Remembering a true gentleman and a purchase made 40 years ago today.
golden
Posts: 9,972 ✭✭✭✭✭
From November 9 to 11,1973 I had my second ever bourse table at the Blue Bonnet Coin Show held at the Shamrock Hilton Hotel in Houston,Texas. The bourse layout was most unusual. It was shaped like a capital letter P. The entrance was at the bottom left of the P. A single aisle, with about 10 bourse tables on each side, lead up to a square area off to the right where the other dealers were located. My table was located on the inside top of the letter P.
At that time I dealt in U.S. type coins and paper money ( mostly National Bank Notes ). I had one case of coins and one case of paper money. I had my best coins, out of their flips, sitting on a black felt tray in the middle of my coin case. The best coin I had was an 1807 Capped Bust Right $5 Gold in a nice XF grade priced at less that $1000. I wish I had that coin back!
In my paper money case I had several very rare Nationals. To the side of my paper money case I had a homemade sign stating that I wanted to buy National Bank Notes from my home state.
On opening day a gentleman named Frank M. Stirling ( 1905-1984 ) came by my table. I had never met him before. Unbeknownst to me was the fact that he was a specialist and expert in Flowing Hair and Bust Silver Dollars. I had one Bust Dollar for sale, a 1798 in VF or so. ( I had sold an 1800 AMERICAI Dollar, Bolender 19, grading a very nice AU, to David Hall, for $995, at my first show back in August ). Frank looked at my Bust Dollar and without taking it out of the case identified the Bolender number.
We talked for a few minutes and then he saw my sign. He said that he had a $20 1882 Brownback on my home state. He took it out and showed it to me. It was in a very nice VF+ grade. I asked the price. He said that it was not for sale. I begged him to sell it to me. He said that he would only sell it to a collector. I told him that it was for my collection and not for resale. It took me a long time to convince him to sell it to me. He finally priced it at $200. I started to write him a check for the note. He told me that since he was on Social Security he had already made the maximum allowed for the year, without penalty, under Social Security rules. I said that I would give him cash. He said no. He instructed me to write him a check for $200 and date it January 2,1974. I wrote him the check and he gave me the note. On January 2,1974 he duly cashed my check.
After that I saw Frank a number of times at shows around the country. He always asked if I still had the note. I answered in the affirmative each time. I don't think that he ever 100% believed that I would keep the note in my collection. Today after 40 years the note still resides in my collection.
Frank passed away in 1984. His collection was sold in a couple of sales by Heritage in 1986.
At that time I dealt in U.S. type coins and paper money ( mostly National Bank Notes ). I had one case of coins and one case of paper money. I had my best coins, out of their flips, sitting on a black felt tray in the middle of my coin case. The best coin I had was an 1807 Capped Bust Right $5 Gold in a nice XF grade priced at less that $1000. I wish I had that coin back!
In my paper money case I had several very rare Nationals. To the side of my paper money case I had a homemade sign stating that I wanted to buy National Bank Notes from my home state.
On opening day a gentleman named Frank M. Stirling ( 1905-1984 ) came by my table. I had never met him before. Unbeknownst to me was the fact that he was a specialist and expert in Flowing Hair and Bust Silver Dollars. I had one Bust Dollar for sale, a 1798 in VF or so. ( I had sold an 1800 AMERICAI Dollar, Bolender 19, grading a very nice AU, to David Hall, for $995, at my first show back in August ). Frank looked at my Bust Dollar and without taking it out of the case identified the Bolender number.
We talked for a few minutes and then he saw my sign. He said that he had a $20 1882 Brownback on my home state. He took it out and showed it to me. It was in a very nice VF+ grade. I asked the price. He said that it was not for sale. I begged him to sell it to me. He said that he would only sell it to a collector. I told him that it was for my collection and not for resale. It took me a long time to convince him to sell it to me. He finally priced it at $200. I started to write him a check for the note. He told me that since he was on Social Security he had already made the maximum allowed for the year, without penalty, under Social Security rules. I said that I would give him cash. He said no. He instructed me to write him a check for $200 and date it January 2,1974. I wrote him the check and he gave me the note. On January 2,1974 he duly cashed my check.
After that I saw Frank a number of times at shows around the country. He always asked if I still had the note. I answered in the affirmative each time. I don't think that he ever 100% believed that I would keep the note in my collection. Today after 40 years the note still resides in my collection.
Frank passed away in 1984. His collection was sold in a couple of sales by Heritage in 1986.
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Comments
Here's to Frank, and one to you as well for sharing his legacy.
Would be wonder to see a pic of the note if you care to post one.
I like to think/hope every dealer collects something. I know that is not necessarily true, but hopefully at least for the majority it is.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
<< <i>I love posts or threads like these, just love em. You also are a great writer, you got the gift! I thoroughly enjoyed your short story and hope to read more, thanks! >>
Agree
Lance.
I would have loved to have been buying Nationals back then. They are so much more expensive now.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.
Rob
Successful Trades with: Coincast, MICHAELDIXON
Successful Purchases from: Manorcourtman, Meltdown
Thought about this thread a few times today. Just a great piece of info. If only every collectable came with a story that could be told.
Rob
Successful Trades with: Coincast, MICHAELDIXON
Successful Purchases from: Manorcourtman, Meltdown