Numismatic History - Lorin G. Parmelee (Updated with color plates from the sale catalog)
MidLifeCrisis
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A forum member PM'd me with a request for images of the color plates from the June 1890 sale catalog of the Parmelee Collection. I remembered this old thread and thought I'd update it for the benefit of the forum. 
LORIN GILBERT PARMELEE 1827-1905
Lorin Parmelee, a Vermont native, established himself in Boston in 1849 in the bean-baking business. The 1858 city directory lists him as a baker living at 7 E. Chester St. In 1860, he was at 46 Chester Park, with his bean-baking business, Parmelee & Newell (with Edison Newell), at the rear of the premises.
By the 1850s, Lorin began collecting large copper cents, which were being replaced in general circulation by small copper-nickel Flying Eagle cents (launched on May 25, 1857). And within the coming years Lorin became quite the coin collector, or numismatist. Day by day, Lorin's workers baked hundreds of pots of baked beans and delivered them to restaurants and hotels throughout the city, picking up empty pots to return. As his fortune grew, so did his coin collection.
Lorin continued to upgrade his collection and sell off his duplicates. He purchased the collections of George Seavey in 1873, J. Carson Brevoort (c.1876) and Charles Bushnell (c.1882). In 1883 his collection was valued at $60,000. He consigned coins (310 large cents) to the Strobridge sale of June 18-20, 1873. The Strobridge sale of Parmelee (Brevoort) on June 12, 1876 contained 170 of his large cents.
In early May of 1879, Ebenezer Locke Mason, Jr., long established Philadelphia dealer, visited Parmelee, noting in part:
“[Soon I reached] the King of all modern collectors, L.G. Parmelee; whose extraordinary and beautiful series of American coins made our heart ache with envy. Row after row of Uncirculated cents, dollars, etc., and colonials beyond our ability to describe, without losing our self-possession and calling all the coins diamonds of the first water. From Parmelee’s Palatial Palace, (erected on Boston’s nutritious edibles, (“B.B.” & “B.B.”) we hailed a Washington Street car [and went to Roxbury to see dealer W. Elliot Woodward].”
In the 1880s, the coin market was on fire -- a situation spawned by nationwide interest in all collectibles, a re-appreciation of American history thanks to the 1876 centennial, and, in numismatics, the sensation caused by the 1883 Liberty Head nickel erroneously made without the word "cents" on the reverse. One of his most notable pieces was the 1804 "Parmelee Dollar."
In 1890, he decided to liquidate his coins, his main collection consigned to the New York Coin & Stamp Co., operated by David U. Proskey and Harlan P. Smith. His collection was offered for sale by New York Coin and Stamp on June 25-27, 1890 and contained 145 large cents. But by this time, the market was tired. Lorin reviewed the bids at the sale and refused to let many of his scarce and rare pieces go. Although publicity suggested that just about everything sold, such was not the case, and for several years afterward he sold rarities here and there as he found buyers.
Among those who did buy at the Parmelee sale was William H. Woodin, who had his eye on many fine early $5 gold half eagles. However, unbeknown to Woodin at the time, cataloguer Harlan P. Smith also coveted many of the same coins, and Woodin was left in the dust (but did take home some nice pieces).
One interesting story related to the 1890 sale relates the following:
"As described in Carl Carlson's superb November 1978 Numismatist article entitled "Strawberry Leaves and Shiners," the ANS example of the NC-3 was the root of a physical struggle between two of the most respected dealers of their era: Ed Frossard and Lyman Low. When the Merritt-Haines-ANS specimen was presented for public sale in December 1894 as part of Frossard's 130th auction, for some reason Lyman Low called Frossard a "liar," though what he lied about is not recorded. Two later recollections of the scene have survived and both describe how Frossard and Low ended up rolling around on the floor until pulled apart by Harlan P. Smith, who lost a diamond stick pin in the fracas. A.G. Heaton noted the "two numismatic sages were soon mixed up on a dusty floor in a manner that would have made football adversaries envious of their combative qualities until, in a badly circulated condition, they were dragged apart by dismayed spectators." Charles Steigerwalt, who sold the piece...to Dr. Thomas Hall after the Parmelee sale, noted in a 1911 piece that the Parmelee specimen "described as 'good' was really 'fine' and the best known" and went on in the sale article to state that Frossard and Low "rolled around on the floor of the auction room, trying to kick each other."
The details of the last years of Lorin's life aren't known. In 1900, he was still in Boston, at 663 Massachusetts Ave. He died a few years later at the Danvers (Massachusetts) Insane Hospital of broncho-pneumonia.
1804 'PARMELEE DOLLAR'
Today there are still rare coins that are referred to as being part of Lorin's collection, such as the 1804 Parmelee Dollar. Only eight Class I specimens are known to exist. An unknown woman supposedly purchased Lorin's from the U.S. Mint for face value during the Polk administration, 1845-49. It was part of Lorin's collection from 1874-90. Byron Reed of Omaha, Neb., purchased in from the Lorin's 1890 sale. It was held in the Omaha Public Library collection from 1891 until the 1980s when it was transferred to the Western Heritage Museum of Omaha.
ANOTHER PARMELEE COIN
The coin pictured above is my 1783 Nova Constellatio Copper, Blunt Rays MS62 Brown PCGS. Crosby 3-C, R.3. A beautiful chocolate-brown piece with satin luster and problem-free surfaces. Ex: Lorin G. Parmelee Collection (New York Coin & Stamp Co., 6/1890), first of two in lot 586.
It's a coin I'm proud to own and one that provides a direct link to an interesting time in numismatic history.
Here are the plates from the Parmelee sale catalog (June 1890) -
Sources:
Numismatic Hooligans...Fact or Fiction?
Parmelee Auction Fist Fight
An Appreciation of Lorin G. Parmelee
Parmelee Biography
The Family Parmelee
LORIN GILBERT PARMELEE 1827-1905
Lorin Parmelee, a Vermont native, established himself in Boston in 1849 in the bean-baking business. The 1858 city directory lists him as a baker living at 7 E. Chester St. In 1860, he was at 46 Chester Park, with his bean-baking business, Parmelee & Newell (with Edison Newell), at the rear of the premises.
By the 1850s, Lorin began collecting large copper cents, which were being replaced in general circulation by small copper-nickel Flying Eagle cents (launched on May 25, 1857). And within the coming years Lorin became quite the coin collector, or numismatist. Day by day, Lorin's workers baked hundreds of pots of baked beans and delivered them to restaurants and hotels throughout the city, picking up empty pots to return. As his fortune grew, so did his coin collection.
Lorin continued to upgrade his collection and sell off his duplicates. He purchased the collections of George Seavey in 1873, J. Carson Brevoort (c.1876) and Charles Bushnell (c.1882). In 1883 his collection was valued at $60,000. He consigned coins (310 large cents) to the Strobridge sale of June 18-20, 1873. The Strobridge sale of Parmelee (Brevoort) on June 12, 1876 contained 170 of his large cents.
In early May of 1879, Ebenezer Locke Mason, Jr., long established Philadelphia dealer, visited Parmelee, noting in part:
“[Soon I reached] the King of all modern collectors, L.G. Parmelee; whose extraordinary and beautiful series of American coins made our heart ache with envy. Row after row of Uncirculated cents, dollars, etc., and colonials beyond our ability to describe, without losing our self-possession and calling all the coins diamonds of the first water. From Parmelee’s Palatial Palace, (erected on Boston’s nutritious edibles, (“B.B.” & “B.B.”) we hailed a Washington Street car [and went to Roxbury to see dealer W. Elliot Woodward].”
In the 1880s, the coin market was on fire -- a situation spawned by nationwide interest in all collectibles, a re-appreciation of American history thanks to the 1876 centennial, and, in numismatics, the sensation caused by the 1883 Liberty Head nickel erroneously made without the word "cents" on the reverse. One of his most notable pieces was the 1804 "Parmelee Dollar."
In 1890, he decided to liquidate his coins, his main collection consigned to the New York Coin & Stamp Co., operated by David U. Proskey and Harlan P. Smith. His collection was offered for sale by New York Coin and Stamp on June 25-27, 1890 and contained 145 large cents. But by this time, the market was tired. Lorin reviewed the bids at the sale and refused to let many of his scarce and rare pieces go. Although publicity suggested that just about everything sold, such was not the case, and for several years afterward he sold rarities here and there as he found buyers.
Among those who did buy at the Parmelee sale was William H. Woodin, who had his eye on many fine early $5 gold half eagles. However, unbeknown to Woodin at the time, cataloguer Harlan P. Smith also coveted many of the same coins, and Woodin was left in the dust (but did take home some nice pieces).
One interesting story related to the 1890 sale relates the following:
"As described in Carl Carlson's superb November 1978 Numismatist article entitled "Strawberry Leaves and Shiners," the ANS example of the NC-3 was the root of a physical struggle between two of the most respected dealers of their era: Ed Frossard and Lyman Low. When the Merritt-Haines-ANS specimen was presented for public sale in December 1894 as part of Frossard's 130th auction, for some reason Lyman Low called Frossard a "liar," though what he lied about is not recorded. Two later recollections of the scene have survived and both describe how Frossard and Low ended up rolling around on the floor until pulled apart by Harlan P. Smith, who lost a diamond stick pin in the fracas. A.G. Heaton noted the "two numismatic sages were soon mixed up on a dusty floor in a manner that would have made football adversaries envious of their combative qualities until, in a badly circulated condition, they were dragged apart by dismayed spectators." Charles Steigerwalt, who sold the piece...to Dr. Thomas Hall after the Parmelee sale, noted in a 1911 piece that the Parmelee specimen "described as 'good' was really 'fine' and the best known" and went on in the sale article to state that Frossard and Low "rolled around on the floor of the auction room, trying to kick each other."
The details of the last years of Lorin's life aren't known. In 1900, he was still in Boston, at 663 Massachusetts Ave. He died a few years later at the Danvers (Massachusetts) Insane Hospital of broncho-pneumonia.
1804 'PARMELEE DOLLAR'
Today there are still rare coins that are referred to as being part of Lorin's collection, such as the 1804 Parmelee Dollar. Only eight Class I specimens are known to exist. An unknown woman supposedly purchased Lorin's from the U.S. Mint for face value during the Polk administration, 1845-49. It was part of Lorin's collection from 1874-90. Byron Reed of Omaha, Neb., purchased in from the Lorin's 1890 sale. It was held in the Omaha Public Library collection from 1891 until the 1980s when it was transferred to the Western Heritage Museum of Omaha.
ANOTHER PARMELEE COIN
The coin pictured above is my 1783 Nova Constellatio Copper, Blunt Rays MS62 Brown PCGS. Crosby 3-C, R.3. A beautiful chocolate-brown piece with satin luster and problem-free surfaces. Ex: Lorin G. Parmelee Collection (New York Coin & Stamp Co., 6/1890), first of two in lot 586.
It's a coin I'm proud to own and one that provides a direct link to an interesting time in numismatic history.
Here are the plates from the Parmelee sale catalog (June 1890) -
Sources:
Numismatic Hooligans...Fact or Fiction?
Parmelee Auction Fist Fight
An Appreciation of Lorin G. Parmelee
Parmelee Biography
The Family Parmelee
0
Comments
<< <i>I knew the Parmelee sale took place in 1890. I had no idea the collector was still alive at the time though. >>
Same here and I've never seen a photo of Lorin before... Great post MidLifeCrisis!
By the way the Parmelee 1804 Class I specimen sold for $570.00.
<< <i>BTW did you buy the nova unattributed on holder as to pedigree? >>
The pedigree is not marked on the holder, but I knew about the pedigree when I bought it. The full pedigree is actually:
Ex: Lorin G. Parmelee Collection (New York Coin & Stamp Co., 6/1890), first of two in lot 586; Hillyer Ryder, F.C.C. Boyd; John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part V (Stack's, 10/04), lot 37; San Francisco ANA Signature (Heritage, 7/2005), lot 5050.
One of these days I'll get the coin reholdered to mark the Parmelee-Ryder-Ford pedigree.
"Seu cabra da peste,
"Sou Mangueira......."
<< <i>Jess Lipka >>
Now there's a name I haven't heard in ages!
<< <i>In the not too distant past, at a Heritage Auction, there was another fist-fight over a lot between Martin Paul and Jess Lipka. I only heard about it from someone who works for Stacks and saw it take place. >>
Hmmm...the more things change, the more they stay the same.
<< <i>I meant by my qiestion if the seller knew?
Yeah, the seller knew. I didn't "make" the coin.
...though it has made me imagine possible numismatic fights and who would win...
For example, imagine what would happen if Julian made some offensive crack about one of Dave Bowers' favorite calliopes, and a brawl ensued. Who would win? Although Julian is a big guy, I think Dave is faster, and I think he would fight dirty, sort of like a cornered wolverine, if the honor of one of his "big girls" was on the line. In fact, I think any one of us would be nursing our sore nads if we ever spouted off about one of Dave's harem of singing ladies.
(I have more in mind, but I'll stop.)
<< <i>Great post!
...though it has made me imagine possible numismatic fights and who would win...
For example, imagine what would happen if Julian made some offensive crack about one of Dave Bowers' favorite calliopes, and a brawl ensued. Who would win? Although Julian is a big guy, I think Dave is faster, and I think he would fight dirty, sort of like a cornered wolverine, if the honor of one of his "big girls" was on the line. In fact, I think any one of us would be nursing our sore nads if we ever spouted off about one of Dave's calliopes.
(I have more in mind, but I'll stop.)
Thanks for those mental images...
It's a great service to the community , in my opinion.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
<< <i>Excellent for numismatics. Thanks Mark. LeeG does this, too.
It's a great service to the community , in my opinion. >>
Thanks! Yes, I thought of this thread as carrying on the great tradition of historically focused threads started by Lee.
i will have to check and see if Eduard Frossard gave the incident with Low any treatment in Numisma, i cant imagine him not taking the opportunity to write something
www.brunkauctions.com
<< <i>very nice info MLC!
i will have to check and see if Eduard Frossard gave the incident with Low any treatment in Numisma, i cant imagine him not taking the opportunity to write something >>
Thanks Greg.
Yes, it would be very interesting to see if Frossard wrote something about it.
Now for a minor note, how does one engage in a "rolling on the floor" fight and kick each other with any kind of success? I can't see it!
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
Frossard, in his Numisma, wrote in the June 1890 issue, "The L.G. Parmelee Collection - This superb and complete collection of American coins will be offered by Mr. H. P. Smith (not New York Coin & Stamp) at messrs. Bangs & Co., New York, on the 25-27th inst. Catalogues of the ordinary and illustrated editions furnished by me, and orders for priced catalogues filled. Collectors will please note that I shall attend this sale in person and that all orders entrusted to me will receive my careful and undivided personal attention".
This was inserted at the end of that issue, as it was an upcoming sale (June 25, 1890). Unfortunately, this was the second to the last issue of Numisma, with the final one coming nearly a year and a half later with a December 1891 date. There was nothing about the Parmelee sale in that later issue.
Part of the seldom known background regarding the Parmelee sale is that many of the coins were bought in and retruned to Parmelee, who sold them piece-meal in later years.
None of his family members were interested in numismatics.
Something that is not common knowledge was that a box of unsold coins were placed in a bank vault after Parmelee's death. There was a fire at the bank and several coins were recovered afterwards. These came into the market in the early 1950's through New Netherlands Coin Co.
Charles Wormser, owner of New Netherlands, bought these black, encrusted coins at an extremely cheap amount and gave them to John Ford to take to a show and try to sell them. Nobody wanted anything - he couldn't give them away, until somebody told him to use Pepsodent toothpaste on them to remove the crud. It worked - and Ford was happy to be getting a few dollars for each item. One fellow came up to him later and said, "these are great, but why do they smell like peppermint?" (see summer 1990, Legacy, Ford II interview).
you are quick on the draw!
www.brunkauctions.com
It's really cool to own a coin from Parmelee's collection and be able to trace it to the catalog. I'm such a coin geek!
Thanks firstmint!
does your copy of the Parmelee auction catalogue contain the name of the previous owner who attended the auction?
It would be interesting to know who attended that auction.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
<< <i>MidLifeCrisis,
does your copy of the Parmelee auction catalogue contain the name of the previous owner who attended the auction?
It would be interesting to know who attended that auction. >>
No, there's no name of the previous owner. But it does have the prices realized for each lot printed in the margins.
But my copy is just that - a copy. It's a 1975 reprint of the original catalog...copy number 79 of 250 reprints made. I would not want to pay the significant amount of money it would take to buy an original Parmelee catalog. Because, if I did, I couldn't use it. I'd have to protect it.
I will use my copy.
(I'm sure Lorin Parmalee celebrated the 4th of July, so why not?).
Coin Rarities Online
<< <i>Yes it is cool to trace a coin back to 1890. Any pics of it, in fact any pics of bust dimes and bust half dimes? >>
Thanks for the bump Dave.
The Parmelee catalog has 13 pages of plates that depict some of the coins in the sale. There were 1,443 lots sold over three days in June, 1890. Many of the lots - including the lot in which my Nova was sold - contained more than one coin. Of these, some 660 lots contained colonial issues, patterns, miscellaneous experimental coins, state and privately minted issues.
Each of the 13 plates contains a variety of coins. Some plates show bust dimes and bust half dimes. Plate 7 shows several.
Here's mine possible connection to the 1804 Dollar (check it out - and what do u think??)
My "medal" thread
Regards, Rok
LA KINGS #11 - KOPITAR
<< <i>WOW MidLifeCrisis - great story and great coins - thanks 4 sharing!!
Here's mine possible connection to the 1804 Dollar (check it out - and what do u think??)
My "medal" thread
Regards, Rok >>
Thanks!
That Adolph Weyl medal is a pretty cool link to numismatic history.
I wonder what the classic coin collectors of the 1850s thought of L.G. Parmelee collecting all that dreck!
<< <i>I wonder what the classic coin collectors of the 1850s thought of L.G. Parmelee collecting all that dreck!
I don't know...but his dreck did include one of these -
(images from the old CoinFacts website)
I give away money. I collect money.
I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.
Ed. S.
(EJS)
The vt. baby head appears to be in the poorest condition of any coin on the plates, including the two Bermuda Hogge money pieces.
What a grand time to be rich and collecting coins...
(didnt realize this is thread archeology)
Thanks for bringing this back to the top. Great post and fantastic pics of the plates. I have this catalog with the plates and it is one of my favorite catalogs to pull off the shelf and just browse through all the great rarities on the pages.
<< <i>What are the descriptions for lots 14 and 349 (can't quite decipher the plate for that one)? >>
Lot 14 is a pattern: (1795) Dollar; Impression from centre of obv. and rev. dies of the draped bust type; no legends visible; only tips of date; very fine; copper; size 17; unique.
Lot 349: New England; Stiver; two lions or skins...believed to be unique; copper; very good (Crosby, p. 347, pl. VIII, No. 13); We think this token is of native manufacture and not Dutch, as Mr. Crosby suggests; as the workmanship, letters, &c. are in no way like the Dutch work, but strongly resemble the crude engraving of the Pine-tree money makers.
A thread like this makes me wonder: is it possible to be a coin collector (i mean a real coin collector) and be entirely uninterested in history?
"Look up, old boy, and see what you get." -William Bonney.
Looking at those plates is really amazing, not just the rarity but also the condition.
Thanks for bringing it back to our attention.
If one is available let me know and I see if they will buy it.
When Larry Lee was working there back in the 1990s, he checked with me several times on pedigrees that Reed bought from the Parmelee sale.
If not, I do have one of the B&B reprints in stock.
Very informative post. Thanks Mark.
<< <i>
<< <i>What are the descriptions for lots 14 and 349 (can't quite decipher the plate for that one)? >>
Lot 14 is a pattern: (1795) Dollar; Impression from centre of obv. and rev. dies of the draped bust type; no legends visible; only tips of date; very fine; copper; size 17; unique.
Lot 349: New England; Stiver; two lions or skins...believed to be unique; copper; very good (Crosby, p. 347, pl. VIII, No. 13); We think this token is of native manufacture and not Dutch, as Mr. Crosby suggests; as the workmanship, letters, &c. are in no way like the Dutch work, but strongly resemble the crude engraving of the Pine-tree money makers. >>
Ok, thanks. I think I've heard of lot 14. It actually now considered an error, struck on a large cent blank, IIRC. Lot 349 still doesn't sound familiar, but I don't know much about Dutch copper coinage, and the 18th century SCWC is the one I'm missing.
Ed. S.
(EJS)