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David Alexander's Coin Week article on Sheldon
Sonorandesertrat
Posts: 5,695 ✭✭✭✭✭
Almost everything Alexander wrote in the article was already known to me, but to see it laid out in such a blunt manner was surprising.
See: https://coinweek.com/us-coins/confronting-sheldon/
Member: EAC, NBS, C4, CWTS, ANA
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
3
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Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Very interesting.
From the article: "Sheldon could WRITE, an uncommon skill among large cent folk and other numismatic specialists then and now."
Wow.
I wonder if Alexander had anyone NOW in mind?
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
There are a lot of other reasons to say "Wow." to yourself as you read this article.
It's worse than Alexander let on, regarding Sheldon and Breen. Now add Ford and Breen. John Kleeburg hinted at their interrelationships years ago.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
Here's more (and some of the same) on Sheldon's thievery.
Jesse C. Kraft, Ph.D.
Resolute Americana Curator of American Numismatics
American Numismatic Society
New York City
Member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA), British Numismatic Society (BNS), New York Numismatic Club (NYNC), Early American Copper (EAC), the Colonial Coin Collectors Club (C4), U.S. Mexican Numismatic Association (USMNA), Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC), Token and Medal Society (TAMS), and life member of the Atlantic County Numismatic Society (ACNS).
Become a member of the American Numismatic Society!
Jesse, that was a fantastic talk by Dr. Kleeberg. Very enlightening. Thanks for highlighting it.
A very well written piece!
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
Very interesting .... Seems the numismatic giants were indeed human... Cheers, RickO
I knew about the thefts but I wasn’t aware of all of the darker sides. It’s a shame that the good parts are overshadowed by the failings of a person.
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
After watching that video, it is evident that more than one person 'failed'....
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
sad but true.
Thanks for the link ... wow!
See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
Great article!
See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
I learned about his studies in college but never realized it was the very same Sheldon of the Sheldon Scale.
Thanks for posting!
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
I finally had a chance to watch the video. Absolutely well done and well presented. It’s a shame there was so much chicanery and that so much may never be uncovered.
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
since the file path for the sheldon and breen articles are different, i'll give this link(s) to those that may desire to peruse some more of axlexander's writings.
i am/was looking for more "confronting" writings.
Home- Auctions -Confronting Sheldon
Home -Expert Columns -Charles Morgan -Confronting Breen
Home Expert Columns David T. Alexander - https://coinweek.com/category/expert-columns/david-t-alexander/ - axeldaner's archives
if anyone finds a link specific to the "confronting" series. please post a link.
<--- look what's behind the mask! - cool link 1/NO ~ 2/NNP ~ 3/NNC ~ 4/CF ~ 5/PG ~ 6/Cert ~ 7/NGC 7a/NGC pop~ 8/NGCF ~ 9/HA archives ~ 10/PM ~ 11/NM ~ 12/ANACS cert ~ 13/ANACS pop - report fakes 1/ACEF ~ report fakes/thefts 1/NCIS - Numi-Classes SS ~ Bass ~ Transcribed Docs NNP - clashed coins - error training - V V mm styles -
Was Sheldon convicted of a felony?
the sheldon article links the breen article which touches on a lot of his legal woes.
<--- look what's behind the mask! - cool link 1/NO ~ 2/NNP ~ 3/NNC ~ 4/CF ~ 5/PG ~ 6/Cert ~ 7/NGC 7a/NGC pop~ 8/NGCF ~ 9/HA archives ~ 10/PM ~ 11/NM ~ 12/ANACS cert ~ 13/ANACS pop - report fakes 1/ACEF ~ report fakes/thefts 1/NCIS - Numi-Classes SS ~ Bass ~ Transcribed Docs NNP - clashed coins - error training - V V mm styles -
From the article, it seems like Sheldon had no legal woes from the ANS thefts because it was only discovered after his death?
Specifically:
Nice read!
Did the ANS ever get the 38 cents in Naftzger's possession?
Should Naftzger's provenance be removed from all slabs due to his unsavory practices?
No, and apparently Naftzger escaped jail. The video link above goes into detail on everything and what was recovered. Some of the ANS stuff was recovered but other estates/companies were also looted by Sheldon and they may never be made whole.
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
We're still missing 49 or 50 large cents due to this.
Jesse C. Kraft, Ph.D.
Resolute Americana Curator of American Numismatics
American Numismatic Society
New York City
Member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA), British Numismatic Society (BNS), New York Numismatic Club (NYNC), Early American Copper (EAC), the Colonial Coin Collectors Club (C4), U.S. Mexican Numismatic Association (USMNA), Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC), Token and Medal Society (TAMS), and life member of the Atlantic County Numismatic Society (ACNS).
Become a member of the American Numismatic Society!
It’s interesting that the collectors with these coins don’t want to relinquish them.
My guess is some of the collectors may not even be aware of the coin’s history and some don’t want to lose possession of them with no compensation (or very difficult to obtain compensation).
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
yes. i misread your question and apologize. i thought you asked about walter.
<--- look what's behind the mask! - cool link 1/NO ~ 2/NNP ~ 3/NNC ~ 4/CF ~ 5/PG ~ 6/Cert ~ 7/NGC 7a/NGC pop~ 8/NGCF ~ 9/HA archives ~ 10/PM ~ 11/NM ~ 12/ANACS cert ~ 13/ANACS pop - report fakes 1/ACEF ~ report fakes/thefts 1/NCIS - Numi-Classes SS ~ Bass ~ Transcribed Docs NNP - clashed coins - error training - V V mm styles -
The person will be compensated...with the lesser coin that Sheldon used to replace the stolen piece.
Jesse C. Kraft, Ph.D.
Resolute Americana Curator of American Numismatics
American Numismatic Society
New York City
Member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA), British Numismatic Society (BNS), New York Numismatic Club (NYNC), Early American Copper (EAC), the Colonial Coin Collectors Club (C4), U.S. Mexican Numismatic Association (USMNA), Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC), Token and Medal Society (TAMS), and life member of the Atlantic County Numismatic Society (ACNS).
Become a member of the American Numismatic Society!
That's a great way to close the loop.
I hope collectors take up the ANS offer and help close out this sad chapter in our hobby's history.
Interesting. I guess the loss of what they paid vs the lesser piece value is the sticking point for some. Not to mention loss of registry points or ego points, lol. In any case, hopefully one day everything will be restored to where it should be.
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
I don't think people should get registry points for stolen coins...
I'm guessing that most of us own stolen coins, if one could go far back enough to prove it.
The ANS theft was so systematic and egregious, and the large cent pedigree paper trail so rich, that eventually someone was going to figure it out. The fact that it was done in the pre-Internet era tells you what a dogged researcher Del Bland was.