Tradedollarnut: The true measure of a man, the story continues..
oreville
Posts: 12,151 ✭✭✭✭✭
Well, this is the shortest version I can come up of a story that has evolved over a full century.
This is a story that began with Liberty Holden, Emery Mae Norweb's grandfather and continues to tradedollarnut today. The following shows that tradedollarnut is a classy guy and a man of integrity. he is not into the "competition" of being "better than everyone else" as some accuse him of. He just loves great coins and is more than willing to share them with everyone else. It is about sharing and enjoying the thrill of the hunt not about winning at the expense of others.
I salute tradedollarnut as the the first member of the Oreville Hall of Honor!!!!
He deserves it.
Many of you may be aware I have always looked up to Emery Mae Norweb and her husband Ambassador Henry Norweb and was fortunate enough to sit with them and hold their fabulous collection in my hands in Ohio beginning in 1971.
This was one of my favorite coins that "spoke to me" as it was Emery's favorite coin since it was the coin that her grandfather gave to her which started her coin collection. I distinctly remember her moist eyes as she spoke about her grandfather giving her his 1795 watch fob coin. I remember being surprised since I initially thought that Ambassador Henry Norweb was the primary coin collector in the Norweb family.
For 15 years I was mystified as to what happened to this coin when I never saw it sell in any of the Norweb auctions. Then it finally came up for sale at the Stacks auction in the fall of 2006.
I bid very strong on this coin and told tradedollarnut of my intentions to win this coin. Tradedollarnut knew how much this coin meant to me. Unfortunately, my isp server failed and was not able to counterbid in the live bidding process (stupid me for not following up with a telephone bid) and tradedollar came to the rescue by arranging a bid to win the coin against another floor bidder who had outbid my earlier strong bid.
He then pm'd me and said simply:
<< <i>Because I know how much it means to you, I'd like to offer to split it with you. We can rotate possession of it. Let me know. B >>
I joyfully and tearily accepted immediately and told him:
<< <i> Thank the lord you are around!!!
I had bid several times then up to $25,100 before the sale and then my internet went down!!
Then I did not get to see what happened and was REALLY DEPRESSED! I never even expected this piece to go over $20K let alone $25K!
I am so thankful you came to the rescue! Why didn't we think of this before, about splitting the ownership? I am not into exclusivity of ownership anyway! This is history!
Don't mean to get all sloppy on you but I was actually in tears over your generosity.
Thank you so much.
>>
So tradedollarnut and I are now the happy co-owners of this wonderful coin. We both intend to make sure that this wonderful coinand its history is treated with respect and give it a great permanent home. We are still trying to figure this one out.
Prior thread on a Priceless piece of Numismatic History
1795 Bass Dannreuther-1,Taraszka-1, Breen 1-A. Rarity-3+. Net F-12;
sharpness of VF-35, holed with suspension loop. Medium yellow gold with typical jewelry surfaces, loop added perpendicular to surfaces at 12:00. Good detail remains. The importance of this coin is not in its quality, or even the rarity of the 1795 Small Eagle $10 in general. Instead, this was the coin that launched a lifetime love of all things numismatic by Emery May Norweb, perhaps the greatest female numismatist America has yet produced and one of the great collectors (of either gender) of all time. Little Emery May was but 13 or 14 when she received this coin as a gift from her grandfather Liberty Holden, a fascinating character with interests in mining and newspapers, among other things. Liberty was the progenitor of the entire Norweb Collection and, appropriately, his special focus was coins and medals of George Washington. The somewhat tattered Norweb envelope that accompanies this coin has an old pencil notation on the inside of the back flap, slightly smeared but legible, that tells the story of this piece: "Given E.M.N. by her grandfather, 1908, the gold piece that started the collection."
The Norweb biographical work by Michael Hodder and Q. David Bowers mentions this exact coin, though the facts were somewhat confused when the book was written in 1987. This coin only recently came to light with the Norweb Washingtonia and may not have been seen by them. On page 48 of that book, the authors wrote:
"The only coin that is certainly known to have belonged to Liberty is a 1799 (sic) $10 gold piece, holed for use as a watch fob, which Mrs. Norweb recorded as having received from her grandfather (Liberty). ... Whether she meant that this piece was the first coin Liberty bought; or the first coin she owned is not known. But at least we know that Liberty thought enough of it to keep it, and then pass it on to his granddaughter."
Mrs. Norweb received this piece a year before the taking of a now famous portrait photograph showing young Emery May seated, with long dark curls and a large white bow in her hair. Soon after, the passion was ignited enough that the teenaged Emery May would be found making pencil rubbings of rare colonials and attributing them using her Crosby book. Those pencil rubbings, dated 1908, are depicted on pp. 162-168 of the Norweb book.
While any example of the first $10 coin of the United States is of some value, the primary interest in this coin is bound to be its connection to this famous collector. We hope the next owner will cherish it as she did.
From the Norweb Collection. Given to Emery May Norweb in 1908 by her grandfather, Liberty Holden.
This is a story that began with Liberty Holden, Emery Mae Norweb's grandfather and continues to tradedollarnut today. The following shows that tradedollarnut is a classy guy and a man of integrity. he is not into the "competition" of being "better than everyone else" as some accuse him of. He just loves great coins and is more than willing to share them with everyone else. It is about sharing and enjoying the thrill of the hunt not about winning at the expense of others.
I salute tradedollarnut as the the first member of the Oreville Hall of Honor!!!!
He deserves it.
Many of you may be aware I have always looked up to Emery Mae Norweb and her husband Ambassador Henry Norweb and was fortunate enough to sit with them and hold their fabulous collection in my hands in Ohio beginning in 1971.
This was one of my favorite coins that "spoke to me" as it was Emery's favorite coin since it was the coin that her grandfather gave to her which started her coin collection. I distinctly remember her moist eyes as she spoke about her grandfather giving her his 1795 watch fob coin. I remember being surprised since I initially thought that Ambassador Henry Norweb was the primary coin collector in the Norweb family.
For 15 years I was mystified as to what happened to this coin when I never saw it sell in any of the Norweb auctions. Then it finally came up for sale at the Stacks auction in the fall of 2006.
I bid very strong on this coin and told tradedollarnut of my intentions to win this coin. Tradedollarnut knew how much this coin meant to me. Unfortunately, my isp server failed and was not able to counterbid in the live bidding process (stupid me for not following up with a telephone bid) and tradedollar came to the rescue by arranging a bid to win the coin against another floor bidder who had outbid my earlier strong bid.
He then pm'd me and said simply:
<< <i>Because I know how much it means to you, I'd like to offer to split it with you. We can rotate possession of it. Let me know. B >>
I joyfully and tearily accepted immediately and told him:
<< <i> Thank the lord you are around!!!
I had bid several times then up to $25,100 before the sale and then my internet went down!!
Then I did not get to see what happened and was REALLY DEPRESSED! I never even expected this piece to go over $20K let alone $25K!
I am so thankful you came to the rescue! Why didn't we think of this before, about splitting the ownership? I am not into exclusivity of ownership anyway! This is history!
Don't mean to get all sloppy on you but I was actually in tears over your generosity.
Thank you so much.
>>
So tradedollarnut and I are now the happy co-owners of this wonderful coin. We both intend to make sure that this wonderful coinand its history is treated with respect and give it a great permanent home. We are still trying to figure this one out.
Prior thread on a Priceless piece of Numismatic History
1795 Bass Dannreuther-1,Taraszka-1, Breen 1-A. Rarity-3+. Net F-12;
sharpness of VF-35, holed with suspension loop. Medium yellow gold with typical jewelry surfaces, loop added perpendicular to surfaces at 12:00. Good detail remains. The importance of this coin is not in its quality, or even the rarity of the 1795 Small Eagle $10 in general. Instead, this was the coin that launched a lifetime love of all things numismatic by Emery May Norweb, perhaps the greatest female numismatist America has yet produced and one of the great collectors (of either gender) of all time. Little Emery May was but 13 or 14 when she received this coin as a gift from her grandfather Liberty Holden, a fascinating character with interests in mining and newspapers, among other things. Liberty was the progenitor of the entire Norweb Collection and, appropriately, his special focus was coins and medals of George Washington. The somewhat tattered Norweb envelope that accompanies this coin has an old pencil notation on the inside of the back flap, slightly smeared but legible, that tells the story of this piece: "Given E.M.N. by her grandfather, 1908, the gold piece that started the collection."
The Norweb biographical work by Michael Hodder and Q. David Bowers mentions this exact coin, though the facts were somewhat confused when the book was written in 1987. This coin only recently came to light with the Norweb Washingtonia and may not have been seen by them. On page 48 of that book, the authors wrote:
"The only coin that is certainly known to have belonged to Liberty is a 1799 (sic) $10 gold piece, holed for use as a watch fob, which Mrs. Norweb recorded as having received from her grandfather (Liberty). ... Whether she meant that this piece was the first coin Liberty bought; or the first coin she owned is not known. But at least we know that Liberty thought enough of it to keep it, and then pass it on to his granddaughter."
Mrs. Norweb received this piece a year before the taking of a now famous portrait photograph showing young Emery May seated, with long dark curls and a large white bow in her hair. Soon after, the passion was ignited enough that the teenaged Emery May would be found making pencil rubbings of rare colonials and attributing them using her Crosby book. Those pencil rubbings, dated 1908, are depicted on pp. 162-168 of the Norweb book.
While any example of the first $10 coin of the United States is of some value, the primary interest in this coin is bound to be its connection to this famous collector. We hope the next owner will cherish it as she did.
From the Norweb Collection. Given to Emery May Norweb in 1908 by her grandfather, Liberty Holden.
A Collectors Universe poster since 1997!
0
Comments
On a side note, I just linked this coin (that article) to a seperate thread about a week ago.
Here's a warning parable for coin collectors...
Tim
Sometimes you imagine the history and sometimes you know the history.
We have learned much about what goes on in the life of acquiring and selling an ultra rarity such as TDN's 1913 Liberty head nickel.
He shared in the ectasy and agony alike of what it took to buy as well as the multiple attempts to sell the same coin.
We have learned much from his successful and abortive experiences which very few collectors are willing to share.
Buying top quality Seated Dimes in Gem BU and Proof.
Buying great coins - monster eye appeal only.
myCCset
I hope you've stopped crying. You'll get dehydrated, ya know?
RYK
Go BIG or GO HOME. ©Bill
John
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
roadrunner
Two genuine numismatists. Thanks for sharing
KJ
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
I only met you once but I found you to be a real genuine and sincere class act and I am not at all surprised that people of the same calibre as you respond in kind. Meeting great people and sharing your excitement together is what it is all about.
Numismatically Yours,
Sid Belzberg
Thanks for sharing.
I'm IN, Bubba. LD
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
Way to go TDN!!!
Wondercoin
<< <i>Thanks for bringing out this story. Kudos to both of you for being ambassadors to this board and the hobby in general. I've learned a lot of good lessons from each of you. Many thanks.
roadrunner >>
Oreville won this one for me in the ANR auction, and held it for me for a while until I could reimburse his cost.
It is a favorite of mine and is literally the centerpiece of my Holey Gold Hat.
Though likely to be upstaged by an Otho denarius within the next month, if all goes well, it is still the crown jewel of my Roman coin collection, too. My recently-bought Galba sestertius came within ten bucks or so of the Zeno's purchase price, but Zeno still reigns supreme in both my Roman set and on my hat, in terms of monetary value. In terms of sentimental value, well, you can't put a price on that. It'll always be special to me.
Hoot
Great read.
-------------
etexmike
<< <i> Tradedollarnut is one of the good guys. >>
very cool indeedie
the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed
Join the NRA and protect YOUR right to keep and bear arms
To protest against all hunting of game is a sign of softness of head, not soundness of heart. Theodore Roosevelt
[L]http://www.ourfallensoldier.com/ThompsonMichaelE_MemorialPage.html[L]
Nice story, brother. TDN rocks!
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
<< <i>I knew that TDN was one of the co-owners but did not until now know the whole story. TDN is The Man™. Glad it worked out to the benefit of both parties.
RYK >>
RYK,
Sorry to turn this into a sports blog, but those NE pics are outstanding.
Rob
"Those guys weren't Fathers they were...Mothers."
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
K
My 1866 Philly Mint Set
<< <i>This is the kind of story that anyone who enjoys this stuff with a passion loves to read... thanks for sharing it with us.
John >>
Three months ago, TDN generously permitted me to buy his half share and was very, very reasonable about it too. I finally paid him off in full last week.
Another salute to him!
Laura Sperber must be also mentioned as she counseled me (as well as TDN) without compensation four months ago to help make things work so smoothly.
(Maybe he used the funds to buy that lovely 1834 25c in PCGS MS-64???
<< <i>Believe it or not, the story did not end three years ago!
Just this past week, TDN generously permitted me to buy his half share and was very, very reasonable about it too.
Another salute to him!
(Maybe he used the funds to buy that lovely 1834 25c in PCGS MS-64??????
Half share to what?
<< <i>Believe it or not, the story did not end three years ago!
Just this past week, TDN generously permitted me to buy his half share and was very, very reasonable about it too.
Another salute to him!
(Maybe he used the funds to buy that lovely 1834 25c in PCGS MS-64??????
I love this story, and the coin. I'm sure it will end up in a museum eventually, real numismatic history. This is a case where it's not just a coin, it means so much more.
Here's a warning parable for coin collectors...