Dealers buying Proof Sets - 1895
RogerB
Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
It has long been known that 19th century coin dealers bought annual proof sets from the U.S. Mint. These were later resold to retail customers and collector clients at a small markup from mint prices. Here is an excerpt from a recently located U.S. Mint document which includes the names of dealers who bought 1895 proof coins. This includes a range of the number of sets each purchased annually, which is comparatively new information.
This is one of the very few opportunities we have to look behind century-old dealer operations, and is posted for its general numismatic interest. The list of 1895 proof set buyers is largely incomplete and includes names of only a few purchasers.
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That's COOL! A short list of dealers buying 5-40 sets. Probably not the only list of buyers though I am guessing? Interesting! Now, to find some original paper work from those dealer names with original holders etc...hmmm
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
Wow, I think I'll contact these dealers and see if they have any sets left for sale!
Anyone have their email addresses?
My Adolph A. Weinman signature
All of them have permanent addresses, but not sure about email access, or if they will promptly respond to your purchase request. Let us all know how it works out !
Those dam dealer-flippers always running up the prices. We needed household limits as I was too late to get a set.
"To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin
Is that third name from the bottom H.E. Harris the famous Boston stamp dealer ??
Lordmarcovan, WTCG, YogiBerraFan, Phoenin21, LindeDad, Coll3ctor, blue594, robkoll, Mike Dixon, BloodMan, Flakthat and others.
And what constituted a "dealer" back then?
I already asked, and kept getting the same answer.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Well, only one dealer responded. He was sold out of the 1895 proof sets, but he did offer me a 1982 proof set at the same price. Is this a bargain or what?
My Adolph A. Weinman signature
Judging from mint correspondence over several decades, a "coin dealer" was anyone who regularly offered coins for sale to the public, held auctions or pestered mint officers for special coins on a routine basis. I'm certain there were more than just those shown on the 1895 page, but these are only ones who bought proof sets each year. Similar bracketed names are on other pages for 1892-1896.
In the 19th century, the mint still was able to recommend coin dealers to individuals who had collections to sell, or wanted to buy things like Stellas.
Looks like the last name starts with an M, almost looks like Money (!)
HE Money?
On other pages it looks like "H. E. Morey" who was a contemporary deal of the Chapman's etc.
As you look through the names of Proof purchasers, look for the name "S. Benton Emery." He used to buy sets cent through dollar plus a $2-1/2 gold. His collection became the Emery-Nichols Collection that Bowers sold in 1984. I saw the collection intact in upstate New York in Wayte Raymond albums that had been sitting in a steamer trunk in a bank vault for over 40 years.
He may not have started buying until 1896 or 1897. He had all the Barber Proofs back to 1892, but according to Bowers he filled in the early dates from dealers like the Chapmans.
Mr. Embry's name does not appear, but only 1896 is close to complete.
As for other interesting purchasers:
William H. Woodin bought 1 gold and 1 silver set in 1894.
The Chapman brothers bought 3 gold, 15 silver and 40 minor sets in 1896.
William F. Lutz from Erie, PA bought 10 half eagles, 10 quarter eagles, 5 silver and 12 minor sets.
Visitors from New York State bought 1 gold, 1 silver and 32 minor sets.
Visitors from Boston, MA bought 10 silver and 13 minor sets.
Very cool. Often wondered if these lists existed.
Interesting information... and one wonders if any of these old sets are sitting in attics, basements or other such repositories, still waiting to hit the collector market... Cheers, RickO
Congressman Ashbrook bought a long run of gold proof sets from a family in Delaware. He paid a little over face value, then sold the coins for a tidy profit.
PS: There is one extant volume in mint archives listing the name, address and amount paid by purchasers of medals and proof coins. Lots of 'famous' names and many more 'unknowns.'
A lot of those dealers were fairly well known numismatists - a few are listed here:
http://www.1794largecents.com/1794/bios.htm
Randall, J. Colvin – (1832-1901) A dealer, collector and cataloger from Philadelphia. Randall’s collection (110 large cents) was auctioned by Bangs, Merwin & Co. on October 18-19, 1869. The 1794s were cataloged using the recently published Maris numbers. Another Randall collection was sold by S. K. Harzfeld on November 26-27, 1880. Randall conducted his own sale of yet another collection, containing 61 large cents, on November 28, 1882, .
Chapman Brothers, The – Samuel Hudson Chapman (1857-1931) and Henry Chapman (1859-1935). Henry began working for John Haseltine, a Philadelphia coin dealer, in 1875 at age 16. In 1878, he and his brother Samuel formed a partnership which revolutionized the coin business with their innovative methods of preparing deluxe, large-size format, auction catalogs which included descriptions of all coin lots plus miscellaneous information and, in some instances, quality photographic plates. The foundation of their success was born with the Bushnell sale of 1882 and together they went on to handle many of the most important collections of the day. Though they dissolved their partnership in 1906 each continued in business, individually, until the early 1920s. They sold their own collections, including choice large cents, on October 9, 1879 with a second sale occurring on May 14-15, 1885.
Steigerwalt, Charles T. – (1858-1912) Steigerwalt was a life-long resident of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1900, he was the discoverer of the most difficult collectible 1794 variety, S-37; often referred to as the “Steigerwalt Variety.” He conducted auctions and issued fixed price lists. Steigerwalt purchased W. W. Hays’ collection in 1900 and the Henry Phelps collection in 1901. The Hays-Phelps 1794s were in his fixed price list of October 1903. Steigerwalt offered the set for $1,000 in the August issue of The Numismatist. Eventually, the set was purchased by Charles Zug and later auctioned by Lyman Low in 1907.
Massamore, Dr. George W. - (1845-1898) A lifelong resident of Maryland, Massamore enlisted in the Confederate army at the age of sixteen and remained there until the end of the war. Afterwards, in 1868, he earned a D. D. S. Massamore was active as a conservationist in his home state. His activities in the world of coins began in 1876 as a founding member and secretary of the Baltimore Numismatic Society. He conducted forty-six sales between 1880 and 1897. He handled some high-grade 1794s which worked their way through George Clapp and into the ANS collection.
H.E. Morey - Herbert Ellis Morey - Quite a numismatist -
http://www.numismaticmall.com/numismaticmall-com/morey-herbert-ellis
J.M. Macklin?
Some of the individual names:
J.F. (John Francis) Bicknell, Worcester, MA - Nov 8, 1846 - Nov 15, 1899 - Owned/Operated JF Bicknell Lumber Company
C.V. (Charles Victor) Twiss - NY, NY - September 19, 1851 - Owned/Operated C.Victor Twiss Company, Interior Decorators. Grandfather was a Minuteman in the Revolutionary War. He was also a high ranking mason in the Kane Lodge:
W.(William) H. Young, Troy, NY - Nov 3, 1817 - Director of the Mutual National Bank of Troy, Director of Troy & Albia Horse Railroad Company, Owned/Ran a Bindery/Publishing company. Had buildings built in Troy - one "William H Young Monuments, Inc" still exists today. Built a Troy School, which was later absorbed by Bryant & Stratton.
W.E. Swit? Boston, MA
F.A. Witman, Berwick, PA - Director of Multipex Manufacturing Company. Nescock Water Supply Company - Treasurer. Director of Berwick Store Company. Officer of Berwick National Bank.
J.H. Robinson? Baltimore, MD
A.H. Plum....? NY, NY
OK, so why google the heck out of these folks - Truthfully... I find it interesting what you can find on folks 100+ years ago. Plus... of the list Roger posted, what strikes me is this. The Coin Dealers were pretty major dealers/numismatists - and the normal "folks" were usually pillars of the community.
We joke today about any Joe Blow getting US Mint Offerings as long as the website doesn't crash, your limit isn't reached, or it isn't sold out in 6 minutes. What strikes me about "Way back then" is proof coinage was not for everybody - it seems at least with what I can find, you had to be a "Somebody".
"You Suck Award" - February, 2015
Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
Per Wikipedia, Ashbrook was a democrat. Tsk, Tsk, Tsk,
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
on line 5 was that a proof gold set and a silver set, or 1 gold coin and a silver set?
That's what i get trying to read without my glasses
Lordmarcovan, WTCG, YogiBerraFan, Phoenin21, LindeDad, Coll3ctor, blue594, robkoll, Mike Dixon, BloodMan, Flakthat and others.
Ashbrook sponsored the ANA Congressional Charter. He also acquired a large proportion of the 1907 no periods, knife rim $10 during the 1908 Assay Commission meeting. Most of his collection was stolen from the bank he owned, and he gave up collecting coins.
Some of his numismatic activities are described in:
Nice material StrikeOutXXX !
@RogerB
It would appear that the first name on the list owned a family lumber Co. in Worcester, MA and built/invented a folding ironing table
Thanks for your hard work.
Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko
Bad transactions with : nobody to date
I wonder --- how many of the descendants still have some or all of the coins?
Found Herbert Ellis Morey:
http://www.numismaticmall.com/numismaticmall-com/morey-herbert-ellis
Quite the Numismatist. Reading the link above, he was an accomplished baseball player too. If you scroll down, it was kind of interesting his safe was blow up with nitroglycerin!
Roger - the article mentions the: Lupia Numismatic Library. - You ever research papers there?
"You Suck Award" - February, 2015
Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
No, but it might be a good source. However, it is being sold piece-by-piece in NYC and Hong Kong.
http://www.coinbooks.org/v20/esylum_v20n34a06.html
The accurate guess is probably in the range of 0.0%.
A genetic disposition towards collecting old coins is flukey and generally rare.
But -- cigar boxes were popular storage places.
Still are, but I put the coins in air-tites first and then try to stuff them in tight rows.