My Fairmont Gold Happy Family
@semikeycollector started a very fun thread "Show us your happy families" last March which generated 4 pages of responses. I posted some twins and triplets by date. Since then, I kicked some out of my house (sold them) and adopted some foster children (Newps).
I puzzled how to present this family in a somewhat compact but informative way. Slab shots? TVs? I really liked how @PocketChange presented his Peace Dollar date set with TVs having the grade printed on the image. I decide to post both ways.
The Fairmont Liberty Eagles first appeared at auction August 2018. The slab shots and TVs photography has varied a little bit during the 5 years where some slab shots are darker than the coin in-hand and some TVs are lighter than the coin in-hand.
My general observations about the Fairmont 1850-1876 eagles for a given grade (40-55 range): they have more luster, exhibit less actual wear, and have more stray random marks.
Comments
Sweet!
Beautiful coins. Check out my current thread on PCGS Albums. Near the end it is explained how you can create a showcase for any coins. Since you have all TV's it will be very easy to build an Album. Here is an example of what they look like.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/type-sets/half-eagle-type-set-circulation-strikes-1795-1929/album/344192
Successful BST with BustDMs , Pnies20, lkeigwin, pursuitofliberty, Bullsitter, felinfoel, SPalladino (CBH's - 35 Die Marriage's)
$5 Type Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/type-sets/half-eagle-type-set-circulation-strikes-1795-1929/album/344192
CBH Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/everyman-collections/everyman-half-dollars/everyman-capped-bust-half-dollars-1807-1839/album/345572
Here is the thread
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1095242/pcgs-photo-album-give-it-a-try#latest
Successful BST with BustDMs , Pnies20, lkeigwin, pursuitofliberty, Bullsitter, felinfoel, SPalladino (CBH's - 35 Die Marriage's)
$5 Type Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/type-sets/half-eagle-type-set-circulation-strikes-1795-1929/album/344192
CBH Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/everyman-collections/everyman-half-dollars/everyman-capped-bust-half-dollars-1807-1839/album/345572
WOW!!!
The mother load
NICE! Happy family indeed.
"When they can't find anything wrong with you, they create it!"
Very nice! You’ve got your own hoard going!
Superb collection!
MY GOLD TYPE SET https://pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/complete-type-sets/gold-type-set-12-piece-circulation-strikes-1839-1933/publishedset/321940
Beautiful!
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
Very nice pickups for sure!!!
Congrats, Donato
Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set
Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
burdell,
You succeeded in making my jaw drop! All of these coins vary from very scarce to very rare! Great eye appeal! Great job!!! One day I hope to have a smaller set of $5.00 with a similar theme!
Exceptional set you’ve put together. Great eye appeal and originality. Does your eagle collection have non-Fairmont extended family members as well?
Seeing these in hand and examining each one carefully was the highlight of my time at ANA. Your knowledge of the coins and the minting process is outstanding. The time you've put into research is impressive. Thanks for sharing with us at the @ParadimeCoins table.
Excellent!
My YouTube Channel
Congrats on pulling together such an amazing collection!
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed lot viewing the Fairmont sales and will be sad when the well runs dry.
@Wahoo554
@Project Numismatics
My Liberty Eagle collection prior to the AUG23 ANA consisted of 13 Fairmont, 15 others. I sold 2 Fairmont, 5 others at the start of the show. I bought 4 out the auction. Currently I have 15 Fairmont, 10 others.
I like the Fairmont eagles because of their look. I have read this forum for many years (lurked for 9 years) and been very jealous of the all the posts of C & D half eagles with great color. SF eagles just don't come with similar color. I bought at most 2 eagles every 3 years for many years.
Fairmont comes along and I finally have an opportunity to buy some eagle with some character!
When will the Fairmont well run dry? I posted previously the grades of eagles at auction would be somewhat lower, similar to what SB auctioned during the ANA. I saw dozens of eagles were graded by PCGS with consecutive certs earlier the Summer. Only 5 were pedigreed Fairmont Collection. Other denominations and more common dates with the "look" are being offered by dealers. I speculate the distribution channel for Fairmont gold will shift to dealers for direct sale. I further speculate there may be one more partial date run of Fairmont eagles at auction.
DW told me at the ANA he believes the SEP20 Kuenker auction of US gold was a "tributary" (his word) of Fairmont.
I will post a couple of my "other" eagles. The 1865-s has a typical color of an original SF eagle of the time period. (Disregard the weak strike which is characteristic for the particular year.) Some luster and a russet/brown overall look. Very nice PC45.
The 1855-s is special. DW's description describes it well:
The 1867-s looks better in-hand, almost but not quite the Fairmont "goldy" look. DW told me it is from overseas.
DW offered me the 1855-s and 1867-s on the floor of different FUN shows.
This is why we do this 😎
I’m like you and am sure a lot on here suspect it also that I’m also a big fan of Fairmont coins! Those are some beautiful coins you have there! Congrats on reeling ‘em in!👍
As for future sales, I don’t think anyone really knows about future sales except Stacks. I too was discussing this with DW several months ago and he was pretty sure the Rhone sale would be the final one ( no more!) Then I brought it up with him a couple weeks ago and he thought there would be another one next Spring, with maybe 1-2 more happening sometime after that.
So who knows, maybe 1-3 more, or perhaps none. I was talking with someone and said something like ‘maybe Stacks (and the Consignor) wants to keep the good times rolling,’ and as long as the supply is available and prices stay strong, they will keep going.
I don’t know how to interpret the word ‘tributary’ in this particular setting. I thought tributary referred to the movement of a body of water ( like a river,) so I just don’t know.
I have lot viewed a number of the Fairmont sales and own about ten Fairmont half eagles. I appreciate the natural surfaces with that bank vault look. Their look contrasts with so much of the processed looking early gold that is out there.
You have some wonderful examples - thank you for presenting them here.
"Look up, old boy, and see what you get." -William Bonney.
@HillbillyCollector
I realize a tributary flows into a larger body of water, but I think DW just meant Kuenker was sourced from Fairmont. Or both Kuenker and Fairmont are from a larger hoard! It is fun to speculate! I just hope to live long enough to find out!
Me too brother, me too!😂
Love your fairmont examples, OP! What great gold coins to have!
TTT so it stays up longer.
This all is too cool to let slide too soon.
Great undertaking, big like from me here!
That 67s is a hell of a coin
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set