Abe Kosoff: Dean of Numismatics

A priced offering of United States pattern coins, probably primarily from the Farouk Collection. ("The Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine," January 1955)

Sold by mail bid on May 24, 1955 was the collection of United States quarters formed by Edgar Levy of Colorado Springs, Colorado to which 19 other consignments were added. In 10 to 12 years of buying, Levy had accumulated one of the nicest collections of quarter dollars ever, a cabinet high-lighted by an Uncirculated 1796, a prooflike 1823, a restrike 1827, an Uncirculated 1901-S, and numerous patterns.

The catalogue noted: "Your participation in this sale will insure retention of your name on my mailing list for at least six months, during which time you will receive all of my auction catalogues and Kosoff's Coin Bulletin.

"My mailing list is now being overhauled and revised. Several hundred names are due to be dropped to make room for active accounts. As the hair tonic ad states, 'Don't let this happen to you!'"

In July 1955 Abe Kosoff offered for sale for $5,250 what he described as the finest known 1854-S half eagle, a coin he had purchased at the Central States Numismatic Society convention in Detroit. In Kosoff's Coin Bulletin he noted that he had just purchased for cash a group of coins billed as "the finest collection of United States large cents," that of the late T. James Clarke, a holding of 462 coins, among which were over 80 Proofs.

Emphasis was on patterns, and the July 1955 issue offered pieces from the King Farouk Collection with the following introductory paragraph:

"United States patterns-this series, properly approached, can prove to be the most interesting. Consider the coinage of the United States as an important part of our country's history. Then think of the patterns-designs submitted but never adopted-as 'coins which might have been.' Often these designs were proposed with a purpose in mind, sometimes obvious, sometimes subtle-occasionally political, often economic.

"From another standpoint, patterns, added to the regular issues of the same series, add immeasurably to the beauty and to the scope because of the interesting designs which were never adopted.

"One more step-the trial pieces, regular adopted designs but struck in metals other than that regularly used for that series, exceptional items as a nickel in copper, a dime in aluminum, an eagle in bronze.