Q. David Bowers
"This promises to be a grand visit. You owe it to yourself, if you possibly can, to make it. And, Mr. Eliasberg, I know I speak for thousands of collectors when I say, 'Thank you for this generous gesture.' "
The same issue told of a mishap which nearly involved Abner Kreisberg. To go to the California State Convention in Santa Cruz, he hopped aboard Southwest Airlines. He got off at Santa Cruz the last stop before the plane crashed.
The May-June issue of the same Numismatic Gallery publication noted:
"Mr. Louis Eliasberg of Baltimore, Maryland, has just been presented with a special trophy by the Numismatic Gallery in recognition of his unique achievement and in commemoration of his magnificent numismatic exhibition.
"Mr. Eliasberg has completed a collection of coins which includes every date in every metal in every denomination ever struck in any of the United States Mints. There are no exceptions, unless one considers the 1849 double eagle as a coin (it is generally accepted as a trial piece). We congratulate Mr. Eliasberg on his initiative, on his perseverance, and his accomplishments."
The same journal noted with regret the passing of Homer K. Downing, the prominent New York numismatist who specialized in large cents and who helped Dr. William H. Sheldon with his Early American Cents volume. Abe Kosoff noted that Homer was one of his last visitors at the Waldorf Astoria on a recent trip to New York City. "He brought up a consignment of large cents from his duplicates."
American coin glass, a collection of 57 pieces made in 1892 by the Central Glass Company, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was offered for sale, with most pieces priced from about $30 to $50. Then followed a mail bid sale of 681 lots, after which "Money Talks" told of the continuing travels of Abner Kreisberg and Abe Kosoff.
From behind the wheel of his Buick, Abe took in sights in Phoenix, El Paso, Fort Worth, Dallas, Memphis, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Buffalo, and then on to New York City and: "a Bronx Coin Club meeting the night of our arrival, and everyone offering to buy me a drink. For a two-drink guy that's a lot of liquor-and I'm glad I didn't dood it (or dood I, I mean did I, I guess I do-er-did)."
Abe Kosoff was kept busy attending a Hans Schulman auction for three days, punctuated with visits to family and friends, then on to Pennsylvania, Ohio, a short hop by Stratocruiser airliner to attend the Central States convention in Minneapolis, then back on the circuit to Chicago, Omaha, Kansas City, Topeka, and Oklahoma City, by which time 6,000 miles had been chalked up on the odometer. Finally: "Home after 7,800 miles by motor and 1,200 by air. The car is heavier because of several fine collections acquired enroute," Abe reported.
The July-August 1951 issue of the Numismatic Gallery Monthly offered at fixed prices many valuable United States coins. Leading off was a selection of double eagles, including numerous rarities. An 1858 Proof could be purchased for $535, while Proof examples of 1864 cost $390, 1865 $390, 1867 $450, 1868 $425, 1869 $425, 1870 $475, 1872 $390, 1873 $375, 1875 $350, 1880 $295, 1883 $1,450, 1884 $1,450, 1885 $525, 1886 $575, 1887 $625, and many others were priced from $240 up-wards. Among later Proof double eagles, a 1908 was offered for $150, while a 1909 cost $190, a 1912 was priced at $145, and 1913, 1914, 1915 cost $137.50, $135, and $135 respectively.
Among quarter eagles, a Proof 1853 was pegged at $220, a Proof 1858 cost $117.50, an 1860 in the same state cost $75, and other Proofs were priced as follows: 1861 $75, 1862, $75, 1863 (a rarity) $1,200, 1865 $190, 1869 $95, 1870 $70, 1871 $57.50, 1872 $75, 1875 $375, and various others, including a run of 20th-century issues were priced at $25 each. In those times, Proof gold coins were collected by only a few specialists, the market was thin, and prices were tiny fractions of what they would be years later.
From the Homer K. Downing Collection came a wide offering of duplicate large cents. Uncirculated later dates were priced as low as $6 each.
Patterns of territorial gold coins rounded out the offering. A Pacific Company $1 struck on a silver two real piece of Mexico was offered as being pedigreed from the Brand Collection, where it was earlier valued at $2,500, but the price in 1951 was just $500. "These and other pieces following are offered at specially reduced prices in an attempt to close out the balance of the collection marketed over a period of seven years," Abe Kosoff noted.
The rare Pacific currency $16 issue of 1851, styled after the Mexican 8 escudo piece of the period, was also from the Brand Collection and was similarly priced at $500. Concerning this piece, Abe Kosoff noted:
"A most interesting sidelight is appropriate at this point. About a year ago a fine, scholarly looking gentleman came into my office and we chatted for quite a while. He was an old-timer in Los Angeles and had collected coins for over 40 years. He told me about browsing through a junk box in a store and discovering an unusual 'token' which he bought for a quarter. He sent it to Henry Chapman in Philadelphia, who immediately responded with a check for $100. My informant wrote to Chapman stating that he had not sent it for sale, more to find out what the piece was, but having paid just 25c for it he could hardly refuse so generous a price and would accept it. Chapman had already sold it into the Brand Collection for $1,000. As our friend spoke, describing the piece, I edged toward the safe and pulled out a drawer. Taking a brass pattern from a drawer marked 'territorials,' I asked, 'Could this be the piece?' Amazed, our friend nodded, 'It certainly is the identical piece!' "
Among other territorial patterns, a Blake & Co. $20 1856 in copper, described as unique, was featured for $1,000, complete with the following story:
"It has passed through several famous numismatists' hands-Rud Kohler, Elmer Sears, F.C.C. Boyd, Remers, and it came to Chapman, who let it be known that he owned the item. Let us keep in mind that gold coins of Blake & Co. are non-existent. The company was well-known for its refining and assaying activities but not for coining. Further, no territorial strikings of California are known dated after 1855. The opening of the San Francisco Mint in 1854 and the ultimate minting of the coins had done away with the need for these private issues. But here is a trial piece dated 1856 by a company from which no coins were known.
"Waldo Newcomer had to have this Blake pat-tern. Chapman, so the story goes, played cagey. For months they dickered back and forth, Chapman in Philadelphia, Newcomer in California with no results. Finally, one day Newcomer stormed into Chapman's office, carrying a small easeful of duplicates, and insisted that Chapman make a trade-or else.
Picture 'poor Chapman' being forced into such a deal. He put the coins which he obtained into an auction and realized the sum of $13,500-all of this in trade for the Blake $20 pattern. Undoubtedly this story has been dolled up a little through the years-but even if we allot for this it is still a lot of money. One thing we cannot question-the fact that no coins of Blake & Company are known and that no other territories strikings of California are known with the 1856 date."