When it comes to The Higley Copper's ......do Bolen copies command respect?

coinsarefun · October 21, 2011 7:24AM

I always wondered about this

Since they are so very expensive and, well.....kind of crude only because most Colonials can be afforded in lower grades and
higher grades start to become prohibitive or just not available.

So tell me.......how do the Colonial Collectors look upon the Bolen copies of the Higley Coppers and for that matter any of the Bolen's?

Are they frowned upon? tolerated or well accepted?

RYK · October 21, 2011 7:30AM

I am not an expert, but I have a high opinion of the Bolen copies, especially the silver ones. The craftsmanship and appearance are exceptional. I believe that they are expensive, as copies go, but are excellent substitutes for the real thing for colonial collectors that do not have an extra $75k around to buy something that resembles a turd on first glance.

shorecoll · October 21, 2011 7:40AM

I believe they are generally highly respected, even in EAC circles.

MidLifeCrisis · October 21, 2011 11:24AM

<< <i>I am not an expert, but I have a high opinion of the Bolen copies, especially the silver ones. The craftsmanship and appearance are exceptional. I believe that they are expensive, as copies go, but are excellent substitutes for the real thing for colonial collectors that do not have an extra $75k around to buy something that resembles a turd on first glance. >>

I like the Bolen copies...but I'd rather have the real turd.

johnny9434 · October 22, 2011 3:32AM

id rather have the real deal as well. jmo

Aegis3 · October 22, 2011 11:14AM

I'd rather have both. Oh course, I feel safe in saying I'll be able to eventually get a Bolen copper Higley (not for a while), and a real Higley will probably remain a dream.

NumbersUsacom · October 22, 2011 11:41AM

I like the Bolen Copies also, and paid decent money for one a couple of years ago in A Stack's Auction.

1TwoBits · October 22, 2011 12:27PM

I'm not an expert on the Bolen restrikes, but I'd say that all of the Bolen copies command some respect - regardless of the metal in which they were struck. Some were struck over other coins, rather than blank planchets. I have several restrikes in silver, and there seem to only be 2 or three in silver (I think, don't know) when that metal was used. There is a book on the Bolen restrikes, but I don't have it.

I like the Higly restrike you are referring to and was thinking about that one

It reminds me of the CRO Holiday card from a few years back

I think it's going to go for more than it's currently listed for. The obverse is off center, but I like it. I'd prefer one more than paying for an authentic one. It's nice seeing some of those designs struck in different metals and preserved in high grades.

1TwoBits

NewEnglandRarities · October 23, 2011 10:28AM

Bolen pieces do have a large collector base and following in the colonial coin specialist realm. In a lot of cases though, especially with silver examples, they are so rare (in the case of the Higley much rarer than a real example) that the opportunity does not come up often for them to buy an example. Most collectors that I know have tried to obtain the real item first before going the restrike route, but once realizing that the day may never come (either because of rarity or $$) a Bolen piece is a great alternative. I have sold many Bolen restrikes over the years in various metals to serious colonial collectors, who still have them filling the hole for the real one today.

However, Bolen prices have gone up drastically since the Ford Sale Part XIV which contained a very large grouping of Bolen pieces in various metals. Since that time, some of the colonial collectors have indeed stayed away from them as the cost associated with owning one can be difficult when collecting many series by die variety.

When it comes to The Higley Copper's ......do Bolen copies command respect?

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