumstances like these are the heart and soul of collecting to me.

dadams

Adding some images to this thread: