Q.David Bowers
20th Century Correspondence
Correspondence of the 20th century is between various dealers and others with Robert Garrett 1903-1919 and John Work Garrett 1919 and later.
While the Chapman brothers and a few others had corresponded with T. Harrison Garrett earlier, most 20th century letters are from a new generation of numismatists.
The following excerpts, edited and paraphrased to reflect modern usage, pertain to United States coins.
Correspondence with Edgar H. Adams
Edgar H. Adams was born in Grafton, West Virginia, in 1868. At the age of 12 he was accidentally shot by a friend. The lameness which developed in his leg caused him to be bedridden for most of his early education.
His first articles on coins appeared in the New York Sun in the early 1900s. During this time he was an active member of the American Numismatic Association and the New York Numismatic Club.
Research became a particular interest of Adams', and during the first decade of the 20th century he searched through old newspapers, mint records, correspondence, and other source material to develop two books which became classics for their respective series.
The Private Gold Coinage of California, 1849-1855, published in serial form in The American Journal of Numismatics, and in book form in 1913, gave background information on coins minted during the California Gold Rush era. Through his association with William H. Woodin, a prominent collector whose coins he studied (Woodin later became Secretary of the Treasury under President Franklin D. Roosevelt), he produced The United States Pattern, Trial and Experimental Pieces also in 1913. For the first time, pattern issues of the United States Mint from 1792 until the early 20th century were catalogued, described, and in many instances illustrated.
From 1912 to 1915, he served as editor of The Numismatist, official journal of The American Numismatic Association. Adams had an eye for the unusual and the interesting, and during his editorship The Numismatist sparkled with his contributions. Adams' writing culminated during the middle 1930s during which time he contributed many fine articles to Wayte Raymond's Coin Collector's Journal. In 1940 he died at his home in Bayside, Long Island, New York, at the age of 72, having spent the last eight years in bed as an invalid.
John Work Garrett's correspondence with Edgar H. Adams, was brief and is excerpted below.
On September 24, 1920, Adams, having begun correspondence with Garrett, wrote:
It is a great pleasure for me to know the whereabouts of the rare coins mentioned. [Apparently John Work Garrett had provided Adams with information concerning pieces in his collection.]
Their location had been quite a mystery to me. I knew of the T. Harrison Garrett collection, and some of the rarities in it, but I have never seen it nor have I seen a catalogue of it, although I believe there is one in existence. The copper trial pieces of the Humbert series seem to be unique. I have never heard of others.
With regard to specimens of the California, Mormon, Oregon, and Colorado series, the commoner ones are still fairly easy to obtain and at reasonable prices, but the rarities command high premiums and are not often offered for sale, either privately or publicly. I am in a position to obtain a number of the rarities and possibly may be able to provide some of the commoner pieces.
Would it not be a good idea for me to see what pieces are lacking in the collection and then let you know ones obtainable and the prices?
John Work Garrett responded with a detailed listing of the individual gold items in his collection, a more comprehensive schedule than had been sent earlier, and indicated that a visit from Adams would be welcome. On September 28, 1920, Adams replied:
It would be a great pleasure to visit the collection, and I will be glad to accept your invitation. Early in November will be convenient for me if that time will suit you. I have gathered a good deal of data concerning the Oregon, Mormon, Colorado, Georgia, and North Carolina private issues which have not been published, and therefore I am well acquainted with these issues. I am interested to note that you have the rarest of the quarter eagles of the Bechtler mint, namely the one with "& 5" on the obverse. There are quite a number of Bechtler varieties which are not generally known. I also note that the collection contains the great $5 rarities of the same mint, with and without" 150 grs."
Most of Adams' correspondence was from his address at 40 Fourth Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, although some of it was from Box 320, Oyster Bay, New York.
From time to time, Adams offered individual pieces to Garrett, several of which were purchased. A typical acquisition was the Massachusetts & California Co. pattern $5 piece in copper acquired on January 29, 1921, for $100.
Correspondence with the American Numismatic Association
On December 6, 1920, John Work Garrett, who was a member of the American Numismatic Society, received a form letter from Frank G. Duffield, editor of The Numismatist, the official magazine of the American Numismatic Association:
You have been a regular reader during the past, by reason of your being a member of the American Numismatic Society, New York City. You have probably been advised that the arrangements by which members of that society receive The Numismatist each month have been terminated, ending with the December 1920 issue, and we feel quite sure that you have found pages of sufficient interest to want to continue your subscription and your regular reading of our paper.
As you know, our magazine is not issued for business purposes, but solely as an educational and scientific numismatic publication, owned and published by the American Numismatic Association, for the benefit of its members who are recruited from the ranks of American coin collectors. Our subscription price, $1.50 per year is very low, and we wish to take this opportunity of inviting you to continue your subscription for next year, by remitting that amount to us promptly, in order that your new subscription may follow upon the subscription to which you are entitled as a member of the American Numismatic Society, and your files of our magazine may remain a completed sequence ....