Q.David Bowers
To this Chapman replied on May 7, 1924:
The Baldwin $10 was secured by a dealer for stock, and I am informed that he would have gone higher for it. It is just as rare as the $20 and should have brought $2,000, for which same amount you had my estimate before the sale. I secured it and send it to you herewith for $850, which will include my profit. I have learned that one was sold some years ago for $2,000. None of the great sales has ever contained it, nor did Mr. Newcomer have it at the time his collection was stolen in 1913 ... I have never had nor seen before another specimen of the Baldwin $10.
On May 13, 1924, Garrett paid the price asked; however, he registered a mild protest:
I think I shall keep the Baldwin $10 although I am disappointed that the price has gone up so quickly on it. I enclosed my check. One of these pieces sold in the Ten Eyck sale for $525, another in the Ulex sale for $300. Low sold one in 1902 for $300.
On May 23, 1924, S. Hudson Chapman wrote to offer three "rare minor pieces" of territorial coins. He mentioned that his son, S. Hudson Chapman, Jr., was studying for his doctorate in Paris and offered his services to execute orders for Garrett in French sales of interest. On February 11, 1925, John W. Garrett wrote to S. Hudson Chapman:
I have recently been cataloguing my American colonial coins, and there are a number of questions I should like to ask you about certain pieces which you sold either to my brother or myself, or to Colonel Ellsworth, but there is only one that I will ask you now. The ownership of the mark and quint [referring to the Nova Constellatio pattern coinage] which you sold to Colonel Ellsworth and which I bought from him is traced by Crosby ... to J. W. Haseltine in 1872. To this you add on the card of Colonel Ellsworth's Collection that Henry S. Adams purchased them from Haseltine. Could you give me the history of these two pieces from the time they left Adams' possession to the time they came into the hands of Colonel Ellsworth?
Chapman replied immediately in a letter dated February 12th:
The history of the ownership of the United States patterns of 1783, the mark and quint, in silver, is as follows: These pieces were found in the desk of Charles Thompson, secretary of the Continental Congress, and sold by his nephew, who found them, to John W. Haseltine in 1872. Mr. Haseltine sold them to Henry S. Adams of Boston, who sold them to Lorin G. Parmelee. They were sold in the sale of his collection in 1890 to H. P. Smith, or were bought in for Parmelee's account, and were then sold to S. H. & H. Chapman, who sold them to George H. Earle, Jr., of Philadelphia, for whom they were sold by Henry Chapman to James W. Ellsworth. They were subsequently sold to you, John W. Garrett.
John Work Garrett summed up his collecting philosophy in a single sentence contained in his response of March 8, 1925 to an offer from Henry Chapman:
I do not want any coins that are not in first rate condition no matter what the price may be or how rare they are.
Garrett used the services of Henry Chapman in the late 1920s to bring his collection of commemorative half dollars up to date. For example, in February 17, 1926, he purchased from Chapman specimens of the 1925 Lexington-Concord, 1925 Stone Mountain, and 1925 California Diamond Jubilee issues.
By the late 1920s John Work Garrett's interest in United States coins had diminished, and from this time all but a few of his purchases were in the field of Greek and other classical issues. A letter dated May 8, 1928, to S. Hudson Chapman is indicative:
I have practically stopped buying American coins so it is hardly worth while for me to recheck [the want list form which you sent]. From time to time I might buy colonial or California pieces not in my collection.
Correspondence with Charles E. Clapp
Charles E. Clapp of Bedford Hills, New York, formed an outstanding collection of United States colonial issues and other pieces. There was a brief correspondence between Clapp and John Work Garrett which took place in 1934:
Clapp's first letter to Garrett was on June 21, 1934:
I understand you have a magnificent collection of coins. For many years I have specialized in choice American colonials, and a policy of always replacing a specimen if a better one came on the market accounts for the unusual condition of my collection.
It is now necessary to dispose of it, and while I would prefer to sell it as a whole, realize it is hard to find a buyer and also that an important collector like yourself would probably only be interested in individual specimens. The Massachusetts silver series is the most nearly complete of any collection I know of, and many specimens are the finest known of the varieties. Rosa Americanas are mostly Uncirculated, even the 1733 twopence of which there are only three or four known, is Uncirculated. The Washington half dollar, copper, is the finest known. Also the Proof naked bust. Carolina elephant token Uncirculated. Confederatio Inimica Tyrannis, Crosby plate No.7 picture 13, Very Fine. My Washington Confederatio is only Very Good. I merely mention a few, but if you are interested I shall be glad to send a complete list. I hope to have the pleasure of hearing from you.
Garrett responded that he would' 'not care to buy a collection as it would inevitably duplicate many of my pieces." In return he received an inventory of some of the rarest pieces in Clapp's collection from which he was invited to choose' 'when you decide to add to your collection. "
Correspondence with the Guttag Brothers
During the mid-1920s John Work Garrett corresponded on several occasions with Julius Guttag, a member of the firm of the Guttag Brothers, coin dealers located at 52 Wall Street, New York, and later, at 16-18 Exchange Place in the same city...
On May 2, 1923, the Guttag Brothers sent out a circular describing a Nova Constellatio pattern 100 unit or "cent" piece. This coin was a duplicate sold by John Work Garrett through Wayte Raymond and was part of the colonial section of the Col. James W. Ellsworth Collection acquired by Garrett earlier in the same year.
The coin was described by the Guttag Brothers as follows:
THE MOST INTERESTING COIN OF THE ENTIRE
UNITED STATES SERIES.
THE CENT.
Obverse with an eye forming the center of a glory of 13 points, the points intersecting a circle of 13 stars. Legend with NOVA CONSTELLATIO, Beaded border. Reverse with a wreath enclosing the letters "U.S." and the figures "100." Legend with LIBERTAS JUSTITIA 1783, beaded border. Silver, the size of a dime.
There are many coins which dealers call extremely rare and very rare, but the coin we describe herein is practically unique as it is the only one obtainable at any price. It is far more desirable than the Brasher doubloon or the 1822 Half Eagle. We consider it the gem of the entire United States series as it is the foundation upon which the present decimal coinage was raised.