Colorado Springs Coin Show Report - June 2019
dcarr
Posts: 7,997 ✭✭✭✭✭
I've attended this show on several previous occasions as a walk-in. This was my first time having a table.
The show is medium in size, but the attendees and offerings are of rather high caliber (due to the show being associated with the ANA Summer Seminar). The venue is sufficient and very convenient for dealers moving in and out. The show operator is very serious about security and that was clearly evident.
I was somewhat "out of it" on the first day of the show. Suffice to say that getting up early is not what I am acclimated to. I had to depart at 4:00 AM and drive 125 miles to get to the show for set-up.
Overall show traffic seemed somewhat light. But there were buyers. I did not have a lot of my minted products or other items to offer but I sold a good amount of what I had. I had some "normal" numismatic items (that I did not produce), including currency. I sold a couple scarcer large size Colorado bank notes (Trinidad and Rocky Ford). They were decent problem-free notes but a little lower grade than I collect so I let them go. I had a bunch of slabs (mostly Morgan Dollars) that were a little older in nature and generally below $75 each (mostly MS63-MS64 grades). I sold most of them.
I met and talked with a few forum members.
On the buying side I "blew" somewhat more than half of my monetary intake at the show on two items for my Colorado collection (see the last two items below).
First, the relatively inexpensive items:
For my collection of encased silver coins I found this Idaho silver quarter:
For my collection of Colorado mining tokens I bought this Climax Molybdenum Company (Leadville Colorado) tool check:
Another check token (possibly a coat check) is this Central City Colorado (historic mining town) Opera House pictorial:
I don't normally collect plain "good for" tokens, but I make an exception for interesting pictorials, especially from Colorado, like this aluminum Pueblo Colorado Opera House 12-1/2 cent in pretty nice condition:
The three Colorado pieces above were purchased from a collector that had a table for the first time and was selling off some of their collection. This same person brought no less than 16 Lesher Dollars to the show and had just 3 left at the end of the show.
I was able to buy one of his Lesher Dollars, an imprint type (without imprint), which is a type that I did not already have:
The grades given to these are usually a little on the generous side (like pioneer gold). But regardless, I like the original un-cleaned surfaces of this one and I especially like that it is lacking the usual gouges, rim bumps, and dented corners.
The highlight of the show for me was being able to acquire this Monnier Metallurgical Company of Colorado medal. I've admired these in the past and I hadn't seen one available for several years. These medals are impressive in hand - large (64mm diameter), thick (8mm at the edge), and heavy. The dealer who had the Lesher Dollars also had two of the Monnier medals. Before I got to their table, another dealer had already bought one of the medals (the one they thought was higher grade). I was still happy with the one that was still available and so I bought it.
That night I stayed at a friend's house and I got the medal out of my bag so as to secure it in better packaging. When I had first looked at the medal earlier in the day I had inspected the rims to make sure there was no significant damage. But once out of the packaging that I bought it in, I first noticed that the medal had engraving on the edge. At first I thought that the edge engraving was normal because this is the only example of this medal that I had ever seen in person. But when I got out my loupe to read the edge inscription I was amazed at what it said:
The full edge inscription reads:
Presented to W.J. Howard April 14th 1882 by Captn. John Slawson . Killed by Apache Indians April 22 1882.
It seems that Captain Slawson gave this medal to Howard on April 14 1882 and about a week later Slawson was killed by Apaches. So Howard then had the medal engraved as a remembrance.
I could not find any information on a W.J. Howard. But Captain John Slawson is a known figure in mining circles. I could not find any military references for Slawson. But I did find that Slawson was a superintendent of the Cliff Copper Mine in Michigan. Then he was apparently a manager at the Catalph Gold Mine near Leadville Colorado. In April 1882 Slawson was associated with the Santa Rita Copper and Iron Company in New Mexico. Reports indicate that he set out into Apache lands, against the advice of locals, to inspect some illegal copper mines. The party of five men was ambushed by Apaches and Slawson was the first one shot, right out of the saddle. Two others were also shot dead and the last two got away.
This link has more info (click your browser's refresh button and the sign-up blocker will probably go away):
https://mininggazette.com/news/features/2017/10/john-slawson-agent-of-the-cliff-mine/
On the following day of the show I showed my medal to the dealer that had bought the first one. He said "wow !" and indicated his remorse at not buying both, or at least the engraved one. His had a completely plain edge. He offered me a profit on mine, but I intend to keep it for now.
Comments
Looks like you had a very productive show! I love all your pick ups.
Great photos!
Nice report Dan, a very interesting piece and story....
Great report and history lesson.
Great report and certainly an interesting find.... all the more special since it was unexpected. Like finding a special coin among those you already own.
Cheers, RickO
@dcarr Thanks for your show report.
A lot of history in those pieces.
PM sent
I can only imagine the satisfaction you feel with the acquisition of the engraved 1866 medal. I am astounded many times by the "luck" people have with things like this. I was taught that the definition of luck is: "preparation followed by opportunity" - so not surprised that this would happen to/for you.
very cool medal. i love that you discovered something about it after you acquired it.
I am very familiar with WJ Howard
Have extensive files on him
Rich history in Colorado New
Mexico etc.
A couple of articles were written on him
He had a coin collection that included some very rare CT pioneer
coins and pattern pieces
I think he rubbed elbows with Clark
Gruber & Co. and Dr John Parsons
WJ Howard was probably
Winslow J Howard
Assayer watchmaker jeweler
engraver naturalist and possible
die maker for the Denver City
pieces
you got some cool stuff there, wtg
Thanks for the info !
I don't know why I didn't come across anything on "Winslow J Howard" when I searched for "W J Howard".
But it certainly seems to fit that this would be THE Winslow J Howard. Howard and Slawson are both reported to have been in the Leadville area and later in the early 1880s both were in New Mexico mining areas.
And it seems very plausible that Howard engraved the edge of the medal himself.
I continue to be surprised by this.
An informative, interesting report. Thanks for posting!
Wow! Now that's what I would call a successful show for you. Great report, thanks for posting.
it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide
Amazing
It seems probable that Howard engraved the edge of the Monnier medal himself.
Here is some more information that I found pertaining to Winslow J Howard:
Famed naturalist, assayer, jeweler, engraver, traveler, and collector of mineral specimens, coins, and medals.
1855 - Worked as an engraver and watchmaker at Tiffany & Co in New York.
1858 - Headed west as part of the Gold Rush. Upon arrival in Santa Fe New Mexico he established himself as a jeweler.
1860 - Traveled to Denver and established his business there.
He likely engraved the dies for the "Denver City Assay Office" copper pioneer patterns.
Likely knew and met Clark, Gruber, and Parsons in person.
1861 - Again moved his business, this time to be near the gold mines of Central City Colorado.
Expanded his business into assaying.
1861 - Took his collection of coins, mineral specimens, fossils, and natural specimens to New York for public exhibition.
1862 - Returned to Central City and continued his business of jewelry manufacturing.
Also added the side business of selling fishing tackle.
1865 - Travelled back to New York and married Abbie Stratton.
1866 - Proceeded to Helena Montana to be near the gold mining activity there.
1867 - Went back to New York to be with his wife and new daughter Amy.
1869 - Arrived at the site of the silver boom in Hamilton Nevada.
1870 - Went to San Francisco briefly and then back to his wife in Massachusetts.
Second daughter Lorena born. She would go on to be a stage actress with the name Rena Howard.
1872 - Returned to Denver briefly, and then proceeded to set up shop in Del Norte Colorado.
1875 - Returned again to Denver, briefly, before going on to Prescott Arizona.
1876 - Was roommate with assayer and former Idaho silver bar producer F.W. Blake.
1877 - Became the lead assayer at the Aztlan Mine.
1879 - Again returned to Colorado but soon moved to Leadville.
1880 - Set up shop in Leadville as a watchmaker under the name H.S. Brodie & Co.
1881 - Abbie Howard divorced Winslow (not surprising, given his wandering ways).
1881 - Moved to Silver City New Mexico to be near the silver mines and fossil fields.
1882 - Knew Captain John P Slawson when Slawson was killed by Apaches.
1888 - Now resided in San Diego California as a watchmaker.
1895 - Worked as a jeweler in Pasadena California for George W. Collis.
1898 - Howard dies in Globe Arizona.
Here is the full life story of Winslow J Howard in two parts:
https://pioneergold.wordpress.com/2011/09/27/like-many-old-timers-he-had-seen-better-days-part-i/
https://pioneergold.wordpress.com/2011/09/27/like-many-old-timers-he-had-seen-better-days-part-ii/
In March 1884 and June 1886 Howard's collection of coins (including several from Colorado pioneer days such as a complete set of all 8 Clark Gruber gold pieces and a Parsons quarter eagle) were sold at auctions in New York. The Monnier medal is not listed in either auction.
Here is the 1884 auction catalog: https://archive.org/details/catalogueofverye00wood_1/page/n7
Here is the 1886 auction catalog: https://archive.org/stream/catalogueofcoins00lowl#page/n8/mode/2up
My edge-engraved medal previously sold for $3,162.50 in the Stack's auction of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection - Coins, Medals, and Currency, Part XX - 16 October 2007 New York - Lot #3304.
Lot #3303 in that same auction was a similar medal but without the edge engraving.
The auction description for lot #3304 cited the edge engraving, but did not elaborate on the significance of the named gentlemen. Fortunately I was able to pick it up for less than the Ford sale price ($1,700). I don't know what the other medal sold to the other dealer for at the show, but I assume a similar (if not slightly higher) price.
@dcarr Here's Stack's photo of your Monnier medal. Your Ford medal was previously sold by Charles Eberstadt on January 19, 1962.
Lot #3303 of the John J. Ford Jr. sale sold for $2,990.00 and previously sold in the Abner Kreisberg October 31, 1966 sale, lot 401.
Great "rediscovery" of this likely Winslow J. Howard / John J. Ford Jr. medal.
Very interesting report and history report, thanks for posting
WOW - great minds came together to assemble the pieces of an amazing story. Nice work surrounding an f'ing cool medal!!
Is this a premonition of a future DC commem medal??
Thanks.
I have no plans for any related product of my own.
But I will probably work with a few modern small-time mines on their products from time to time.
With this story-line, why not??? You of anyone could...and should...a great piece beckons!!