Beautiful 1845-O Half with Rare Pennsylvania Gunsmith Mark
CHAS. ROTH on 1845-O Seated half. Charles Roth, Wilkes-Barre, PA. Brunk-unlisted. Choice Extremely Fine. A beautiful undercoin, with some remaining lustre and delicate gold and pale rose toning. The mark is bold and complete in the right obverse field. According to the cataloguing accompanying this piece in the September 2011 StacksBowers Americana sale, "Christian Charles Roth (1815 - 1903) was a Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania gunsmith and maker of long rifles. He was born in Darmstadt, Germany and learned gunsmithing from his father (who was a student of Freund in Firstenau). Roth arrived in the United States in 1837 and settled in Wilkes-Barre in 1840, setting up shop on Bank (River) Street. He stamped his work Chas. Roth, which he preferred to be called. In the period 1840-1887 Roth produced a large number of percussion hunting and target rifles for the sportsmen of the Wyoming Valley, eventually turning his business over to his son, Ernest R. Roth, who was in business until his death in 1917. Chas. Roth's guns are valued up to $2,000+ depending on condition." A mark this interesting, on a coin this attractive, unlisted in the standard references, must be worth...Sold
Remarkable High Grade AM I NOT A WOMAN AND A SISTER Token
1838 AM I NOT A WOMAN AND A SISTER token. Low-54, HT-81. Choice Mint State. Dark chocolate brown toning on the obverse conceals hints of mint red on the lustrous, reflective fields. The reverse is closer to tan with olive highlights and more faded mint color. A superb example, truly unworn, with remarkable eye appeal and vivid fields. Some light handling and scattered hairlines are seen in the obverse fields, made evident more from the slightly mirrored nature of the surfaces than the severity of the impacts. Last date digit a bit soft, late die state with "die rust" apparent in upper obverse fields. Though this token is by no means rare, true Uncs are tough to find...Sold
Counterstamp. McKENNEY / GUNSMITH / BIDDEFORD (Maine) on Matron Head large cent. Brunk M-471. Host About Good, stamp Fine. Boldly marked from three prepared punches oriented vertically on the obverse. The host has been very lightly cleaned long ago and shows some brightness on golden brown surfaces. The mark is an historically interesting one, from gunsmith J.F. McKenney, who also worked in the Maine towns of Saco and Bath. Dave Bowers, perhaps the world's expert on American merchant counterstamps, wrote a nice history of the mark along with the Terranova specimen, which brought $345. This mark is a rare and interesting one, and gunsmiths are among the most popularly collected counterstampers...Sold
Rock Cod, By God!
1893 love token on Barber quarter. "Oct. 8th, 93 / RAMONA / Rock Cod, By God." Looped for suspension. Extremely Fine, granular. Dark gray with grainy surfaces, perhaps from salt water exposure. The obverse of the 1893 Barber quarter is sharp, and the charming reverse inscription is perfectly legible. One of the most evocative fishing related love tokens I've encountered -- Ramona was presumably the name of the vessel. The term "rock cod" can refer to a lot of fish, but in this case it seems likely that the genus in question was the avidly-fished rockfish or "Pacific snapper," which is especially common off Southern California. (This piece came from a Southern California source.) A particularly interesting love token...Sold
The EAC Charter Member Token of Dr. Charles Ruby
1968 Early American Coppers Club Charter Member token. #61. Copper, 30 mm. Nearly As Issued. Antiqued brushed copper patina, as issued. A single reedmark on Liberty's chin suggests this spent some time in a pocket, presumably Dr. Ruby's. Charles Ruby is a legend among early American copper enthusiasts, a law professor whose collection of early dates remains unrivaled by depth. When I acquired this piece, I did not recognize the 61 membership number until finding it on the EAC website -- where it has been since Ruby's passing in 1997 is unknown to me. Just 293 of these tokens were struck, with only 93 of those being marked and issued to Charter Members. These are avidly snapped up when they hit the marketplace, as most still remain with the collections or families of members active in 1968. That this piece was Charles Ruby's obviously increases its desirability...Sold
A Betts Medal ... Depicting Andrew Jackson?
(ca. 1860) Andrew Jackson portrait medal by C. Wyllys Betts. White metal, 44 mm. Dewitt AJACK-A. Choice About Uncirculated. A rare and unusual production of C. Wyllys Betts, engraved when he was a student at Yale, about the same time he was producing his legendary colonial-themed copies and fantasies. The three-quarter profile portrait of Jackson shows a folk-art sensibility, though the deep relief and poor striking technique (a hand-held sledge hammer) didn't bring up much of the central detail on either side. The eye appeal is excellent, with strong lustre, no corrosion, only a few tiny spots and minor surface abrasions. Despite the soft consistency, the rims are in pretty good shape, with only a couple little nicks. Betts signed the piece "CWB" underneath the bust. Betts produced a very similar William Henry Harrison medal (and various intermulings), listed as Dewitt WHH-B. Both are rare and hardly ever encountered in the marketplace. C. Wyllys Betts was a fascinating character, a mischievous young numismatist, a pioneering paleontologist, and a legendary numismatic author whose 1894 American Colonial History As Illustrated By Contemporary Medals is still the standard reference on early American medals. This rarity is a conversation starter...Sold
1837 Roxbury Coaches token. Low-137, HT-169. Nickel (German silver). Extremely Fine. A handsome example of this popular Hard Times-era transportation token, used by a horse-drawn trolley line near Boston. Fare was 25 cents, making this undenominated token essentially good for a quarter. Light toning of blue and gold is present on medium gray surfaces, some minor old buildup and toning around legends, only utterly trivial hairlines are noted as a defect. Choice for the grade and boasting a fine appearance, better than most examples of this distinctive type...Sold
(ca. 1832-33) Phoenix button. Regiment 20. Large size, 25 mm. Rulau-E Ore 5. Extremely Fine. An exciting and interesting relic of the old Northwest, a button produced for the Haitian forces of Henri Christophe that was imported to Oregon in large quantities by trader Nathaniel Wyeth. Specimens are found all over Oregon and California by relic hunters, and sometimes much further afield, indicating that they became popular trade items with the natives. This specimen, offered in the January 2011 Stack's Americana sale, was consigned by an Oregon family with roots in the area dating to 1852, sold along with about a dozen other examples from the same source. I wish I'd bought all of them, because since that sale I've probably had a dozen people ask to buy an example, mostly while I was at the PNNA show in Tukwila, Washington or the EAC show in Portland, Oregon. Well, I had the chance to buy this in the aftermarket in Baltimore, and I'm glad to offer it to all those folks who were disappointed when I said I didn't have one in stock!...Sold
William W. Wormood, Dubuque, Iowa. WW WORMOOD countermark on Lima 1793 one real. Very Good. A good bold stamp on a well worn coin, showing typical light silver gray surfaces. The left end of the mark is indistinct, but the rest is crisp in its crudity. According to the September 2011 StacksBowers Americana sale, Wormood began his career in Rochester, New York but found himself in Iowa by the late 1850s, which is probably when and where this coin was marked. Clearly Wormood was not an expert engraver, though he was well known as a clockmaker and was in charge of tending to Dubuque's town clock. His full name was William Wallace Wormood, known mostly as W.W. Wormood and as a partner in Thompson and Wormood. While the circulating medium of the eastern cities has been well studied and understood, less well known is the day to day pocket change of the antebellum Midwest. Clearly the Spanish denominations were still present, even prominent, on the eve of the Civil War. Apparently unique, an important and interesting piece...Sold
(ca. 1870) Dr. I. Douglas, Dentist, Romeo, Michigan shell card mirror/token. Brass and glass, 40 mm. About Uncirculated. An undoubtedly rare entry in the shell card series. The token side looks quite like other ca. 1867-75 shell card tokens, giving Dr. Isaac Douglas's "office & residence" address in Romeo, Michigan. The other side is a mirror which remains in remarkably good shape, with just a few minor peripheral injuries. The token side is an ideal and undamaged deep brassy gold. Dentistry is an avidly collected numismatic specialty, and shell cards have their following as well. From a well-collected state, this nice piece should be worth...Sold
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. JONES EXCHANGE HOTEL counterstamp on Peru 1782 MI Lima 2 reales. Brunk J-184. Very Fine. A sharp, bold mark on a glossy, choice coin. Deep silver gray and very attractive. The mark JONES EXCHANGE HOTEL / 77 DOCK ST / PHILA is well defined but for slight weakness on ES of JONES. A popular mid-19th century advertising countermark, and an unquestionably genuine and worn piece. There are variants of this mark, often found on blank brass discs, whose potential authenticity has always bothered me. This one doesn't bother me in the least. It once graced the Anthony Terranova Collection, sold by Stack's in October 2010, and is accompanied by his envelope. A contemporary description of the hotel may be found here and two good images are posted here...Sold
(ca. 1854-62) Shelton's Curd House, Lexington, KY. Countermark on 1854 Arrows, No Rays quarter. Brunk S-367. Fine or better. A nice mark, boldly impressed in the right obverse field of an attractive and well worn Seated quarter. The mark SHELTON'S / LEX. KY is short for Shelton's Curd House, a hotel in Lexington, Kentucky that also issued scrip notes payable in Confederate currency during the Civil War. The mark could well have been placed during the War, and the undercoins are often well worn despite being from the 1850s. This is a pleasing, well-balanced example of this interesting Southern mark...Sold
1896 New York Stamp and Coin Co. shellcard. Cardboard and gilt tin, 40 mm. Choice About Uncirculated. Bright yellow paper on the back, good lustrous golden tone on the obverse with some light spotting. Excellent condition for this fragile, rare shellcard. Unlisted in Baker. New York Stamp and Coin Company, the partnership of H.P. Smith and David Proskey (he of the India rubber conscience, according to Ed Frossard), brought us the 1890 sale of the Parmelee Collection, along with the sales of R. Coulton Davis, George Woodside, and others. This token was listed in Ralph "Curly" Mitchell's shell card list, compiled and annotated by Russel Rulau and published in the TAMS Journal in 1961, as number 473a. Despite the fact that Rulau knew about this piece in 1961, it didn't make his update to Baker with George Fuld (which has an extensive list of 19th century storecards depicting Washington) nor did he included it in his Tokens of the Gay Nineties reference. So it goes. As it is, it's quite scarce, and it has the dual collectibility of depicting Washington and advertising a legendary 19th century coin dealership. This could go into a token collection or a numismatic literature collection...Sold
(1896) Bryan dollar. Schornstein-910. Tin, 26 mm. Very Fine. An ephemeral-appearing, paper thin slice of tin, embossed with BRYAN DOLLAR, DON'T LET IT JAR YOU around a central device of 16 to 1, inverted in relief on the otherwise blank reverse. Somewhat patinated, dark gray with some lighter areas, oxidation spot at 3:00 of reverse. The soft spot near 3:00 on the obverse also shows up on the Schornstein plate piece. He calls it "very rare." I've never seen another one, and I doubt many have survived. I found no historical reference to the inscription, but surely there is one -- maybe this was somehow attached to labels of some jarred product? It's the only "Bryan dollar" the size of a quarter that I know of. It's certainly unusual and will stand out in a Bryan dollar collection...Sold
1868 Grant-Colfax election shell token. Gilt brass, 25 mm. Dewitt USG 1868-74. About Uncirculated. Integral loop broken from top rim. Undoubtedly made by the same producer as above, with the exact same portraits on a different hollow shellcard configuration. Bright golden lustre remains, some light field toning. The piece illustrated by Dewitt also appears to have its loop broken off...Sold
1868 Grant-Colfax election shell token. Gilt brass and silvered brass, 23 mm. Dewitt USG 1868-81. Choice Extremely Fine. Integral loop remains. Listed but not illustrated by Dewitt/Sullivan. The outer ring of 21 stars on gilt brass remains bright and lustrous, while the silvered brass portrait insets of Grant and Colfax are toned to gray and chocolate brown, with hints of bright silver lustre remaining in areas. A scarce and fragile item, this hollow and inexpensively produced shellcard was used by the Republican Party in the 1868 Election. The portraits are detailed and accurate, Grant in profile and Colfax in three-quarter profile. This would pair nicely with the other Grant/ Colfax shellcard below...Sold
Colombia. 1838 Manuel Marpla of Cartagena token, struck over an 1837 Hard Times token. Rulau (Latin American Tokens) Bol-17. Very Fine. Struck over a Low-33 type "Not One Cent" piece; the undertype is attributable with patience. Nice chocolate brown, plenty smooth on the reverse, where the obverse of the Hard Times token is nicely visible, with even the 1837 date seen with scrutiny, The obverse of the Colombian token, with a ship reminiscent of those on various Hard Times varieties, is also attractive, despite some very minor peripheral scale and some thinner patina in areas. Just a hint of undertype of the reverse of the Hard Timer is visible on that side. This token, along with several other Colombian varieties described by Rulau, is occasionally found on a Hard Times token undertype, and undoubtedly both undertype and overstrike were struck on the same presses at Scovill & Co. A similar piece (presumably rarer?) brought $1,380 in nicer condition in the Stack's 2009 Americana sale. I've only seen a couple of these in all the years I've played with early American tokens and catalogued them for major auction. I've often wondered if there was a ton of them buried in Latin American collections, but my poking around in that specialty has not yielded more than this one. There was one on a Karl Stephens pricelist in 2009 with no Hard Times undertype mentioned that was noted as "very scarce and important," and needless to say the Hard Times undertype makes it more so on both counts. I think this would make a fascinating addition to an advanced Hard Times Token collection -- and Rulau agreed, spending a half page and an enlarged photo on these in his telephone book-sized U.S. Tokens 1700-1900). I can't say I expect to see another anytime soon...Sold
1868 U.S. Grant / Washington medalet. Baker-249, DeWitt USG 1868-25. Silver, 28 mm. Choice Mint State. A very attractive medalet pursued by both political collectors and Washingtoniana enthusiasts. Highly reflective mottled silver gray surfaces exhibit excellent eye appeal and originality. Problem free and nicely preserved. The dies by William H. Key feature a detailed bust of Grant on the obverse and a tiny bust of Washington superimposed atop radiate flags with the legend THE UNION MUST AND SHALL BE PRESERVED. Rulau lists this as Rarity-8...Sold
(1876) Lingg and Brothers Libertas Americana token. Philadelphia. Copper, 22 mm. Choice Mint State. The storecard of the producer of this best-known series of Centennial cards, struck for a wide range of Philadelphia-area merchants. They were avidly collected in their day, though gems are a lot tougher to find than either handled specimens or pieces that have been holed for suspension. This example shows beautiful reflective chocolate brown surfaces with delicate field toning and hints of mint color. A natural low spot is present on the right side of the reverse. These tokens reflect the popularity of the Libertas Americana design in a popular context in the late 19th century, and they remain popular today. A fun miniature rendition of the most beloved American medal, copied from John Adams Bolen's 1867 rendition, which in 1872 became the property of coin dealer John W. Kline, whose Philadelphia shop was just six blocks from Lingg's. While very similar, this die is actually different from the Bolen-Kline die. These Lingg & Brothers tokens with the Libertas Americana obverse are most often found in white metal, and nice copper strikings are scarce...Sold
1864 George McClellan campaign medalet. Gilt brass, 25 mm. DeWitt GMcC 1864-25. Reeded edge. Choice Uncirculated. Bright, thick, lustrous gilding fully coats both sides, about as bright as when it was made but for a hint of peripheral toning. Some little spots and specks are seen under a glass, nothing noteworthy. When seen, this issue tends to be EF or so; this near-gem is an outlier. McClellan did one state better than Mondale in 1984--he scored Kentucky and New Jersey--though he accrued 45% of the popular vote...Sold
(ca. 1850) California Counter, $10 size. Brass. About Uncirculated. Reeded edge. Good lustre remains on brassy yellow gold surfaces, lightly toned in olive and rose. Some spotting is present on the reverse, a few subtle lines of toning on the obverse. The "California Counter" side of this jeton is also found muled to an 1847-dated obverse in imitation of a Federal $10 gold piece. This muling seems much rarer in my experience, particularly in this fine grade. The flag depicted shows a 25-star flag, then 15 years out of date, but an unusual star-cluster formation that deserves more research. This is the best one of these I've seen (though the total is a count-them-on-one-hand-with-fingers-to-spare number) and deserves a spot in a connoisseur quality collection of territorial tokens or California Americana...Sold
1909 Thomas Elder Lincoln Biographical medalet. Delorey-27, King-359. Brass, 31 mm. Mint State. Bright lustrous brassy gold with some fading and discoloration in the fields. A small rim bruise is present at 8:00 on the obverse. Elder struck these medals with 31 different reverses, representing different chapters of Lincoln's life. The mintages were small and putting together a set today is quite a task. A scarce and interesting Lincoln centennial piece...Sold
Superb 1825 Peale's Museum Token, Perhaps Finest Known
1825 Peale's Museum, New York City. Admit the Bearer. Low-269, HT-303. Copper, 35 mm. Choice About Uncirculated. The best example of this token I've ever seen or heard of, finer than the piece I catalogued in the 2004 Medio sale. This one shows lively lustrous flash on glossy light brown surfaces, with glorious hints of mint color around the entire reverse periphery. There are light scattered marks and just the barest whisper of friction. The reverse shows some pleasing woodgraining, and both sides are choice and original. Though once classified as a Hard Times token, this piece was dated and issued at the time of the museum's opening: the same day as the opening of the Erie Canal. Peale's Museum in New York was run by Charles Willson Peale's son Rubens, and it was liquidated to PT Barnum in 1840. In the intervening years, most examples of this token apparently got pretty well beat up. A typical one is nicked and banged around, maybe Fine or VF. I've seen three I'd consider EF or better. This is the best of them...Sold
A pair of 1873 Boston Numismatic Society medals. Dies by G.H. Lovett, issued by Isaac F. Wood. Copper and brass. Choice Mint State. A nicely matched pair of these fascinating productions from the salad days of American coin collecting. The obverse famously depicts the NE threepence of 1652, making these popular with colonial coin enthusiasts. The copper piece has a bit of "carbon" inside 3:00 on the obverse and a few reverse specks, the brass specimen is gem with just a few little central flecks. Interesting and collectible, dies by George H. Lovett, a pair of neat relics made for coin collectors almost 150 years ago. For the pair...Sold
(ca. 1836) Houck's Panacea, Baltimore. Low-400. Countermark on 1831 O-108 half dollar. Choice Extremely Fine. A bold mark, fully outlined but for the bottom right corner, in its usual location on the left obverse field of a Bust half dollar. Lovely pale blue toning fades to crimson and gold at the rims. A rim nick is present at 9:00, and a thin hairscratch across the bust towards the date is only noted under careful scrutiny. Great color and surfaces and the especially bold countermark make this an above average example...Sold
A Revolutionary War-Era Sweetheart Token, dated 1778
1778 sweetheart token to Anne Guy, engraved on both sides on a thin copper coin, probably a worn counterfeit halfpenny. Extremely Fine Two different pattern borders surround the fancy Anne Guy 1778 inscription, along with some floral decoration above and at either side. The reverse shows crossed horns-of-plenty with abundant and intricate floral decoration around. Nice chocolate brown, smooth and glossy, no scratches or damage. Probably engraved by a departing member of the military, or perhaps produced to commemorate a birth during this pivotal year. More likely British manufacture than American. Nice workmanship and a relic that begs a story be wrapped around it...Sold
A Choice 1834 Running Boar Hard Times Token
1834 Running Boar token. Low-8, HT-9. Rarity-1. Choice Mint State. Lively satiny cartwheel luster is pervasive on both sides, with deep steel brown enriched by mint red around legends on both sides. Just a beautiful example. This popular anti-Jackson token is one of the most iconic in the series. It features a quote from Rep. Samuel Beardsley on the obverse, "Perish credit, perish commerce!," which he continued "give us a broken, a deranged, and a worthless currency, rather than the ignoble and corrupting tyranny of an irresponsible corporation." Well, here's his deranged and worthless currency, except for people like you pay a lot of money for ones this pretty now...Sold
Mexico / Love Token. 1776 FM one real, engraved EP 1799 in fancy script on the obverse. Fine or better, engraving sharper. Nice two-tone old silver gray with deep gray fields enlivened with pastel blue and violet in the right light. Very nicely engraved in a florid 18th century hand, perhaps by an early fan of Elvis Presley. The two "magic dates" on this piece - 1799 was the year of WashingtonÕs death, not to mention a key large cent date - make it a particularly interesting love token...Sold
Am I Not A Woman And A Sister Hard Times token. Low-54. Copper. Choice Very Fine or better. Just a nice, even, glossy chocolate brown example with light wear and no problems. An endlessly popular token, distributed by abolitionists in New York and Boston in imitation of a popular 1790s anti-slavery token from England. This one is listed among the 100 Greatest Tokens and Medals as number 10...Sold
Choice Tremont House Five Cents Encased Postage
(ca. 1862) Tremont House, Chicago. Five Cents encased postage. HB-122, EP-77, S-90. Choice Very Fine. A very nice example, with a flawless lightly worn case free from corrosion or other problems. The stamp is fairly well centered, with just a small spot of crazing at the bottom of the mica. Tremont House is a slightly scarcer issuer, not to mention an historically interesting one, as the spot where Lincoln launched his 1858 campaign. This piece compares favorably to the VF in Ford that brought $483 in 2007...Sold
New Orleans, Louisiana. PHILLIPS CHEAP STORE, NAYADES ST, N.O. on a French 1828 M (Toulouse) 5 francs of Charles X. Choice Extremely Fine. One of the best looking hosts I've ever seen on this popular issue, stamped in the 1850s almost entirely on French 5 francs pieces. Most hosts are early types, often well worn, while this one shows relatively little wear. Soundly marked and very appealing. The near-exclusively French undertypes of the known Phillips Cheap Store pieces suggest either the remaining French influence in antebellum New Orleans, or nostalgia for "les bon vieux temps," or both. Unlike most marks, this is always (to my knowledge) found on large silver coins. A fascinating entry into any countermark collection...Sold
Superb Gem White Metal Dickeson Sommers Island Copy
(ca. late 1850s) Sommers Island Shilling copy by Dr. Montroville W. Dickeson. White metal, 32 mm. Choice Mint State. Flashy, beautiful, barely toned white metal, as reflective as when struck. Some faint toning is present, only minor hairlines, sharp and spectacular. The Boyd-Ford Collection had specimens of this popular and scarce struck copy in copper and brass, but none in white metal. This is also said to exist in nickel. Prices for gem examples have been strong at auction, and this composition seems far rarer than either copper or brass. In fact, in technical terms, this is probably rarer than real Sommers Island shillings of 1616, even though it was produced as (and remains) a more cost-effective way to represent British North America's first circulating coinage. Of course, this thing is also a whole lot prettier than any Sommers Island shilling...Sold
Superb Gem White Metal Dickeson Sommers Island Copy
(ca. late 1850s) Sommers Island Shilling copy by Dr. Montroville W. Dickeson. White metal, 32 mm. Choice Mint State. Flashy, beautiful, barely toned white metal, as reflective as when struck. Some faint toning is present, only minor hairlines, sharp and spectacular. The Boyd-Ford Collection had specimens of this popular and scarce struck copy in copper and brass, but none in white metal. This is also said to exist in nickel. Prices for gem examples have been strong at auction, and this composition seems far rarer than either copper or brass. In fact, in technical terms, this is probably rarer than real Sommers Island shillings of 1616, even though it was produced as (and remains) a more cost-effective way to represent British North America's first circulating coinage. Of course, this thing is also a whole lot prettier than any Sommers Island shilling...Sold
Rare Maryland Civil War Dogtag
1864 George B. McClellan Civil War dogtag. Bronze, 29 mm. Dewitt GMcC 1864-30. Choice About Uncirculated. Once gilt, traces remain at peripheries. Choice glossy light brown with superlative eye appeal. Marked on the reverse for Charles H. Long of Co. I, 8th Maryland Volunteers. The roster for the 8th includes a Charles H. Lange (not Long) in Company I, so perhaps the name is wrong, but there was a Charles H. Long who was a lieutenant with Company I of the 13th Maryland Volunteers. Charles H. Long had a long and eventful career until after Lincoln's assassination. As plenty of records exist for the era, a dutiful researcher will undoubtedly be able to piece together the exact war story of Charles Long of Maryland. As for the dog tag, any Maryland dog tags are dozens of times rarer than other states. This small-cent sized tag is a very elusive form. The thorough Ford Collection of Civil War dogtags (Part VII, 2005) included two examples of this tag, both issued to New Yorkers. The first (similar to this one) hammered at $850 ($977.50), and the second, with a battle list, brought $1495. This one is...Sold
"The King of Encased Coins:" A Red Unc Indian Head Cent in a Teddy Bear
1908 Teddy Bear Bread / Kolb's Bakeries, Philadelphia, PA. Encased 1908 cent. Choice Mint State. 41 x 31 mm. Bright and lustrous white metal surrounding a bright red choice Mint State 1908 Indian Head cent, just barely faded in the obverse fields. Some minor marks, none serious. A classic encasement, celebrating Teddy Roosevelt's saving of a bear cub that became a national phenomenon -- and begat the teddy bear. This is a very scarce token, called "the king of encased coins," with auction records close to $500. This is a little more common than it used to be, thanks to a small family hoard, but certainly every bit as interesting and desirable as ever. A great crossover collectible: how many numismatic teddy bears are there that don't have state quarters buried in their bellies?...Sold
H.E. HUNT countermark on 1828 O-107 half dollar. Very Fine. Brilliant silver gray, lightly cleaned but still showing deeper toning in areas around design elements along with good overall eye appeal. Boldly marked H.E. HUNT in large capital letters within a serrated cartouche. This mark is a new one on me, and it's not listed in Brunk either. The size and depth of the mark suggests a worker in a non-precious metal, more likely a blacksmith or clockmaker than a silversmith. Somewhere in a directory, or online, is the answer. Any kind of countermark on a Bust half (or any denomination) is avidly sought, and today's maverick becomes tomorrow's rarity with the help of evolving information resources...Sold
Am I Not A Woman And A Sister Hard Times token. Low-54. Copper. Choice Extremely Fine. Choice even light brown with ideal gloss and surface quality. About as nice a specimens as could be hoped for without waiting for a Mint State example. Number 10 on the list of the 100 Greatest American Tokens and Medals and easily the most popular Hard Times token, this issue transcends the limits of a token collection or even an Americana collection...Sold
1775 Mexico two reales counterstamped H. SAGE. Brunk-35570 (or Brunk S-88, new edition). Very Good, mark better. This is the Brunk plate coin. The book also cites an 1806 half dollar, and an 1830 half dollar in the Terranova Collection (Stack's, September 2010) also had this mark. It is perhaps the mark of Henry Sage, a silversmith who worked in Circleville, Ohio in the 1850s. This is a rare countermark, yet it's in Brunk, which is seemingly more attractive than a maverick so rare that it's unlisted. I've always liked countermarked foreign coins better than American ones, as they offer information of just what foreign types circulated in America, and in what proportions. Lots of two reales are marked, a prime indication of the primacy the "two bit" denomination had among silver coins in early American pockets...Sold
A Beautifully Original Bryan Dollar
1896 Bryan dollar. Silver, 52 mm. HK-781, Zerbe-6. Choice About Uncirculated. Nicer than so many of the certified Mint State pieces, and the vast majority of surviving examples of this variety overall, with beautiful old toning of slate blue and deep violet with gold around the motifs. Still lustrous and reflective, some minor hairlines and handling, a few little marks on the reverse. Just a very attractive example of this classic and historical type by Gorham...Sold
Peck and Burnham / S.B. Schenck storecard. Boston, Massachusetts. Low-326, HT-168, R-2. Choice Mint State. Superb cartwheel lustre over hard, smooth chocolate brown surfaces. Some mint color remains in protected areas. Pretty much flawless but for a single pit, as struck, at RT of WOODWORTH'S. A gorgeous example of this Hard Times token...Sold
"Hey there, want to come see my mastodon?"
1821 Philadelphia Museum token. Julian UN-23, Rulau PA-398. Bronze, 32 mm. About Uncirculated. Some luster persists on lively medium brown surfaces, lightly toned with pale blue around devices. Quite flashy, an unusually handsome specimen of this popular early token. There are some minor hairlines, a bit of schmutz around the reverse devices, and a couple of rim nicks, including a significant one over UM of MUSEUM. Excellent eye appeal, far nicer than these usually come...Sold
A more worn example, perhaps VF or better by detail, with slightly granular surfaces and a bit of pitting. It probably totally wrecked some Philadelphia school kid's day when he or she lost this in the ground almost 200 years ago...Sold
A year after these pieces were struck at the Philadelphia Mint, Charles Willson Peale painted a now famous self portrait entitled "The Artist and His Museum", giving us a good idea of just what those who presented these charming tokens were bound to encounter on their visit. The museum, founded in 1786, took up new confines on the second floor of Independence Hall in 1802, where it remained until its closure with Peale's death in 1827. Much of its contents ended up in the possession of PT Barnum. Peale's son Titian designed the reverse of the Gobrecht dollar; fifteen years before Gobrecht engraved the dies for that coin, he engraved the dies for these.
(ca. 1850s) Vine Street Line, Philadelphia transit token. Brass, 27 x 18 mm. Atwood-Coffee PA 750F. Eight sided. About Uncirculated. A beautiful example of this horse trolley token, with traces of brassy color remaining on the otherwise highly glossy chocolate brown surfaces. The 2002 Steinberg specimen lacked significant obverse detail and was graded Choice VF. This line was converted to electric trolleys before the 1876 Centennial Exposition, when a program noted that "Passenger railways running north and south issue exchange tickets good on the above-named lines." It appears this token was used the same way, as an exchange pass a few decades earlier as a traveler transferred to the Vine Street horse trolley at Fairmount Park. The rendering of a period stagecoach is classic on this scarce early token. Sold