Abe Kosoff: Dean of Numismatics

The rare Washington Roman Head cent sold for $150. "This was bought by my good friend from Puerto Rico, Robert R. Prann, but Bob never got the coin," Abe Kosoff later stated. "The ship on which it was being transported was sunk by enemy action, and somewhere on the bottom of the Carribbean lies a corroded copper that was once a beautiful Proof."

Auction Sale No. 15 was held on Saturday, May 2, at the Neil House, Columbus, Ohio, in conjunction with the Ohio State Numismatic Convention. Sponsored by the Columbus Numismatic Society, the get-together included a two-day program. Speaker at the banquet was B. Max Mehl, the noted Fort Worth, Texas dealer, while short addresses at the banquet were given by George J. Bauer, a past president of the ANA, T. James Clarke, president of the ANA, and several connected with Ohio numismatics, including S.J. Kabealo, president of the Columbus Numismatic Society, who was later to relocate in Los Angeles and conduct a successful coin dealership there for many years.

The convention program noted that Sunday morning was set aside for church. Numismatic activities did not commence until 1p.m., at which time George J. Bauer showed slides pertaining to the American Numismatic Association.

The auction sale offered many important patterns, a series which was rapidly becoming an Abe Kosoff specialty. Recognition of the ongoing European conflict was noted in the introduction to a section of the catalogue describing coins of "Far Eastern lands now under attack by the Axis powers." The inside back cover of the catalogue was decorated with flags and bore the following message:

"Call them Defense Bonds-call them War Bonds-call them Victory Bonds- THAT WON'T HELP. BUY THEM! THAT WILL. 50 % of the commission collected for executing your bids at this sale will be donated to NAVY RELIEF FUND." At the time, a 5% buyer's fee was in effect, with a maximum charge of $5.

Another Saturday afternoon sale was held on June 5, 1943 and featured a mixture of United States and world coins and other items, 928 lots in all. The inside front cover was devoted to an advertisement for the 1944 Standard Catalogue of United States Coins and Tokens, which was being prepared by Wayte Raymond. 'We can state authoritatively that practically all standard values in every series of copper and silver will be increased considerably to reflect present values," the text noted. "It is a fact that coins are commanding prices higher than the values listed in either the 1942 catalogue or the 1943 supplement. In many instances, the market value is twice the catalogue value."

Abe Kosoff could not resist adding: "When you consider the lots offered in the following pages, please keep these facts in mind."

The inside back cover told of the fixed price stock owned by the Numismatic Gallery and invited numismatists to submit want lists for such series as half cents and large cents, two-cent, five cent and ten-cent pieces, and noted that such rarities as an 1802 half dime, an 1823 quarter dollar, and Gobrecht silver dollars were in stock as were sets of gold dollars, $3 gold pieces, early half eagles, rare colonials, an Uncirculated $50 slug, and a Proof Stella.

The best yet in the Abe Kosoff series of auction catalogues was the publication issued in conjunction with the 1942 American Numismatic Association convention, held that year at the Hotel Netherland Plaza, Cincinnati. The orange-covered volume was a combination official program and auction listing. The cover bore a view of the Cincinnati skyline. Immediately on the inside was a sketch of a pirate, sword in hand and wearing a skull-and-crossbones cap, above which was the invitation, "Visit the Pirate's Den," hosted by Thomas G. Melish, Harry C. Brake, and H. Rees Jones, Cincinnatians who had been prominent in numismatics for a long time and who were connected with the earlier (1936) Cincinnati commemorative half dollars and other endeavors.

As the auction catalogue also combined the official convention program, there was space for advertisements by other dealers. So, Abe Kosoff had the unusual situation of having Wayte Raymond, B. Max Mehl, Ira Reed, and others advertising in his catalogue!

Convention visitors were treated to nearly a week of activities, commencing Saturday, August 22nd, and continuing through Thursday, August 27th. A special pass was provided to convention guests and was good on any bus or streetcar throughout Cincinnati and its suburbs. An evening at Coney Island, the Cincinnati amusement park named after the New York attraction, took place on Monday night, while Tuesday afternoon offered a visit to the Rookwood Pottery atop Mt. Adams.