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Let's see some Harry W. Bass pedigree coins
AntebellumGold
Posts: 71 ✭✭✭
With Heritage announcing last week that it has been selected to auction the Harry Bass Core Collection long displayed at the ANA Museum, it brought to mind earlier auctions of Bass's coins.
I have one... a Dahlonega gold half eagle from Part II of the 1999 sale conducted by Bowers and Merena.
Bass pedigree coins have long appealed to me since he was local (I'm in the Dallas area) and I like early gold. I always admired his meticulous approach to assembling his collection, and his philanthropic efforts.
Any others out there?
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This is not a thread I’ll be able to participate in but I very much look forward to seeing some eye candy
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
Confirmed Bass pedigree, not on current holder...read below.
P55
I think I found the auction history...can anyone else confirm? The only things I can visually match are the rim edge marks and the slightly softer center on the reverse. If there is some agreement then we can confirm this as lot107 from Bowers Merena of the Harry Bass Jr. III Auction May 2000. I hope I made a good attribution. Are there any other pictures from the auction other than the black and white catalog I found on the Newman portal? Color Plate I is not in focus with magnification.
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/auctionlots?AucCoId=4&AuctionId=524054
**From the auction comments: **
"1842-D Repunched 184. AU-55 (PCGS). Lustrous orange-
gold. A greatly prized rarity from Dahlonega, notable for its low mintage of 4,643 pieces, as well as for the fact that Mint State examples of the date are unknown to today’s collecting community. PCGS has only certified two examples of this date at a higher grade, both of those AU-58, with one of those speci¬ mens being the coin offered as Lot 342 in our sale of Part II of the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection (October 1999). David Akers makes the eye-opening comment that the “1842-D is generally appreciated for its real rarity; it is every bit as rare as the 1854- D, 1855-D, and 1856-D, and certainly more rare than the latter two in grades better than EF.” Walter Breen echoes a similar sentiment stating “usually in low grades; prohibitively rare above EF.” The present specimen is among the finest known for the date, and probably a shoo-in for Condition Census honors. One of many treasures from the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection that will see extensive bidding activity when it crosses the auction block.
PCGS Population: 6; 2 finer (AU-58).
Date logotype high and more deeply impressed at the top of the date than at the bottom, indicating that the logotype punch was not driven in a true vertical alignment. Very obvious repunching under first three date digits: probably the earliest obverse state. Reverse with D mintmark overlapping feather, with part of the feather visible at the center of the letter and a tins part of the feather extending from the left of the upright.
From Abe Kosoff s sale of October 1968, Lot 733."
I think this is the same Bass?
If so it was an affordable Pedegree!
It's all about what the people want...
No coins...
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End Systemic Elitism - It Takes All Of Us
1870 Liberty Gold Half Eagle PCGS Proof-64 CAC (HW Bass Jr. Collection)
https://www.greatcollections.com/Coin/1192766
https://greatcollections.com/Collections/1120/The-Keyman64-Mercury-Dime-Collection/2024-07-07
That was a beauty of a proof eagle while it lasted
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Coin Photographer.
We're just wild about Harry!
Great color and luster. Old holder. Undergraded!
Very attractive choice coin!
I have no Bass pedigreed coins... But the gold shown here is impressive. I really like the OP half eagle.... Cheers, RickO
Thanks. I'm really in love with pre-war branch mint gold right now, but it is slow going.
I first met Harry when I was in my early teens at Julian Liedman's table when my Dad would drop me off at shows for the day before I drove. Both Julian and Harry were both highly YN approachable and even ogled my maximum budget purchase then which was a raw gem 1925-P Peace Dollar. I've probably owned this overdate for about 17 years now and having belonged to Harry was meaningful to me upon purchasing, it being a mint error was the only way it fit my collection. One of the interesting things learned researching Beck collection was John had a hoard of nearly 300 1877 IHC's in all grades.
1808/7 $5 Gold NGC AU55 Breen-6455, B-2A. Rarity-5 Obverse Struck Thru Mint Error ex Harry W. Bass Jr. collection, formally Quality Sales Corporation’s auction of the estate of John A. Beck, Part I, January 1975, Beck began collecting in the late 1860's. Struck through wood it's the only John Reich error known for this series, as it has a large planchet strike through imperfection which covers star 4 on the obverse. The obverse also has a diagonal bisecting die crack from the border at 1:00 through the cap and head of Miss Liberty to star 2. Another die crack from the border through star 11 almost reaches the hair.
Great thread!
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The Bass $2.5 1842-D is coming up for auction at StacksBowers. It looks gorgeous and it’s in a PCGS 58 CAC holder.
https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-XP13J/1842-d-liberty-head-quarter-eagle-winter-3-f-the-only-known-dies-au-58-pcgs-cac
Love to have both in hand side by side to compare! Tony, did you see my attribution above (I added). I think mine was Bass's P55 example. Can you take a look?
Thanks,
Freddie
@earlyAurum
It looks like the Bass coin to me. There are a few “landmarks” that match up.
here is one of mine
1869 5c Judd-683, Pollock-762 Rarity: Low R.7
And the corresponding Bowers and Merena, 5/99 catalog cut
I cheated
Coins are Neato!
"If it's a penny for your thoughts and you put in your two cents worth, then someone...somewhere...is making a penny." - Steven Wright
Agree with the assessment. Should be pedigreed and sent to CAC.
Like!
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