Q.David Bowers
In March of the same year, H. O. Granberg, whose silver coin collection was earlier placed in the hands of B. Max Mehl, was serving as a member of the Committee on Classification of the American Numismatic Association and was also chairman of the board of governors of that group. He proposed that:
Some scheme or uniform standard of classifying the condition of coins [should be adopted]. It can safely be said that every member has some standard by which he judges the condition of coins, now it can be safely said that no two of these standards are exactly alike. Now, no two persons can think and see exactly alike in all respects. If some standard were given the utmost publicity there is no reason why everyone concerned would not think nearer alike. My experience has been that the holder or owner of a coin is inclined to overestimate its condition, and the non-owner of a coin is apt to underestimate its condition. In other words, the condition of a coin varies if you own the coin or if someone else owns it. It is human nature. This will be the hardest phase to adjust. If some descriptive standard was down in black and white this variance of opinion could be reduced. These remarks apply to collectors as well as to dealers. My experience has been that no two dealers judge condition exactly alike. But I think the dealer holds to his standard more consistently than the collector, who, to bid intelligently has got to learn the standard of each dealer. The learning of many standards I would like to do away with. The condition of wear such as "Fine," "Good," "Fair," etc. is not enough. Some qualifying words should be employed as well, such as "bright," "scratched," "tarnished," etc.
The following grades were proposed: Proof, Uncirculated, Very Fine ("the condition but little below Un-circulated, with imperceptible wear, or showing only under close scrutiny. Lightly tarnished coins may be placed under this classification, but the fact should be mentioned. Badly tarnished coins should never be called Very Fine nor should the coin be marred in any other way than a slight change of color"), Fine ("showing very slight traces of wear only in the parts of highest relief. Any blemishes should be noted"), Very Good ("a worn coin but every part distinct, nothing but very marked defects need be mentioned"), Good, Fair, and Poor.
Beginning with gold Proof sets of 1908, the Lincoln cent of 1909, and the buffalo nickel of 1913, various types of Proof coins with minute granular surfaces, called "sandblast Proofs," "Roman finish Proofs," or "Matte Proofs," depending on slight differences in the method of manufacture, were sold to collectors. Collectors almost unanimously preferred the traditional "brilliant" style, and many complaints were given to the Mint. As many of the new-style Proofs were not readily different from Uncirculated pieces, most collectors simply stopped ordering them. The mintage of Matte Proof gold coins in particular went to very low levels. In May 1913 the editor of The Numismatist echoed the sentiment of many collectors:
Proofs of the minor coins-cents and five-cents-are sold for 15c. Until recently the price was only 8c. The coins are struck by hand on the hydraulic press. Up to recently the planchets were burnished until they had a mirror-like surface, which remained on the field of the coin after striking, giving it a brilliant and attractive appearance. When the Lincoln cent was issued, however, a. somewhat roughened
Proofs of the minor coins-cents and five-cents-are sold for 15c. Until recently the price was only 8c. The coins are struck by hand on the hydraulic press. Up to recently the planchets were burnished until they had a mirror-like surface, which remained on the field of the coin after striking, giving it a brilliant and attractive appearance. When the Lincoln cent was issued, however, a. somewhat roughened
The Numismatist announced in July 1913 the discovery of a new variety of a Higley copper piece struck in colonial Connecticut. One side of the coin was from a previously-unknown die and bore the inscription THE WHEELE GOES ROUND. A description was given:
The above illustration represents an entirely new discovery in the colonial series, being a variety of the well-known Higley series of coppers that has never been mentioned or known of until a short time ago, when it came into the possession of Mr. Howland Wood among a lot of old coppers. It was covered with dirt and verdigris to such an extent that its character was not suspected until it had been thoroughly cleaned ....
Each summer the American Numismatic Association would hold its annual convention at a different city. Collectors and dealers alike vied to prepare interesting exhibits at the convention, often including prime rarities which might not otherwise be seen by the average collector. The 1913 ANA convention was typical and included a wide variety of pieces.
Judson Brenner, of DeKalb, Illinois, exhibited Civil War tokens issued in Detroit, Michigan circa 1863-1864; Lesher dollars issued in Colorado in 1900 and 1901, including a previously-unknown specimen bearing the imprint of Sam Cohen; and the original dies of the 1861 Confederate States of America cent.
Ben G. Green, of Chicago, Illinois, displayed a collection of encased postage stamps of 135 pieces, comprising four examples of the rare 90c denomination, including one issued by Lord & Taylor, of New York City. Also shown were two examples of 1851 and 1852 octagonal $50 gold pieces from California.
The United States Coin Co., under the aegis of Wayte Raymond and Elmer Sears, was eager to impress, and succeeded in its objective. The Numismatist reported:
The display of this firm was undoubtedly one of the best and costliest of the whole exhibit and was estimated to be worth about $40,000. It included very many representative specimens and great rarities in all the series of Americana.
Included were the following: an 1851 Baldwin & Co. $10 Liberty head gold piece, a $20 Cincinnati Mining & Trading Co. copper trial piece, a series of 44 different $3 gold pieces from 1854-1889, a complete set of gold dollars, a rare variety of Bechtler quarter eagle, the finest known specimen of the Maryland groat, and other pieces.