Shout out to PCGS - New provenance

Henry Hilgard often worked at Sheridan Downey's table at major shows. At one of the shows, my table was next to Sheridan's and Henry was working there. We conversed a bit during lulls in the action, but later in the day he came over to my table and said, I would like to know about the 1825 cud quarters. I had several in stock and showed him those coins, we had a nice discussion and he was very appreciative. He was a true numismatist as well as a fine gentleman and he will be remembered.

Thank you for posting your coins with the Henry Hilgard provenance!

@Pnies20 said:
Anyone that knew him and would like to share a story is welcome to! Thank you @RichieURich for sharing.

@BustDMs your BHNC number is in the single digits I think. I’m sure you have one.

No, high double digits but that is another story for another day….

I knew Henry fairly well and had many wonderful conversations with him over the years but my favorite personal Hilgard story is………

It was the corn roast at the Detroit ANA at Fink’s house, way out in the boonies. Now, this was before Uber, Lyft and GPS directions. A couple other BHNC members and I grabbed a cab and armed only with a rudimentary set of directions we were off. Now the cable we ended up with had just begun shaving the week before getting his drivers license and his job at the cab company. The trip took WAY longer than it should have with two stops at filling stations for directions. Remember when that was a thing?????

By the time we arrived at the party things were going strong. As I walked in the door there were a number of nuts sitting around a card table in the living room. As I walked by I saw a neat CBD on a felt tray in the center of the table. I mentioned, without breaking stride, I mentioned, “wow, what a great unlettered edge half! Henry just glance up at me as one of the other Nuts blurted out, “No F’ing way!”
I was stopped and asked how I knew about the coin with virtually no inspection. One Nut accused me of previously having been acquainted with the coin. No, I had never seen it before in my life but, as I explained, it was obviously an unlettered edge as it looked like a “Perkins pancake” lying on the pad. It was a larger diameter than normal and the fields fell away from the center towards the edge.

Now, as we all should know, the Castaing machine served two purposes in the minting process. It not only lettered the edge for security purposes but also upset the rims to mitigate wear and contain the striking pressure creating a better coin. So, this coin essentially was struck on a “type one” planchet. Henry later in the day spend some time with me and the coin talking more about the minting process.

Fast forward some years and I saw the coin in the Russell Logan sale. Henry had sold or traded it to Russ and it appeared in his estate sale. I coveted that coin but Henry happily repurchased it for his collection. A few years hence I saw it in an ad by a major error dealer for an exorbitant, in my opinion, price. I put the thought of owning it out of my mind after that. Getting back into our Time Machine and fast forwarding a few more years I was at a Long Beach convention. Henry was at his normal station behind Sheridan’s table. As I was walking by Henry called me over and handed me a coin. There it was! I congratulated Henry on reacquiring it and handed her back to him. Henry gave me an odd look and asked me if I didn’t like the coin. I informed him that it was the single most desirable CBH for me at that time as I again handed her back to Henry. He then asked if I would like to own her to which I replied she was much to extravagant for my budget. “But you haven’t asked the price” replied Henry to which I sheepishly asked, “OK, how much?” Henry came up with a price so reasonable that tears almost came to my eyes. I handed her back AGAIN as at that time in my life I did not have enough funds to cover the purchase. Henry gave her back to me yet again and asked if I could afford her if he gave me “UNLIMITED TIME” to pay him! He continued to tell me that he remembered the Detroit ANA and my knowledge of the coin and told me I NEEDED a to be the next owner of the coin! I gave him the couple hundred I had to purchase a coin at the show and carefully put her in my briefcase.

The next day I was on the airplane on my way home and the thought hit me, what the hell had I done? I spent the most money I had ever committed to one coin with two kids eating up almost all the extra funds in tuition payments. I was pretty deeply in debt with no thought of how to pay it! When I got back I made a trip to the safe deposit box and began stacking things that I could do without to sell raising the needed funds. At the next show I marched up to Henry with all I owed him. He was surprised to see that I had all the money and asked about it. I explained the situation and the thought of owing him for an extended period would have been difficult for me.

So, here she is! Still part of my collection until I find the next numismatist worthy of owning her.