Abe Kosoff: Dean of Numismatics

A priced offering of United States gold dollars from "The Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine," November 1954.

The issue for January 1955 offered an interesting variety of coins, primarily U.S. issues, but including a few ancient pieces as well.

Concerning Proof sets, the writer noted: "I've been saying it for years-and here I am again. When the new 1955 Proof sets are released, many new collectors will be initiated. Soon they will rant the earlier dates-and prices will go up. Now is the time to buy these."

No 1936 Proof set was offered for sale, but a buying price of $75 was offered. The following roof sets were presented: 1937 $46, 1938 $23.50, 939 $21, 1940 $19, 1941 $13, 1942 $15, 1950 22.50, 1951 $13, 1952 $5.50, 1953 $4.25, 1954 $3.60, and 1955 ("when released") $2.60.

Abe Kosoff noted that his mailing list was growing but at the same time the number of inactive clients was growing as well, necessitating a weeding out. Box 456 was a catch phrase in much advertising of the time, and a little rhyme noted:

"We've said it before

"We'll repeat till it sticks "Sooner or later

"You'll write 456."

An 1895 Morgan dollar described as "increasingly popular," a nice Brilliant Proof, was offered at $295, which was about one one-hundredth of the price the same coin would fetch 25 years later! A Very Fine 1870-S Liberty seated dollar, one of the great rarities in the silver dollar series, was priced at $2,750.

The March 1955 issue of Kosoff's Coin Bulletin was crammed with items for sale. Commemoratives continued their rise, and it was carefully noted that the offering was "subject to prior sale and price changes." Sample values at the time: 1892 Columbian $3, 1900 Lafayette silver dollar 37.50, 1915-S Panama-Pacific half dollar $37.50, 1918 Lincoln-Illinois $9.50, 1920 Maine $10, 1922 Grant with star $95, 1925-S California $9.50, 1925 Stone Mountain $2.75,1925 Vancouver $41, 1927 Vermont $14, 1928 Hawaiian $97.50, 1934 Maryland $10, 1935 Connecticut $26, 1935 Hudson $60, 1935 Old Spanish Trail $39, 1936 Albany :19, 1936 Cincinnati set of three $57.50, 1936 Cleveland $3.75, 1936 Gettysburg $11, 1936 Long Island $4.50, 1937 Antietam $27.50, 1938 New Rochelle $19.50, 1949 Booker T. Washington set of three $12, and 1954 Washington-Carver set of three $10.

Among commemorative gold coins the following were offered in Uncirculated grade: 1903 Jefferson gold dollar $22.50, 1903 McKinley gold dollar $25, 1904 Lewis & Clark gold dollar $125, 1905 Lewis & Clark gold dollar $100, 1915-S Panama-Pacific gold dollar $15, 1915-S Panama Pacific quarter eagle $80, 1916 McKinley gold dollar $20, 1917 McKinley gold dollar $22.50, 1922 Grant gold dollar with star $50, 1922 Grant gold dollar without stars $75, and 1925 sesquicentennial quarter eagle $15.

Three complete sets of Indian Head quarter eagles 1908-1929 were in stock, condition not stated, and were offered at $175 each, while an Uncirculated 1932 double eagle could be purchased for $650, various dates of Proof Barber quarters were available for $10 each, an Extremely Fine 1856 Flying Eagle cent was posted at $250, and an 1879 $4 stella cost $875.

Abe Kosoff announced his travel schedule, noting that he was going to be in Northern California in April, then to Detroit for the Central States Numismatic Society convention through early May, then to New York City for the inaugural meeting of the Metropolitan Coin Show. After that it was planning for the American Numismatic Association convention in Omaha that summer.

It was probably at the 1955 Metropolitan Convention that the present writer (Q. David Bowers) first met Abe Kosoff. The Metropolitan Convention, under the directorship of Ray Gallo, Julius Turoff, Oscar Schilke and others from the greater New York City area, was an instant success, and for the next decade it was one of the best shows on the convention circuit. Later, it became diluted with numerous other shows held in New York City and lost its relative importance. However, in the early days it was right at the top of most dealers' "must attend" list.

Editorially, Abe Kosoff remarked: "I get all kinds, but some letters tearing someone apart are sad-and often unnecessary," for which he recalled a thought attributed to Ian MacLaren: "Let us be kind to one another for each of us is fighting a hard battle."

One has to but read Kosoff's Coin Bulletin or the earlier Numismatic Gallery Monthly to quickly determine that Abe Kosoff was compassionate and, as much as he enjoyed dealing in coins, he enjoyed even more the aspect of dealing with the people who bought or sold coins. His caring for his fellow man, his effort to smooth over controversies, and his enthusiasm jump out from virtually every publication he ever wrote.

In March 1955 Abe Kosoff commented on what were believed to be the final coins produced at the San Francisco Mint: "Plenty of 1955-S cents and dimes will be minted, according to reports, so that they will not be rare. I would hazard a guess that there will be coins minted in San Francisco before the end of the decade." It turned out that 1955-S cents and dimes were the only San Francisco coins from then until the end of the decade and that they furnish a popular speculation with collectors, dealers, and investors alike.