How to judge the Value of SCD Collection for insurance coverage?

1patwick

How exactly does one judge the Value of our SCD Collection for insurance coverage? "The Mega Red Book" covers so few SCD's it is almost a hindrance to find how few Part 1 are covered, but alas, better than nothing.

Insider2

Best is to have a paid appraisal done by a coin dealer. Otherwise, Look up the sales records on the internet. There are coin dealers who specialize in these tokens.

1630Boston

Interesting question

WDP

@1patwick asked, "How exactly does one judge the Value of our SCD Collection for insurance coverage? "The Mega Red Book" covers so few SCD's it is almost a hindrance to find how few Part 1 are covered, but alas, better than nothing."

You can get a general feel for value by borrowing or buying a copy of the Revised (2nd edition) book, So-Called Dollars, An Illustrated Standard Catalog By Harold E. Hibler and Charles V. Kappen). The first edition (1963) was revised and edited by Tom Hoffman, Dave Hayes, Jonathan Brecher and John Dean and was published in 2008.

Make sure the copy of the book you use has the "Price Supplement" (Price Guide) from February 2008 included with it.

The price guide gives price ranges for each H&K Number for most H&K numbers in both Circulated and Mint State grades. For example, H-K #99 lists circulated examples in the range of $400-600, and Mint State examples $800-1,200.

You can also find prices realized in the archives of the major auction firms.

To appraise a collection you will need more knowledge than this as pieces can sell above or below these ranges and auction prices realized, sometimes by quite a bit. There are over 1,000 H&K numbers! For example I've seen an Almost Uncirculated H&K 797 (Alexander Lesher Dollar) sell for 8-9 times the high price of $2,000 for a circulated example! Many H&K numbers are quite rare, others are conditionally rare, and the price list does not always recognize this in my experience.

I agree with @Insider2 that ultimately it is best to have the collection appraised by a knowledgeable professional, preferably one who specializes in the So-Called Dollars. For example, Jeff Shevlin, the "So-Called Guy." He puts out regular fixed price lists and buys and sells at auction, and knows the current market. There are other qualified professionals also, as @Insider2 noted above.

Good luck and enjoy your collection! Hope this helps a little.

1patwick

WDP, Hello! I'm an experienced numismatist and a SCD collector of 15+ years. I've never ventured online for advice prior to last month. My collection of SCD's. Part 1-4 is 'apt' for "cheap scavenger". I have no interest in SCD, Part III, Monetary SCD's, but I grab WW ! medals if they meet my criteria. I look forward to hearing more from you to help my hobby and hope I can help you. Thank You!

WDP

Good luck with your SCD Collection!

Collecting the SCDs that interest you a good route to take, and pretty much the approach most collectors I am aware of (past and present) have taken. I think that it is virtually impossible for someone to collect one of every H&K number in their lifetime, even if they had the resources (money). I hope someone out there is trying, or attempts this someday. It would be quite a feat.

Alfred and Jacque Ostheimer had over 700 H&K numbers that they acquired in the 1950s and 1960s. The only collection larger than this was that of Tony Swicer - I forget how many H&K numbers he had but have this information in a file somewhere. The Ostheimers were contributors directly to the first edition of the So-Called Dollar book, with many plate coins and discovery specimens included from their collection.

If you look in the revised / second edition of the book So-Called Dollars on page 4 you will see over 80 plate coins listed under my name (W. David Perkins). All of these plate photos came from the Ostheimer collection, and many were the plate coins in the second edition as well as the first. Most of these are quite rare - I gave the photos to the authors a few months before the second edition was published as they were "still missing" photos of these H&K numbers!

In addition, the Ostheimers had over 300 pieces that did not have H&K numbers that fit the criteria for a SCD at the time but were not "in the book." These were targeted for a second edition of the book at some future date. We know that this has not happened to date.

I have extensive correspondence between the Ostheimers and Harold "Hal" Hibler, mostly before the first edition of the book was published.

Here is one of the Ostheimer's 2X2 envelopes with a large "P" for plate coin (seen on page 130 of the first edition) for the Ostheimer's example of the Slusher Lesher Dollar, Zerbe 6, H&K 792, K-135 ("old" Kenney Number), Serial #28. I've also included the obverse photo for this Slusher Lesher Dollar. You will see it matches the plate photo in the first edition of the book.
....

....

....

....
Photos courtesy of W. David Perkins, taken by Rory Rea.
...

WDP

Duplicate post by mistake - deleted.

1patwick

@Insider2 said:
Best is to have a paid appraisal done by a coin dealer. Otherwise, Look up the sales records on the internet. There are coin dealers who specialize in these tokens.

Thanks!
I do note the price paid for medals on my inventory. The problem is, some eBay deals were steals of rare medals which rarely come up for sale and some are unlisted finds. I'm now recording eBay sale prices, old and auctions on the net as suggested This is made easier as I primarily collect Part 1, SCD's and US. Mint National Commemorative medals,

1patwick

WDP
WOW!! I am awed by your collections and would feel privileged to see your SCD collection. My combined SCD and National Commemorative Mint medal population is 291 and climbing. I've just taken my hobby online after years of isolated collecting and living in a rural area, I have major
SCD and NCM collectors residing nearby, but the only SCD coin dealer in my city is a bullion dealer who area numismatists avoid like the plague.

As a retired old fart, I search the web daily to find medals for my collection as I (we) did on the early `60's with our coin books and allowances to search rolls of coins at banks. Today I have much more fun. My best purchases (steals) of a SCD's gives me a far better feeling than finding a 1922 plain cent in a penny roll as a 12 y/o.

This forum is the first time I've ventured out onto the web with my collection. Everyone has been so helpful here, putting up with or placating my questions... THANKS All!! I can only try and pay everyone's help to me forward to other collectors.

My next question may be, "What is your best SCD purchase?