Abe Kosoff: Dean of Numismatics

Chapter 6

California

It was "California, Here I Come!" in 1948. In January it was announced that a branch of the Numismatic Gallery would open in Beverly Hills. From that point onward there would be two divisions, the California store at 8943 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, under the direction of Abe Kosoff, and the regular New York premises at 42 East 50th Street, under the direction of Abner Kreisberg.

Notice of the move appeared in a catalogue published early in the year:

"ANNOUNCEMENT. Influenced by a display if eager interest in numismatics, assured of the continued support and patronage of our clientele, and convinced that such a move is inevitable, the Numismatic Gallery of New York announces the opening of another Numismatic Gallery in Beverly Hills, California.

"The California Gallery will be under the direction of Mr. A. Kosoff.

"The New York Gallery will remain under the direction of Mr. Abner Kreisberg.

"The Numismatic Gallery will continue to serve you but with even more effectiveness, with a wider rarket and a greater supply of coins."

Molly Kosoff recalls that after the family moved to California in 1948 they lived in Hollywood for six weeks, then moved to North Hollywood, then to Hayvenhurst Avenue in Encino, later to Lake Encino, then years later to Palm Springs.

A large-size illustrated auction catalogue with gold foil cover was prepared for the public auction of United States and territorial gold coins conducted at the Beverly-Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on Monday, March 1, 1948 and Tuesday, March 2nd. This was the premiere event or the new West Coast branch of the Numismatic Gallery under the direction of Abe Kosoff.

The foreword to the catalogue noted:

"The numismatic fraternity has come to expect that each year the Numismatic Gallery will sponsor a memorable event. 1948 will be no exception.

"Following our sales of the collection of Julius Guttag, Michael F. Higgy, Oscar Pearl, Adolph Friedman, and the World's Greatest Collection of United States Silver and Gold, as well as three consecutive official American Numismatic Association auctions, we now offer a double-barreled event.

"Elsewhere in this journal you have read the announcement about our new gallery in Beverly Hills. To appropriately commemorate this opening we are privileged to offer the magnificent collection of United States and territorial gold coins catalogued in the following pages. Although the catalogue speaks for itself, we cannot help but mention just a few of its features. The 1841 quarter eagle, the 1875 $3 piece, the set of stellas, half eagles, and eagles galore. The double eagle series includes most of the Proofs from 1858 to 1915

"As for the territorial gold series, the $50 gold pieces are splendid and include the excessively rare Kellogg 1855. We have listed them all in the catalogue and most of them have been photographed. A word about the photographs-they have not been retouched and except for a very few, all represent the actual coins being sold.

"With warm and sincere thanks to our many friends for their expression of goodwill we respectfully submit this catalogue to you.

"A. Kosoff and Abner Kreisberg."

The reference that most, but not all, photographs represent the actual coins being sold is a commentary on practice of the time. It was often the case that "stock" pictures were used by various cataloguers. B. Max Mehl in particular used this format. So, the prospective mail bidder did not necessarily know whether the piece illustrated was the piece being offered.

This priced offering of American coins appeared in the December 1947 issue of "The Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine."