For those who asked about pics of the 1909-S $20 that's been in the B. Max Mehl family since 1930...
MFeld
Posts: 14,952 ✭✭✭✭✭
Sadly, I never got to know B. Max Mehl, as I was born in 1954 and he passed away in 1957.
He was my grandmother's uncle and my grandmother was thrilled when she learned that I was a serious coin collector at a young age. Over the years, I have acquired a number of Mehl catalogs, checks and a poster from family members, as well as forum members.
My most treasured remembrance of him and my grandmother is one I have posted about previously, but will mention it again now. This time, however, I will add a bit more information....My grandmother was born in 1909 and for her wedding gift, her uncle/B. Max Mehl, gave her a gem 1909-S Saint, along with a handwritten note of congratulations.
The signed note, which contains the name of his wife, Ethel - the same as that of my grandmother - reads:
“May your life be as bright and full of solid happiness as is the enclosed.
Dec-30-1930“
When I was young, my grandmother promised me that she would give me the coin one day. Fast forward several years to a time when her son/my uncle told me he had the coin and would be giving it to me. He also told me that my grandmother (who had apparently forgotten her promise to me) was about to have the coin made into a necklace, but he convinced her not to do so and to keep the coin for me. Whew!
For many years, I have had the coin in an NGC holder, with a label which includes my grandmother's name.
Needless to say, I will always treasure it and the handwritten wedding congratulations note which accompanies it.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Comments
Awesome story, the likes of which make collecting all that more interesting and satisfying. Thanks for sharing!
Very nice Mark, and such a great family heirloom.....While not a fan of provenances, I certainly encourage them for family heirlooms.... People often are not aware of those previous generations (prior to Grandpa/Grandma) and beyond. I encourage family histories in photo-graphical and written form whenever possible. When they are gone...well, so much is lost. Cheers, RickO
It's great that NGC was able to do that for you.
jom
That's a fantastic story, Mark! So awesome that you ended up with it and that it avoided becoming a jewelry piece. Yikes. Really cool!
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So cool. +1 on writing stuff down. Knowledge of the past disappears sooooo very quickly.
Great story and great coin! Thank you for sharing it with us.
Gorgeous coin, even better story!
That's really nice and a great story!
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Very cool. Thanks for sharing.
Really awesome, thanks for sharing!
Latin American Collection
What a special item. Hopefully you can find the right family member in the future who will care for it and safeguard it as much as you have!
He who knows he has enough is rich.
Truly priceless. Thank you for sharing.
Very cool story and coin! Wonder which family member that fingerprint belongs to?
Nice looking 9-S.
The rim is smooth & the fields are pretty clean.
I could see it in a + holder although I'm sure it doesn't matter to you in this case.
My Saint Set
Nice! Quite the Mehlodrama!
Awesome coin and slab. Love the older slab
But it doesn't have a "sticker".
Very nice story indeed!
Nice coin too.
Great story and very nice Saint !
That's a way cool and touching story. I like 🙂
Nice. The serial number tells me it was submitted all by itself.
Lovely. The story is as beautiful as the coin, Uncle Mark. I hope you remember your promise to me.
Lance.
Uber Cool...
POST NUBILA PHOEBUS / AFTER CLOUDS, SUN
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Beautiful, thanks for sharing, Mark.
The coin is really solid for the grade.
It's an understatement to say that Max "knew how to pick 'em".
Pete
@MFeld Do you still have the original note given to your grandmother as well or has that been lost due to time?
Many members on this forum that now it cannot fit in my signature. Please ask for entire list.
Great post Mark - Thanks!!!!!
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Sorry...I didn't mean the grade. I was talking about the pedigree...
jom
Very nice! Great piece with a family connection. Grandmas are great.
My grandma was also born in 1909 and passed away in 2017. She had just turned 108. She had given me her collection of coins many years before because I had shown interest in them.
Yes, I still have the note, too.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Family pieces are awesome... thanks for sharing.
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Awesome story
BHNC #248 … 130 and counting.
Holy crap Mr. Feld, you're old!
That’s really cool and thanks for the great story. Max and my grandmother are both from the same town in Poland/Russia and they were both born within a few years from one another.
Maybe you and Mark are distant relatives.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
What a wonderful part of your family's history. Thank you for sharing.
What a memento! Great-looking Saint and a wonderful story.
Nothing but good in this story/coin.
Great story! Now if only your grandmother had been born in 1933
Great story. Thanks for sharing.
Pretty sweet!
Mehl catalog from the same year!
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This is why I love this forum. You wade through a lot of muck to find a gem of a post like this one. Great story and great coin.