Bowers on collecting: Consider collecting colonial coins (C4)

By Q. David Bowers

Colonial and early American coins are among the most interesting areas of numismatics. The Guide Book of United States Coins gives an excellent overview of the series. What is the coin you would pick to represent American numismatics if you could only select one? Louis E. Eliasberg, who formed the greatest collection of American coins ever, said his favorite was the 1652 Pine Tree shilling. Kenneth E. Bressett, long-time editor of the Guide Book made the same selection and I agree.

Hover to zoom.

While not everyone can afford a nice example of this coin, there are many colonial and early American coins that can be purchased from the tens of dollars into the low hundreds. This is especially true of the copper coins of the 1780s and the George Washington coins of the 1790s.

The focal point or meeting place for enthusiasts is the Colonial Coin Collectors Club (C4), formed by Michael Hodder and friends in 1993. Today it numbers hundreds of enthusiastic members. Its annual meeting is coming up quickly and will be held at the Whitman Coin Expo in Baltimore two weeks from now.

Your assignment if you want to open a new door to this fascinating world: Join the Colonial Coin Collectors Club. Believe it or not, the yearly dues amount to just $31, and you get four issues of the C4 Newsletter, which might be better called a magazine.

At the Expo, Stack’s Bowers Galleries will offer hundreds of colonial and early American coins at auction. The catalog can be acquired upon application to SBG or can be viewed for free online. Check it out.

I will be there, and if you plan to attend, stop by and say hello.

For now, Happy Halloween!

If you wish to contact me or send any inquiries, you may direct them to my e-mail, qdbarchive@metrocast.net.

❑

Comments

Stack’s Bowers’ June 2020 Auction Nets Over $5 Million

The Stack’s Bowers Galleries June 2020 Auction continued the trend of high prices realized recently demonstrated in their March Santa Ana and May Hong Kong auctions. Over $5 million was realized in the June sale across United States coins, tokens, and medals, achieving 114 percent of the pre-sale estimate on sold lots. (All prices listed include the buyer’s fee.) Strong demand for high-end gold coinage reflected continued growth in this collecting area, while Numismatic America also saw incredible strength, earning over 50 percent above pre-sale estimates in Internet-Only Session Three. With such strong results in their June sale, Stack’s Bowers Galleries is anticipating considerable interest in their upcoming August 2020 Auction, which will be posted online for viewing and bidding in early July. This Mint State 1824/4 O-110 Capped Bust half dollar featuring Washington and Lafayette countermarks realized $26,400. (All images courtesy Stack’s Bowers) Session One opened with Numism...

Mythology Featured on Early Indian Banknotes

The origin of the universe can be explained by modern astronomers and astrophysicists, while archaeologists and historians try to clarify the origin of human societies. A mythology is a collection of stories about a specific culture or religion. They often feature supernatural characters. Cultures around the world are filled with such ales about relationships between gods and humans. In the distant past, however, before any sciences existed, the beginnings of the world and of society were explained by MYTHOLOGY. Mythology is a common topic of expression through artwork. Not just dance; painting, sculpting, the mythology is a way of expression during many facets of day to day life. Even on Indian coins, stamps, and banknotes Mythology is featured with distinct concepts. The blog covers the topic: Mythology Featured on Early Indian Banknotes. As the British colonial reign strengthened in India over the years, their paper currency became the new normal. More denominations came in, layou...

Letters to the Editor (September 18, 2018)

Minting a new 3-cent piece wasteful if not silly Mint a three-cents coin? In the Aug. 28 issue of Numismatic News , a Viewpoint article by Wayne Pearson advocated the issuance of a new three-cent denomination coin to replace the cent. I think this idea is silly since nothing can be bought for three cents. Minting such a denomination would be wasteful. The least expensive item I know of is a paper bag, which one can buy for 10 cents in California when buying groceries. Making any coin of a smaller denomination makes no sense. I advocate a complete reworking of all of our coin denominations as follows: A dime, as the smallest; a quarter; a half dollar; and a dollar and a five dollar, all in ascending order of size. Eliminate the $1 bill and the $5 bill and begin the printing of $500 bills. Thomas Miller Santa Rosa, Calif. Base metal dollar coin designs that have circulated alongside the paper dollar include Eisenhower (top left), Susan B. Anthony (center right), and Sacaga...

Gold Eagle Price

Search This Blog