Just closed for $26,900. That's a heck of a lot of detail for $27K for a half disme. Yes, it's imperfect, but that is a very reasonable price in my eyes. (Note, I did not bid on it)
Learn about our world's shared history told through the first millennium of coinage: Colosseo Collection
<< <i>In 1770, Englishman John Tetlow was given the first patent for lined paper ruling machine. However, Ottaviano Petrucci's music printing process involved printing staff lines first.
Finally in the early 1800s, people started using the blue lined paper we see today, with loose leaf invented in 1914. And that is what we still write on today! >>
Very neat coin, it was in my watch list. I would tend to believe the story. It doesn't add any monetary value, so I don't think it would be made up just to add to the listing.
At ANACS I once saw a very high grade Turban Head $5 that had been wrapped in a piece of paper that said (more or less) "To xxxxxxx, an American Guinea. Christmas, 1805"
Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
<< <i>Who on the heck has a grandmother named Brain?????? >>
It was customary in that time period to give the respect due family by referring to them in such correpondence by surname. The grandmother's family surname was Brain. Not an unusual name for a New England family.
Levi Willard was born in 1802 and married to Mrs. Mary (Brain) Strain of Springfield, OH in 1852. The names Willard and Brain are correct as is 1802 and Springfield, OH. Both Willard and Brain passed away after the date of the letter, in 1884 and 1900 respectively. Levi Willard also had a granddaughter, Mary Brain, who was born on Dec 5, 1866 to parents who resided Springfield, OH and who would have celebrated her 6 year old birthday the month and year the letter was written.
The question is what does the phrase "bears the date, (1792) of your grandmother Brain" mean. The genealogy says Brain was born in 1814 and the letter doesn't say why 1792 is the year for Brain.
With this information, I'm guessing it would be easy to research this on Ancestry.com, and see who the closest descendants of Levi, Brain and little Mary are today.
Here's the letter for posterity with CD's additions:
<< <i>Springfield Dec 1872
Dear little Mary:
I send you a birth-day present; not because a half-dime is worth, much, but bears the date, (1792) of your grandmother Brain.
It is ten years older than your grandpa Willard.
You may perhaps give this same little coin to your grand child. U.S coins of this size and 80 years old are not common now.
And this will never grow any bigger nor any better; but you will grow bigger, - whether better or worse I can not say.
<< <i>There is a watermark or similar impression on the upper left corner of the paper. Can anyone identify this? >>
Looks like an embossing. Appears to be a winged shield with a caduceus behind it.
Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
Levi Willard (11/4/1802-2/2/1884) was a school teacher in Dekatur, Georgia. The mother of his children was Sarah Phipps Allen (1810-1847). His second marriage to Mary (Brain) Strain produced no children. They moved to Springfield, Ohio in 1864.
Mary Brain's parents were George Brain, Jr. and Sarah Maria Willard, daughter of Levi. George Brain's father was George Brain, Sr. (1784-1851), married to Mary Whitehead, who was born in 1792.
Mary Brain was born on December 5, 1866. She died, unmarried, on May 11, 1925.
So, if she was unmarried, who inherited her half disme?
<< <i>Levi Willard (11/4/1802-2/2/1884) was a school teacher in Dekatur, Georgia. The mother of his children was Sarah Phipps Allen (1810-1847). His second marriage to Mary (Brain) Strain produced no children. They moved to Springfield, Ohio in 1864.
Mary Brain's parents were George Brain, Jr. and Sarah Maria Willard, daughter of Levi. George Brain's father was George Brain, Sr. (1784-1851), married to Mary Whitehead, who was born in 1792.
Mary Brain was born on December 5, 1866. She died, unmarried, on May 11, 1925. >>
<< <i>It will be returning to the market by the dealer who won it for approx. $50K imho. It is a nice example of the type. >>
Looks like someone is optimistic about the market for problem half dismes...gee I wonder why. >>
Yes, he found a really good one! Worth more than he paid, for sure...but doubt he will ever sell it.
And I believe his is dead-accurate with his prediction. That coin is way better than a lot of the garbage that has sold for good money in the past few years.
<< <i>It will be returning to the market by the dealer who won it for approx. $50K imho. It is a nice example of the type. >>
Looks like someone is optimistic about the market for problem half dismes...gee I wonder why. >>
You just don't give up with your disparaging comments do you Dan.....keep it up. So now when a member believes a flipper has purchased a coin, the member (me) has evil motivations to believe that, right Dan. You are extremely fair and just regarding me and my collection/collecting. >>
Whoa there tiger you are reading into things a bit. When a coin like this sells for $27k and someone immediately believes it will be offered for near double that, I would say that's a bit optimistic. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe eBay was a horrible venue to sell it or there's some other reason the market spoke $27k today and will say $50k tomorrow.
Don't get me wrong, as I said in your original post about the drilled half disme I love it. My comment was tongue in cheek...quit being so sensitive and chill out.
Comments
I don't know, from the looks of it I'd be inclined to believe the letter is legit. But I'm not really up on my lined paper history
And, not that the grade really matters, but that looks sharper than VG to me!
<< <i>The question is , would I bid on this H10c?
Answer after the auction is over. >>
LOL So were you the underbidder or did you win it?
<< <i>The story on the other hand- I believe a little questionable as Loose leaf paper was not around until many years after 1872 >>
Loose leaf paper was invented in 1914 but blue lined paper has been around since the early 1800s:
<< <i>In 1770, Englishman John Tetlow was given the first patent for lined paper ruling machine. However, Ottaviano Petrucci's music printing process involved printing staff lines first.
Finally in the early 1800s, people started using the blue lined paper we see today, with loose leaf invented in 1914. And that is what we still write on today! >>
<< <i>It will be returning to the market by the dealer who won it for approx. $50K imho. It is a nice example of the type. >>
That sounds about right..and probably in a PCGS VF details, scratches holder.
-Paul
<< <i>It will be returning to the market by the dealer who won it for approx. $50K imho. It is a nice example of the type. >>
So are you admitting a shill bid here?????????
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>It will be returning to the market by the dealer who won it for approx. $50K imho. It is a nice example of the type. >>
So are you admitting a shill bid here????????? >>
S***G had an 85% history with seller, would you classify that as lo, med, or hi? The winning bidder was not s hill bidder imho with only 15%. >>
If it is returning to the market by the dealer who won it for around 50K then 1 can only draw 1 conclussion! Just wonder if ebay gets it's cut!
At ANACS I once saw a very high grade Turban Head $5 that had been wrapped in a piece of paper that said (more or less) "To xxxxxxx, an American Guinea. Christmas, 1805"
Dealers can ask whatever they want, it doesnt mean that the coin will actually sell for that amount.
PCGS Registries
Box of 20
SeaEagleCoins: 11/14/54-4/5/12. Miss you Larry!
The first sentence reads: I send a birthday gift...
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.american-legacy-coins.com
<< <i>Who on the heck has a grandmother named Brain?????? >>
It was customary in that time period to give the respect due family by referring to them in such correpondence by surname. The grandmother's family surname was Brain. Not an unusual name for a New England family.
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.american-legacy-coins.com
Levi Willard was born in 1802 and married to Mrs. Mary (Brain) Strain of Springfield, OH in 1852. The names Willard and Brain are correct as is 1802 and Springfield, OH. Both Willard and Brain passed away after the date of the letter, in 1884 and 1900 respectively. Levi Willard also had a granddaughter, Mary Brain, who was born on Dec 5, 1866 to parents who resided Springfield, OH and who would have celebrated her 6 year old birthday the month and year the letter was written.
The question is what does the phrase "bears the date, (1792) of your grandmother Brain" mean. The genealogy says Brain was born in 1814 and the letter doesn't say why 1792 is the year for Brain.
With this information, I'm guessing it would be easy to research this on Ancestry.com, and see who the closest descendants of Levi, Brain and little Mary are today.
Here's the letter for posterity with CD's additions:
<< <i>Springfield Dec 1872
Dear little Mary:
I send you a birth-day present; not because a half-dime is worth, much, but bears the date, (1792) of your grandmother Brain.
It is ten years older than your grandpa Willard.
You may perhaps give this same little coin to your grand child. U.S coins of this size and 80 years old are not common now.
And this will never grow any bigger nor any better; but you will grow bigger, - whether better or worse I can not say.
Your grandfather Willard >>
U.S coins of this size and
80 years old are not common now.
Hey grandfather Willard, you should see how not common it is in 2013!
Cool story. I tend to think it authentic.
<< <i>There is a watermark or similar impression on the upper left corner of the paper. Can anyone identify this? >>
Looks like an embossing. Appears to be a winged shield with a caduceus behind it.
<< <i>Appears to be a winged shield with a caduceus behind it. >>
I'm pretty confident it's a winged helmet, that and the caduceus both being symbols of Mercury
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.american-legacy-coins.com
Mary Brain's parents were George Brain, Jr. and Sarah Maria Willard, daughter of Levi. George Brain's father was George Brain, Sr. (1784-1851), married to Mary Whitehead, who was born in 1792.
Mary Brain was born on December 5, 1866. She died, unmarried, on May 11, 1925.
So, if she was unmarried, who inherited her half disme?
Here is another example. Link
Also, I would've bid up to 30K for that coin if I had seen it!
My Early Large Cents
<< <i>Brain Strain. Really? >>
I thought the same thing! Glad someone else pointed it out.
<< <i>Levi Willard (11/4/1802-2/2/1884) was a school teacher in Dekatur, Georgia. The mother of his children was Sarah Phipps Allen (1810-1847). His second marriage to Mary (Brain) Strain produced no children. They moved to Springfield, Ohio in 1864.
Mary Brain's parents were George Brain, Jr. and Sarah Maria Willard, daughter of Levi. George Brain's father was George Brain, Sr. (1784-1851), married to Mary Whitehead, who was born in 1792.
Mary Brain was born on December 5, 1866. She died, unmarried, on May 11, 1925.
>>
Nicely done
Too many positive BST transactions with too many members to list.
<< <i>It will be returning to the market by the dealer who won it for approx. $50K imho. It is a nice example of the type. >>
Looks like someone is optimistic about the market for problem half dismes...gee I wonder why.
<< <i>
<< <i>It will be returning to the market by the dealer who won it for approx. $50K imho. It is a nice example of the type. >>
Looks like someone is optimistic about the market for problem half dismes...gee I wonder why. >>
And I believe his is dead-accurate with his prediction. That coin is way better than a lot of the garbage that has sold for good money in the past few years.
My Early Large Cents
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>It will be returning to the market by the dealer who won it for approx. $50K imho. It is a nice example of the type. >>
Looks like someone is optimistic about the market for problem half dismes...gee I wonder why. >>
You just don't give up with your disparaging comments do you Dan.....keep it up. So now when a member believes a flipper has purchased a coin, the member (me) has evil motivations to believe that, right Dan. You are extremely fair and just regarding me and my collection/collecting. >>
Whoa there tiger you are reading into things a bit. When a coin like this sells for $27k and someone immediately believes it will be offered for near double that, I would say that's a bit optimistic. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe eBay was a horrible venue to sell it or there's some other reason the market spoke $27k today and will say $50k tomorrow.
Don't get me wrong, as I said in your original post about the drilled half disme I love it. My comment was tongue in cheek...quit being so sensitive and chill out.
My Early Large Cents