I waited 13 years for a chance to buy this coin!
lordmarcovan
Posts: 44,955 ✭✭✭✭✭
I am a maternal descendent of the two Adams presidents of the United States (John Adams and John Quincy Adams). Ever since I learned that the Massachusetts Historical Society sold the family coin collection of John Quincy Adams (the sixth president) in 1971, I have wanted one of the coins with that provenance.
Around 2012, my friend Gil (@swampboy) purchased this Roman Republican serrate denarius with a JQA pedigree, from Civitas Galleries- for what I considered to be a song. I pestered him countless times to sell it to me, but he held on tight.
There is a JQA-pedigreed coin coming up for auction on January 15th, and I liked it. I was prepared to bid as high as $1K to get it (and even then was not overly optimistic about my chances).
But lo and behold, Gil just contacted me and offered me, via private sale, his coin I've so long admired. At the $600 delivered I just paid him, he will triple his money (he got the thing quite cheaply 13 years ago, as I mentioned). But good for him. I am delighted to finally obtain my JQA coin, and for a price I'm quite satisfied with. It was a pedigree I was willing to pay for. Thanks, Gil!
Aside from the provenance (it was Lot 510 in the 1971 sale), it happens to be a nice coin. It will also be my first serrate denarius.
My famous ancestor was the first US president to be photographed. It seems like he always had a rather stern or sour expression. I would not want to have opposed him in the courtroom when he was practicing law!
*Yes, I used the terms "pedigree" and "provenance" interchangeably. Mea culpa.
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
Comments
People didn’t smile for the cameras back then. Partly because the exposure was so long.
Nice coin! Congratulations on your achievement!
Hadn’t thought about that. Makes sense. Come to think of it, everybody I’ve seen in old daguerreotypes did look pretty serious.
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
Cool coin and write up. Congrats on your new addition!
Very cool!
A coin and a story! Congratulations!
Nicely done Rob. Congrats.
Life member #369 of the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association
Member of Canadian Association of Token Collectors
Collector of:
Canadian coins and pre-confederation tokens
Darkside proof/mint sets dated 1960
My Ebay
That’s so cool!
I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.
wtg onthat and with a smile im sure
That’s a great story and coin! As you obviously know (!), JQA was a brilliant man of exceptional integrity. We could use more like him today. As an aside, I believe he is the only US President to have spoken genuinely fluent French.
There is a good chance he was even attached to a post so would not move. No reason to smile...
That said, congratulations! Nothing better than having a coin back to the family collection after a departure (I have been able to do that).
That's cool, thanks for sharing.
Philippians 4:4-7
Delighted to get that out to you today amigo. I've very much enjoyed owning it and I'm glad it's staying in the family.
The coin in the flip is covering what I take to be the original cost.
Where's my way back machine
😂
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
Yeah, I’d have liked to pay that 1971 price…
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
There was probably a brace behind him holding his head in position because of the long exposure time needed.
Rob ... congrats, great looking coin
Gil ... I'm sure Rob would have gone to $650
My World Coin Type Set
Very cool story. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome my friend! I can also see some of the resemblance in the family bloodline!
I always though that the Adams Family should have their own coin.
Marcovan is Lord!
No grade from NGC yet (I submitted the coin to them in January, at the FUN show). But I did just get the NGC images.
And also of the Hadrian denarius I submitted with it.
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
Really like the OP coin. Hadrian looks a bit smug there...
Well, just Love coins, period.
Really cool!
What other presidents collected coins?
AS above: JQA. and Thomas Jefferson (medals), Clinton ( challenge coins).
FDR (stamps).
any others I missed?
The. Famous 4 horses in bronze (greek made?). are in the museum in Venice ( St. Marks Basilica)??
Known as the : " horses of St Mark" or the, "TriumPhal Quadriga"