GoldFinger1969

I would guess Bowers was the numismatist and Ruddy the business operations brains.

Does anybody know what happened to QA ?

Backed up another 5 pages of this thread, from Pages 51-55. Just a public service reminder for those of you who have your favorite threads or articles.

I checked the hardcover and there was a letter saying that the Price Catalog was being sent to this individual because they bought the first 2 of the Jay Pittman Auction Catalogs. I guess Akers did that one, too.

I am interested in Saints so outside of a few die varieties, I really concentrate on learning about the individual coins. A Forum Member here created a thread -- or maybe it's within the RWB Saints Thread -- about a die variety for a Saint which escapes my memory right now. And Rogers' book has sections on each Saint that cover die varieties and other mintmark and die variations.

Wow....yeah, I think Bowers' name and reputation gave alot of credibility to some firms over the decades.

Didn't collectors by the 1950's realize that large COLOR photos -- including close-ups -- were important for catalogs, records to ID specific coins, etc. ? If a coin had a tiny die crack or a blemish near a ray or a letter, wouldn't you want a close-up of it to prove it down the line ? I believe jewelry catalogs featured closeups and that was just to show appearance, nobody could see flaws in a diamond from photos.

Makes sense, because my readings of Menjou seem to indicate he was more interested in preserving his wealth than collecting coins. He feared a dollar collapse and/or hyperinflation. The spurt in inflation after WW II had to have made him more nervous. I read that he had 250 of the 1907 High Reliefs, which is unreal. Not sure how we verify something like that. Could be his total number of Saints, I don't know. Dealers who sold the remains of his estate in the early-1970's would probably know. As opposed to Menjou, coins affiliated with actor Buddy Epsen seem to be more likely to have been his as he was apparently an avid and active coin collector.

Apparently, the DuPoint 1854-S is still missing decades later: https://www.greysheet.com/news/story/new-discovery-of-an-1854-s-half-eagle-making-headlines-waves

I just read about that somewhere, can't remember where. I think there was a recent auction or I read about an auction in the past that the DuPont Family/heirs said they had no claim on a coin that was alleged to be the same one (not sure why, maybe they got the insurance proceeds) ? Can't remember where I saw that.... Nice job, Dave !! Gotta find out where I read about that coin, the DuPoints, and a sale where they disclaimed any legal claim.

Or somebody who worked there knew the value and took off with it.....

If these were sent to museums or librarys, presumably they'd be on display and we'd know about them ? Only two I am aware of is CSL and Smithsonian.

That's why today I think there is so much more information available to all of us that as long as you do your due dilligence, it's difficult to be taken advantage of. At least to the same extent 30 or 40 or 50 years ago.

Menjou had pics only for the more expensive coins and these are life-size and not that detailed (no blow-ups). You think if we had larger pictures of the coins from decades ago we'd have better markings and identifiers on the individual coins to make sure we could track their lineage ? Can't tell that I guess from the smaller pics (when taken) in these earlier catalogs.

The color photos on the first few pages appear to all be life-size color. Some of the Indian Heads are smaller than the Saints and Barbers. With the commentaries, the more expensive coins are blown-up and sometime are 2-3x actual size. At the end of the book the few "trophy" coins (like the 1927-D) are each given 3/4 page by themselves solo without any text.

No, pretty generic....it's on miniature Post-It like stationary for David Akers, Inc....someone emailed him (not sure when !) with their collecting interests. Akers says he doesn't have another sale scheduled at the present time (he had just done the Price Auction) but that he's sending him something that he did in 1998 (the Price Collection catalog) containing the series he collects (could be Saints, Indian Heads, or Barber Halfs). Says to accept them with his compliments. Regards, DA. No hard sales approach at all. Light-years more info in this catalog compared to the 1950 Menjou, and I'll even bet it beats the top coin commentaries for Eliasberg. Still not thrilled with the photos/pics, they look a combination of photo and artwork, I like real pictures with light shining off them but that's just me. Small color photos at beginning, larger B&W with the commentaries.

Roger, without getting into specific individuals....what were the most egregious unethical practices you saw among dealers from the NNP with regards to coin collecting in the 1940's - 1970's ? Lying about the value of a coin to a novice ? Someone bringing in a mint marked coin and not seeing the mint mark and selling it as a common Philly ? Not disclosing that you have a wealthy buyer for a particular coin that you can turn around and flip ?

FYI....I believe that CSL is one of the few non-SI sources of private museums/collections that have sold their coins over time to raise $$$.

Another Breen Exaggeration: I post this not to bash the guy because I realize for many years (decades ?) his was the only source on lots of coins. But it does appear at times he cut corners. I'm not sure where Breen's comments were made (at a conference ? In a book ? In an article ?) so context matters. David Akers, on the 1930-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle: "...Very few ever went to European banks either and, despite Walter Breen's comments to the contrary, I have never heard of any specific, verifiable hoard or even small groups of 1930-S double eagles that were found in French or Swiss banks, the main source for most of the hoard dates of double eagles that were located in Europe beginning in the early 1950s."

Just tell them you're a friend of Israel Switt's and you're there to pick up some Double Eagles.

There wasn't much more to do in those days, especially if admittance to the Mint was free. No movies....no sports....bars off-limits....no plays that were affordable....no video arcades for kids.

Thaine B. Price Catalog: Wow, I got a special surprise when I opened up the softcover auction booklet (I already had the hardcover). I found a personal note from David Akers on his own stationary addressed to the collector whom he sent the softcover version to.

I misread the post....I thought Mitchelson was in charge of the CSL, he was a private collector. I forgot it was Godard who ran CSL and spoke/wrote to Comparette. Thanks !

The number of collectors -- the demand -- is often as important as the supply (pop census).

Very interesting, and for those who want more, get Roger's book. Roger, Connecticut was the only museum/state that had a collection of gold coints/Double Eagles/Saints that they updated every year apparently ? Nobody else I take it, besides the Smithsonian ? I wonder if the CT State Library sent out a letter every year and if so...if they did it in 1933 ?