Lesher Dollars at the ANS, ANA and Smithsonian

@SKOL007 said:
Here is a link to the online exhibit of Lesher dollars on display at the ANA:
https://www.money.org/money-museum/virtual-exhibits/coloradonumismatichistory

Nice link @SKOL007!

It would be nice if the ANA recognized who donated the pieces like the ANS does.

Adna Wilde donated a lot of Lesher Dollars to the ANA, but the article doesn't indicate this.

Here's the ANA Zerbe-1 specimen. It was donated by Adna Wilde as indicated by the Lesher Dollar Census.

@DCW said:
Donations to institutions are a double edged sword to collectors. The pieces are viewable to all, but once they are out of private hands the dream of ownership is over.

Perhaps for a long time but not always. The Historical Society of PA sold the William Sphon Baker collection and Johns Hopkins University sold the Garrett collection. If Baker didn't donate his collection, I bet may of his pieces would not be in the pristine state they are in.

And now that the ANS, ANA and Smithsonian all have Lesher collections, I wonder if there will bee as strong of a desire to donate more.