NEW PICTURES ADDED 7/31/19!!-The Joseph C. Mitchelson Collection- A neglected World Class collection

ShadyDave

"I think it is undoubtedly one of the finest gifts that ever was given to any American library."

-T.J. Comparette of the Philadelphia mint

This collection was donated to the Connecticut State library in 1911 by Joseph C. Mitchelson. Joseph was one of Connecticut's leaders in the tobacco industry. He amassed a world class collection of US and World coins before he passed away in 1911 of a massive heart attack on his farm in Simsbury CT.

In the CT state library in Hartford CT, there is a state museum where you can view this phenomenal collection. There are two coffin looking displays placed in a dark corner of the main entryway of the museum. I work within walking distance of the state library so I decided to visit it at lunch on Friday.

When I got there, half of the halogen lights (4 of 8) were burnt out... leaving half of each display essentially dark. As you'll be able to see, I had a hard time taking pictures but I did so anyway. It's sad to see a collection of this caliber neglected, but I was still BLOWN out of the water by the quality of these coins!!! I think a few of the coins can use some minor conservation, like the 1795 $10 with a piece of PVC right on liberty's face and a few other coins.

TJ wasn't lying when he said that it was one of the finest gifts ever given to a US library. It contains a PQ major US typeset in some of the finest known grades along with colonial coppers, and pre-1792 tokens and "coinage". The ultra high relief 1907 $20, proof $3 gold, continental dollars, 1795 $10, 1793 cent and half cent and $1794 dollars were among the highlights. Unfortunately, the dollars were the hardest to photograph and you can hardly see the 1794 and 1799 dollars. I'll try to go back and snap some pictures of thse.

I made sure to notify the staff that 1/2 the lights were out between the two cases, so I'll try to go back in the next week or two to get a few better pictures. Enjoy!

Please note: my iPhone is damaged, so you may see 2 pink spots showing up in the pictures. Those marks (a blob and a pink hook) are not on any of the coins.

RogerB

"Joseph"

The Mitchelson collection is one of the few remaining large remnants of institutional coin collections in the US. It is very difficult to get research access to it.

rhedden

Outstanding post! Thanks for sharing some information about this wonderful collection. I had not previously heard of it. Some of those coins are simply

Sunshine Rare Coins

I think that a trip to the museum is overdue. Great collection!

illini420

Looks like one heck of a collection... I like that there seem to be duplicates of many of them so you can see the obverse and reverse of the coins!

CoinRaritiesOnline

Excellent post.

My recollection viewing that collection years ago is that the coins themselves were extremely and uniformly dark after years of exposure to the elements, more so than is evidenced in your photos.

I'll need to take another look next time I'm down there -

johnny9434

nice collection

ShadyDave

@RogerB said:
"Joseph"

The Mitchelson collection is one of the few remaining large remnants of institutional coin collections in the US. It is very difficult to get research access to it.

Thanks, not sure why I thought John. Updated the post.

kaz

amazing coins, thanks for posting!

ricko

Very impressive...I wish I had known about that. I have had many business trips to the Hartford area when I was working (Sikorsky was a large customer). I would have really liked to see that... Cheers, RickO

roadrunner

For all the years I lived near Hartford, CT I didn't know there was such a collection available for public viewing. A lot of the "monsters" of the Mitchelson Collection were sold at auction as part of the Connecticut Historical Society Collection offerings. Some of the coins by rarity and condition in that collection were legendary. I know there was an auction in 1983 that was headlined by Sheldon and CT HS. And maybe another one in the 1990's? I seem to recall a wonderful collection of $20 Saints incl the rare 1927-D. Where did all that money go to?

steveben

really cool stuff. i love the gold coins especially. also, the scale.

ShadyDave

@CoinRaritiesOnline said:
Excellent post.

My recollection viewing that collection years ago is that the coins themselves were extremely and uniformly dark after years of exposure to the elements, more so than is evidenced in your photos.

I'll need to take another look next time I'm down there -

The copper was definitely BN. Some of the dollars had nice deep target toning but were darker.

The older flowing hair and draped bust coins appear to me like they are original and relatively unmolested. Much of the gold was flawless and had booming luster. The only piece of gold that was toned was the 1795 $10.

jwitten

As neglected as it seems to be, I sure hope they have good security. Seems like it would make an easy target.

jonruns

@jwitten said:
As neglected as it seems to be, I sure hope they have good security. Seems like it would make an easy target.

+1

ColonelJessup

This museum has been a pilgrimage spot for more than half a century. Thanks to the OP

There were, among others de-accessioned in Godard/CHS, two gem 1921 Saints. GEM.
They went to two different buyers,
One of them was free-basing a lot around that time.
I believe he made money. That month.
BTW, he came back clean and sober 30 years ago and does good biz.

As observed by @cnncoins, it's funny where your mind goes when your mind goes.

MrEureka

One sure sign of neglect is that the fake 1815 half eagle is still on display, even though they've known it's fake for the past decade or so.

1630Boston

Amazing, thanks for posting and taking time for all of the pics.

One question...he died in 1911 but has a 1932 Washington Quarter?

I see 3000 coins have been added to the collection.

ColonelJessup

@MrEureka said:
One sure sign of neglect is that the fake 1815 half eagle is still on display, even though they've known it's fake for the past decade or so.

At an ANS benefit @MrEureka organized in early '89, we listened to chamber music, drank fine wine and marveled at, amidst other treasures, a 1921 $20 IIRC MS66+. He also haunts the basements of museums of other unnamed continents

RogerB

BTW Some of the correspondence between the Mint Cabinet Curator, Comparette, and the Mitchelson Collector administrator, Goddard, is quoted in Renaissance of American Coinage 1909-1915.

ShadyDave

@roadrunner said:
For all the years I lived near Hartford, CT I didn't know there was such a collection available for public viewing. A lot of the "monsters" of the Mitchelson Collection were sold at auction as part of the Connecticut Historical Society Collection offerings. Some of the coins by rarity and condition in that collection were legendary. I know there was an auction in 1983 that was headlined by Sheldon and CT HS. And maybe another one in the 1990's? I seem to recall a wonderful collection of $20 Saints incl the rare 1927-D. Where did all that money go to?

Thanks for the info, I had no idea that they sold a bunch of "monsters" and were left with these stunners! The blurb talking about Joseph indicated there were tens of thousands of coins in the collection. Do you know what happened to the foreign coins he collected? Were they of the same caliber as his US coins?

@1630Boston said:
Amazing, thanks for posting and taking time for all of the pics.

One question...he died in 1911 but has a 1932 Washington Quarter?

I see 3000 coins have been added to the collection.

Hahaha, yes I wondered if anyone would notice that. The curators must have added that after the fact. There is also a 1920 mercury dime, an immaculate 1923 Peace dollar and they included an IKE and a mint set that has the CT state quarter in it as well. I didn't bother taking pictures of those.

MrEureka

@1630Boston said:
Amazing, thanks for posting and taking time for all of the pics.

One question...he died in 1911 but has a 1932 Washington Quarter?

I see 3000 coins have been added to the collection.

Mitchelson left them money expressly for the purpose of keeping the collection up to date. No reason to stop collecting just because you're six feet under!

roadrunner

I also seem to recall a legendary set of gem standing liberty quarters, with many dupes, especially mint marked pieces of the mid-1920's. Talk to "Dick" from New Britain next time you see him. He likely knows the complete skinny on this collection.

cnncoins

The finest 1921 from this collection was in the Crawford $20 set (which was sold intact to Legend in the mid 2000's). I had the opportunity to take the entire set of Saints in their Capital Plastic Boards directly to PCGS and get them graded around 2000 for the first time. The 1921 did indeed grade 66 the first time through. It was a monster!

CyndieChildress

So cool and mesmerizing!

Thanks for sharing!

Really gorgeous collection!

MrEureka

@cnncoins said:
The finest 1921 from this collection was in the Crawford $20 set (which was sold intact to Legend in the mid 2000's). I had the opportunity to take the entire set of Saints in their Capital Plastic Boards directly to PCGS and get them graded around 2000 for the first time. The 1921 did indeed grade 66 the first time through. It was a monster!

Have you seen the 1921 Saint at the ANS? If not, you have to check it out next time you're in NYC!

cnncoins

I viewed some of the coins at the ANS with Doug WInter in the early 90's but didn't get to see all the coins. Back then, they just handed you the coins raw on a velvet tray and walked out until you asked for other coins. I don't recall seeing the 1921 Saint at all, but they had an 1854 $1 that I grade MS 67 at the time!

RogerB

Compliant to Mitchelson's bequest, State Librarian George Goddard added US and foreign coins every year. Most came direct for the Mints or via the Annual Assay pyx.

ShadyDave

Went back at lunch during work recently to pass the time. Lights were out in all the display cases this time 😬.

Along with the awesome coin collection the CT state Supreme Court has a nice museum of items manufactured in Connecticut. My second favorite collection there is their collection of CT manufactured firearms! Here are a few pictures of their awesome collection:

Chick-fil-a gift card for scale

ShadyDave

RogerB

Many of the Mitchelson coins were acquired directly from the Philadelphia Mint by the Mint's collection Curator. These were often true "first strikes" off new dies and selected by Comparette for quality. If Connecticut ever produces a detailed illustrated catalog, modern collectors will have examples of some of the best coins struck on toggle presses for circulation. This is important in a era when TPGs and others happily dole out "Specimen," "proof" and other implied superlatives for routine production coins.

1775

WOW<WOW<WOW<WOW

RogerB

PS; it was Thomas Louis Comparette not "-T.J. Comparette"

csdot

@roadrunner said:
For all the years I lived near Hartford, CT I didn't know there was such a collection available for public viewing. A lot of the "monsters" of the Mitchelson Collection were sold at auction as part of the Connecticut Historical Society Collection offerings. Some of the coins by rarity and condition in that collection were legendary. I know there was an auction in 1983 that was headlined by Sheldon and CT HS. And maybe another one in the 1990's? I seem to recall a wonderful collection of $20 Saints incl the rare 1927-D. Where did all that money go to?

Very disappointing if the collection was left to the museum so the public could view this magnificent collection (along with proceeds so additional coins could be added after his death), only to have the museum sell off a number of the valuable pieces.

ColonelJessup

These pictures should double-thrill @ricko. He'd likely dip the coins and oil the guns for free