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Augustus Humbert collection
EagleEye
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Augustus Humbert's collection of Private California gold is the most fabulous collection of the gold rush period. It was mostly sold to Andrew Zebriskie (except for duplicates of the $50 Kellogg!) which was auctioned by Henry Chapman in 1909. Here are the lots that contained coins predigreed to Humbert.
Lot 336
1854 Kellogg $20. Prooflike Unc.
Head of Liberty facing 1., Kellogg & Co. in medium sized letters nearer top than bottom of the diadem, 13 stars and date. R. Heraldic eagle bearing
U. S. shield on his breast, and three arrows in left talon; a scroll on his either side, above a halo extending from
wing to wing, while it is charged with 13 stars forming an oval, around border San Francisco California Twenty
D. Edge, milled. Uncirculated, brilliant, practically a proof. Humbert's own piece, and unique in this pre-
servation, as also a variety not previously known; the letters and workmanship are smaller, neater and appear
to be the workmanship of one more highly skilled than he who produced the following $20's. See plate.
Lot 341
1855 $50 Kellogg. Proof.
Head of Liberty 1., with Kellogg & Co. on diadem; on trunction of neck F. Gruner the die sinker, who was also a jeweler in
San Francisco; around border, 13 stars and beneath head 1855. K. Defiant eagle facing left, head turned to right, his left talon supports
a U. S. shield and three arrows, while the right talon holds prostrate on the ground the olive branch of Peace,
a plain ribbon starts from the left side of shield, extends through eagle's beak and terminates in right field, above
on a double scroll 1909 grs. 887 Thous. around border Round. Brilliant proof; a slight stria? in the gold still
shows, as if an attempt to polish the planchet before striking with a gritty cloth. Sharp, beautiful spec-
imen. The finest known, as Capt. Zabriskie had his choice of the six which Mr. Humbert had preserved. So
far as I am aware, it is possible about 10 are known, in fact, this is the number it is said was coined.
A magnificent coin, and of extreme rarity. See plate.
Zabriskie had the choice of six examples!
Lot 345
(1849) $16. Moffat & Co. San Francisco. Very Fine.
Ingot of gold, counterstamped with two oblong tablets, the upper inscribed Moffat & Co. the lower
$16.00 while between these two tablets, on a space equally wide as the inclosed tablets, are the figures
and letters 20% carat struck in. Reverse blank. Edges plain, that on left end shows mold mark where the
planchet was cast in a mold. Very fine. Extremely rare, probably 10 known. From Humbert Collection. See
plate.
Lot 352
1851 Reeded Edge $50 887 Humbert. Proof.
Defiant eagle to left, head to right, supports a U. S. shield and three arrows in right talon, a scroll
inscribed liberty passes through beak; around United States of America Fifty Dolls above on label 887 THOUS.
the whole enclosed in a beaded circle outside of which AUGUSTUS HUMBERT UNITED STATES ASSAYER OF GOLD CAL-
IFORNIA 1851 which follows the sections of the border made by the octagon shape. R. Engine turned. Border of
obverse, beaded. Edge, milled. Octagon. Brilliant proof. Humbert's own specimen. Probably unique,
in this glorious state of preservation. See plate.
Lot 356
1852 over 1851 884 $20 Humbert. Proof.
Defiant eagle to left, head raised to right; a U. S. shield and three arrows in right talon;
a ribhand inscribed liberty passes from the base of right wing to right of left wing, passing through eagle's beak ;
above scroll inscribed 884 Thous. around United States of America, Twenty Dols. Rev. Engine turned, with an
oblong tablet in center, but that does not extend to edge of the engine turning, which is not confined but
terminates in the wavy line of which it is composed; outside of the engine turning is a wide plain space.
The tablet encloses Augustus Humbert United States Assayer of Gold, California 1852. The 2 cut over 1, thus
opening the query, does one exist dated 1851, which is the way the die was first made, but no example is known,
I believe. Border of obverse, beaded. Edge, milled. Brilliant proof. Unique, in this condition. Humbert's
own specimen. See plate.
358 1852 884 $10 Humbert. Uncirculated.
Same design as last, of course, Ten Dols. 884 Thous on label. Brilliant, uncirculated.
Humbert's own specimen, and I believe the finest known.
See plate.
No Image of the $10 J.S.O.
Lot 367
$10. J. S. ORMSBY. Very Good.
J. S. O. across center, above United States of America below Cal. 10 dolls around border 31 stars. Border
and edge, plain. Very good. Of excessive rarity, as I believe but three are known — that formerly in the
Cartwright sale in 1906, at London, where it was bought for the late De Witt S. Smith for $1,310— and whose
collection Mr. Virgil M. Brand now owns. The Mint and present example from Humbert Coll. See plate.
Lot 336
1854 Kellogg $20. Prooflike Unc.
Head of Liberty facing 1., Kellogg & Co. in medium sized letters nearer top than bottom of the diadem, 13 stars and date. R. Heraldic eagle bearing
U. S. shield on his breast, and three arrows in left talon; a scroll on his either side, above a halo extending from
wing to wing, while it is charged with 13 stars forming an oval, around border San Francisco California Twenty
D. Edge, milled. Uncirculated, brilliant, practically a proof. Humbert's own piece, and unique in this pre-
servation, as also a variety not previously known; the letters and workmanship are smaller, neater and appear
to be the workmanship of one more highly skilled than he who produced the following $20's. See plate.
Lot 341
1855 $50 Kellogg. Proof.
Head of Liberty 1., with Kellogg & Co. on diadem; on trunction of neck F. Gruner the die sinker, who was also a jeweler in
San Francisco; around border, 13 stars and beneath head 1855. K. Defiant eagle facing left, head turned to right, his left talon supports
a U. S. shield and three arrows, while the right talon holds prostrate on the ground the olive branch of Peace,
a plain ribbon starts from the left side of shield, extends through eagle's beak and terminates in right field, above
on a double scroll 1909 grs. 887 Thous. around border Round. Brilliant proof; a slight stria? in the gold still
shows, as if an attempt to polish the planchet before striking with a gritty cloth. Sharp, beautiful spec-
imen. The finest known, as Capt. Zabriskie had his choice of the six which Mr. Humbert had preserved. So
far as I am aware, it is possible about 10 are known, in fact, this is the number it is said was coined.
A magnificent coin, and of extreme rarity. See plate.
Zabriskie had the choice of six examples!
Lot 345
(1849) $16. Moffat & Co. San Francisco. Very Fine.
Ingot of gold, counterstamped with two oblong tablets, the upper inscribed Moffat & Co. the lower
$16.00 while between these two tablets, on a space equally wide as the inclosed tablets, are the figures
and letters 20% carat struck in. Reverse blank. Edges plain, that on left end shows mold mark where the
planchet was cast in a mold. Very fine. Extremely rare, probably 10 known. From Humbert Collection. See
plate.
Lot 352
1851 Reeded Edge $50 887 Humbert. Proof.
Defiant eagle to left, head to right, supports a U. S. shield and three arrows in right talon, a scroll
inscribed liberty passes through beak; around United States of America Fifty Dolls above on label 887 THOUS.
the whole enclosed in a beaded circle outside of which AUGUSTUS HUMBERT UNITED STATES ASSAYER OF GOLD CAL-
IFORNIA 1851 which follows the sections of the border made by the octagon shape. R. Engine turned. Border of
obverse, beaded. Edge, milled. Octagon. Brilliant proof. Humbert's own specimen. Probably unique,
in this glorious state of preservation. See plate.
Lot 356
1852 over 1851 884 $20 Humbert. Proof.
Defiant eagle to left, head raised to right; a U. S. shield and three arrows in right talon;
a ribhand inscribed liberty passes from the base of right wing to right of left wing, passing through eagle's beak ;
above scroll inscribed 884 Thous. around United States of America, Twenty Dols. Rev. Engine turned, with an
oblong tablet in center, but that does not extend to edge of the engine turning, which is not confined but
terminates in the wavy line of which it is composed; outside of the engine turning is a wide plain space.
The tablet encloses Augustus Humbert United States Assayer of Gold, California 1852. The 2 cut over 1, thus
opening the query, does one exist dated 1851, which is the way the die was first made, but no example is known,
I believe. Border of obverse, beaded. Edge, milled. Brilliant proof. Unique, in this condition. Humbert's
own specimen. See plate.
358 1852 884 $10 Humbert. Uncirculated.
Same design as last, of course, Ten Dols. 884 Thous on label. Brilliant, uncirculated.
Humbert's own specimen, and I believe the finest known.
See plate.
No Image of the $10 J.S.O.
Lot 367
$10. J. S. ORMSBY. Very Good.
J. S. O. across center, above United States of America below Cal. 10 dolls around border 31 stars. Border
and edge, plain. Very good. Of excessive rarity, as I believe but three are known — that formerly in the
Cartwright sale in 1906, at London, where it was bought for the late De Witt S. Smith for $1,310— and whose
collection Mr. Virgil M. Brand now owns. The Mint and present example from Humbert Coll. See plate.
Rick Snow, Eagle Eye Rare Coins, Inc.Check out my new web site:
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Comments
The description is here but ever since StacksBowersSpectrum moved, the images for the legacy.stacks.com site have been offline.
CG
AB
1852 Moffat & Co. $10 gold. K-9. Rarity-6. Wide Date. SP-67 (PCGS). Over the years, we have been fortunate enough to handle
coins of majestic beauty, coins with superb and historic provenances, and coins whose very existence is surprising. Indeed, coins
such as those are our stock in trade, and we often count ourselves lucky to simply handle them. Amidst such an environment, only
a coin that is truly special can render us grasping for words, for superlatives, for terminology to indicate how beautiful, how historic,
and how surprising that specimen is.
In this sale full of magnificent numismatic rarities, the present piece stands out as so special that the best way to communicate
how incredible it is would be to simply drop it in a numismatist's hand and stand back. When viewed, it tells a better story than
any we could attempt to wrap words around. The coins of Moffat and Co. struck between 1849 and 1852 were renowned at the
time for their high quality and strict adherence to an acceptable weight and fineness, but no one at that time or now would have
sung the praises of their aesthetic quality. Their consistency earned them the government contract as the U.S. Assay Office of Gold
in early 1852.
The renderings of the design were competent but not beautiful, and today most coins bearing the imprint of Moffat
and Co. show circulation and the usual imperfections associated with commercial use. The conventional wisdom states that no
numismatist would have saved these pieces at the time, and any high-grade specimens would have survived only through a
series of chance occurrences to the present day. In the case of this spectacular coin, the conventional wisdom would be wrong.
A single numismatist saved specimens of territorial gold issues, and he even went so far as to have special Proof examples produced
for his collection, unique examples that represented the very finest product a frontier minter could manufacture. The numismatist in
question was a frontier minter himself; his name was Augustus Humbert, and this coin was his. Most of Humbert's collection eventually
found its way to the Garrett Collection, after Captain Andrew Zabriskie's en block purchase following Humbert's death.
Humbert's specially made Proof or specimen strikes were a sensation at the time of the 1980 Garrett auction, each being unique or
nearly so and in a remarkable state of preservation. Included in the sale were Humbert's personal Proof 1852/1 U.S. Assay Office of
Gold $20 (graded Proof-65 by PCGS, it sold for $374,000 in 1992), Humbert's personal 1851 Proof $50 slug (graded Proof-64 by
PCGS, it sold for $500,000 in 1980), Humbert's personal Proof 1854 Kellogg $20 (graded SP-69 by PCGS, it sold for $230,000 in 1980),
and Humbert's personal Proof 1855 Kellogg $50, all 12 of which were struck as Proofs, almost certainly at Humbert's behest.
The present coin, however, descended through a more circuitous route, leaving the Humbert family when his brother Pierre died in 1901.
It first appeared in a 1902 Chapman brothers' auction as part of "the Collection of the Late Augustus Humbert, One of the Pioneer
California Coiners, a collection that apparently was held back by Pierre Humbert rather than being sold to Zabriskie. That collection
included but two Proofs, another 1855 Kellogg $50 (a further indication that the Proof-collector Humbert caused them to be struck,
as we know he owned no less than 1/6th of the original mintage), and the present coin. Henry Chapman called this piece a "superb
brilliant proof. We have never seen its equal." To Mrrs. Henry and Samuel Hudson Chapman, all we can say is: nor have we.
This specially made coin glows with bright light yellow gold lustre, highly reflective in the fields yet retaining remarkable radiating cartwheel
lustre. The fields are smooth and frosty, and though they do not precisely resemble the fields on a U.S. Mint-struck Proof coin of this era,
they are dramatically, radically different from any other Moffat in existence. The detail is bold from the sharp denticles and raised rim to the
boldly delineated central designs. The coin has obviously received white-glove treatment since its striking, and very few flaws are
present—a few hairlines that are visible only under magnification, a short thin scratch towards the chin inside star 2, and little else.
Short lint marks outside stars 11 and 13 make the intent of the minter clear. A fragile die crack runs from 9:00 on the reverse rim through
G of GRS, and another runs from 3:00 at the rim through G of GOLD to the ribbon below. The aesthetic appeal is, obviously, dramatic and
impressive.
Aside from the two 1853 Assay Office $20 Proofs that were coined at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia before the dies were shipped west—the
Smithsonian piece and another coin pedigreed to before 1873 that once graced the collections of Newcomer, Green, Farouk, and Bass—it
appears that every Proof or specimen California gold coin in existence can trace its lineage to Augustus Humbert. Although he may not
have personally owned every 1855 Kellogg $50 struck, they were produced while he was associated with the firm and he is known to have
owned at least two of them.
A number of 1853-dated U.S. Assay Office pieces called Proofs show a different collar and reed count from the SI and Bass specimens;
they emerged in the 1950s and remain shrouded in controversy. A complete census of Proof or specimen territorial gold coins in private
hands would include the known 1855 Kellogg $50s (combined NGC/PCGS population is 12 of the 11 or 12 struck), the four pieces from
Humbert's collection in the Garrett sale noted above, this coin, and a Clark Gruber Mountain $20 that was only very recently certified by
NGC as Specimen-64. Sold as MS-64 (NGC) in January 2006, the piece brought $690,000. The Kellogg $50s, hardly unique since the
entire mintage of the design type was produced as Proofs, turn up regularly; a nice example brought over $300,000 in a Stack's sale in
2003.
The Humbert-Zabriskie-Garrett coins all brought strong six-figure prices more than 25 years ago. The present coin has not changed
hands at auction since 1982, at which time it had been off the market nearly 20 years. This piece is unique in so many ways: the only
specimen Moffat coin of any date or denomination, the only Proof or specimen coin traceable to Augustus Humbert's personal collection
that was not in the Garrett sale, the only territorial $10 in specimen or Proof finish, the only Proof made specially for Humbert that his
brother Pierre chose to retain until his death. It is so amazing (which is not a word we often use to describe coins, as it takes a lot to
amaze us) that having it in hand renders an experienced numismatist speechless and an amateur collector befuddled—it simply looks
like no other territorial gold coin on earth. Researching it has been a joy, but owning it would be sweeter yet. When Abner Kriesberg
described this coin in 1964, he noted that "the quality conscious collector who wants the finest now has a once in a lifetime opportunity.
A record price is anticipated." We echo his sentiments as strongly as we do those of the Chapman Brothers that were noted above.
This is one of the most magnificent coins ANR has ever been privileged to handle.
PCGS Population: 1; none finer. Holder incorrectly states Close Date. This is the only specimen Moffat certified and one of only two
territorials ever accorded "specimen" status, the other being Humbert's personal specimen of the 1854 Kellogg $20, recently offered
for over $1,000,000. As additional historical background, when this coin was struck by Moffat and Co. in January 1852, it also held the
government contract to strike the coins of the U.S. Assay Office. The $10 and $20 coins of the USAOG dated 1852 were struck by the
company in February of that year. Augustus Humbert, of course, was intimately involved and was under contract as the U.S. assayer
at the time. Indeed, Humbert's role in the Moffat firm was such that he could have stuck this piece for himself personally, likely within
weeks of the striking of the Proof 1852/1 $20 from the Zabriskie and Garrett collections. Moffat and Co. was officially dissolved—and
became the U.S. Assay Office of Gold—on Valentine's Day, 1852.
From the Franklinton Collection. From the personal collection of Augustus Humbert until his death in Paris in 1873; Pierre Humbert, his
brother, by descent until his death in 1901; S.H. and Henry Chapman's sale of the "Collections of United States Coins of William R.
Weeks, Esq. and the late Augustus Humbert," May 1902, Lot 707; Virgil Brand Collection; Numismatic Gallery's sale of the "Memorable"
(i.e. Shapiro) Collection, March 1948, Lot 970 (apparently consigned and bought back, though the main consignor was
J.F. Shapiro a.k.a J.F. Bell); Virgil Brand Collection; Abner Kreisberg and Hans Schulman's sale of the Virgil Brand and Gustav Lichtenfels
Collections, March 1964, Lot 2204; RARCOA's session of Auction '82, August 1982, Lot 981; Bowers and Merena's sale of the Great
Lakes Collection, November 1998, Lot 4049.
Thanks to CalGold for finding the images. As pretty as they are, they still don't do this coin justice.
Badly kept secret: this coin was once the property of the state of Ohio.
The following roster was compiled by staff cataloger and researcher, Mark Borckardt, for the # 1 specimen listed
below and sold in January of this year. The roster was derived from a variety of sources and expanded the listing
in Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins, and he updated the list by consultation with
Dr. Donald H. Kagin, a specialist in private gold coinage.
It is believed that just 12 or 13 examples of this famous rarity are known. The numbers assigned to each specimen
rank them according to grade, with the associated number from Walter Breen's roster included. At one time or another,
most of the known examples have been described as the finest known.
1. PR64 PCGS. Breen #11. British private collection; Stack's (5/1984), lot 784; Robert Hughes; Bowers and Merena (8/1995),
lot 498; 2007 FUN Auction (Heritage, 1/2007), lot 3893. In their 1984 catalog, Stack's noted: "From information conveyed
to us, this coin has recently come from England along with a few less important Territorial and Federal gold coins."
2. PR64 PCGS. Breen #1. Augustus Humbert; Capt. Andrew C. Zabriskie; Col. James W. Ellsworth; John Work Garrett;
Johns Hopkins University (Bowers and Ruddy, 3/1980), lot 910; Kagin's; Paul Padget; Donald Kagin and Stuart Levine;
private collection. In the Garrett catalog, it was noted: "It is believed to be the finest known example of its kind." However,
that catalog was written several years before the present example became known to the numismatic community.
Note: Walter Breen recorded the Garrett piece as later appearing in Auction '85. However, the coin in that auction was
the unique 1854 Kellogg $20 proof from the Garrett Collection.
3. PR63 PCGS. The specimen offered here. Not in Breen. Smith & Son (3/1941); Frank Heim (6/2000); Don Kagin;
Q. David Bowers; Don Kagin; Superior (1/2005), lot 953; Western collector; Pacific Rim Collection.
4. Choice Proof. Not in Breen. Superior (5/1987), lot 3140. This piece appears to be a new example that does not
match any of the others, and was not listed in the Breen Census.
5. PR62 PCGS. Breen #3. George W. Rice; DeWitt Smith; Virgil M. Brand; William F. Dunham (B. Max Mehl, 6/1941),
lot 2369; W.D. Waltman Collection (B. Max Mehl, 6/1945), lot 37; Amon Carter Collection (Stack's, 1/1984), lot 1149;
Harlan White; Heritage (8/1997), lot 7898; Donald Kagin; Craig Smith; Bowers and Merena (6/2000), lot 1053;
Bowers and Merena (1/2002), lot 857; Midwest collection.
6. PR62 NGC. Breen #7. N.M. Kaufman Collection (RARCOA, 8/1978), lot 66; Auction '80 (Paramount, 8/1980), lot 982;
Auction '84 (RARCOA, 7/1984), lot 2000; Heritage (8/1992), lot 2583; RARCOA; Donald Kagin; private collection.
7. PR62. Breen #9. John Story Jenks; Reuting Collection; Arthur C. Nygren (B. Max Mehl, 11/1914), lot 82;
George Alfred Lawrence (Thomas Elder, 6/1929), lot 1365; John H. Clapp; Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr.;
Eliasberg Estate (Bowers and Merena, 5/1996), lot 366; East Coast collection.
8. PR62. Breen #4. Fred Huddart; George H. Earle; Judge C.W. Slack (B. Max Mehl, 5/1925), lot 29; Col. E.H.R. Green;
Josiah Lilly Collection; Smithsonian Institution. Walter Breen recorded this specimen as once the property of Amon Carter, Sr. and Jr.,
although such a listing is doubtful. Additional intermediaries handled this coin on a consignment basis. Both Smithsonian pieces
have recently been examined and graded by Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth.
9. PR62. Breen #5. H.O. Granberg; William H. Woodin; Waldo C. Newcomer; Willis duPont; Smithsonian Institution. This piece
was stolen from duPont in October 1967 and recovered in July or August 1978, as reported in Coin World, August 9, 1978.
Illustrated at http://americanhistory.si.edu.
10. PR58 PCGS. Breen #2. Kellogg family; "J.F. Bell;" Memorable Collection (Numismatic Gallery, 3/1948), lot 967; Don Keefer;
F.K. Saab; Gibson Sale (Stack's, 11/1974), lot 189; Stack's (Auction '79), lot 996; Stack's (10/1983), lot 239; Stack's (10/2003), lot 2292.
In the earlier sales, Stack's described this piece as a "Brilliant Proof," upgrading the description to "Gem Brilliant Proof" in their 2003 catalog, although it was later certified as PR58.
11. PR53 PCGS. Breen #10. J.W. Schmandt (Stack's, 1954); Dan Brown; John H. Murrell; Henry H. Clifford; Kagin's (1983 ANA Sale),
lot 3630; Superior (Auction '88), lot 491; Superior (Auction '90), lot 1406; Superior (8/1992); private collection.
12. Impaired Proof. Breen #6. John A. Beck, part I (Quality Sales, 1/1975), lot 729; Dr. Ketterman; Arnold and Romisa Collections
(Bowers and Merena, 9/1984), lot 330; Bowers and Merena (6/1985), lot 24; Christies (3/1994), lot 375; Stack's (3/2005), lot 1320;
Donald Kagin; private collection. Described as a "Brilliant Proof with some hairlines and minor friction."
13. XF Details NCS. Breen #8. C.W. Cowell (B. Max Mehl, 1911); Waldo Newcomer; Amon Carter, Sr.; 1962 N.Y. Metropolitan Sale
(Stack's, 4/1962), lot 2814; John Rowe; Abner Kreisberg (1968); Quality Sales Corp. (11/1972), lot 1410A; Jack Klauson; 1973 ANA Sale
(Jess Peters), lot 1030; Pine Tree (3/1974), lot 455; West Coast collection; Christies (3/1990); Stack's (3/2005), lot 1321; Donald Kagin;
private collection. In 1972, Abner Kreisberg and Jerry Cohen commented: "The usual surface abrasions and scratches have all been removed
and quite a bit of luster is still adhering. Extremely Fine."