realone

Bruce,

I reviewed I believe all your pieces, a wonderful collection.  Are you still searching for a Brass example HK-b or do you have one and I missed it? And your hk-11c is gorgeous and obviously in very high grade.

To answer your last question: I have never seen Fort Sumter, just viewed photos and of course admire its incredible history.

Thank you Bruce,

there seems to be an increase in interest in this Fort Sumter HK-11 series. If you visit PCGS Coin Universe you will find there are a number of members there that either collect these and/or are extremely interested. 

On your registry I saw you updated it with a recent sale on 1/28 that a member of the PCGS Coin Universe just won. It was a white metal in NGC PL62. I am personally waiting for the HK-11 DPL64 that is in the pop report to add to my collection. Have you ever seen it?

Thank you

This a question directed to Bruce Thomas.

Bruce you have the lovely HK-11f pl64 , was it previously graded by NGC prior to it being recently reholdered in the 11f for silver holder and if so what was on the ngc holder? Thanks

Best mag out there, and your archives/museum is spectacular. Wish every dealer would do that!

Thanks

OWNER COMMENTS from NGC Collectors Society:

Medal, (1882), AR, SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI MEDAL, United States, RARE in Silver, NGC MS63, Cert# 3702967-001. Award & Membership Medal. Size: 32 Mm. By Henry Mitchell.Catalog: Julian RF-4. Description: Obv: a spread-wing eagle with the badge of the Society on its breast, olive branches in both claws and a partial wreath around its head is flanked by the dates 1783 and 1883. Rev: an open wreath with the inscription SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI above and INST.. A.D. / 1783. below. A handsome, historical and richly original example, both sides are draped in bold charcoal gray patina that lightens to lilac-gray in the center of the reverse. The devices are fully impressed with razor sharp definition. Silver examples of this type, as here, were struck in 1882 for the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati. Julian also reports a single gold example, struck in December 1887. This example, Ex Stacks Bowers ANA Chicago Auction, Lot #1122, August, 2013. Historical: The Society of the Cincinnati is the nation's oldest patriotic organization, founded in 1783 by officers of the Continental Army and their French counterparts who served together in the American Revolution. Its mission is to promote knowledge and appreciation of the achievement of American independence and to foster fellowship among its members. Now a nonprofit educational organization devoted to the principles and ideals of its founders, the modern Society maintains its headquarters, library, and museum at Anderson House in Washington, D.C. Members of the Society are qualified male descendants of officers of the Continental Army and Navy and their French counterparts during the Revolutionary War. No others can ever be admitted as members.

5 hours ago, RWB said:

Sadly, I've been shown a couple of counterfeit love tokens. One was on a fake 1885 Eagle and another was a common fake Morgan dollar - I forget the date. Premiums on these things bring out the roaches.

I assure it is real, I also believe it to be a proof. The matching coin is  a 1882 Proof 63 $20 with the identical reversed engraving on a plained off surface. The family was one of the wealthiest in the country. And the martriarch was a known coin collector.

5 hours ago, RWB said:

To me the coin has been converted from a "collector's coin" to something more personal and interesting. Using a coin for a love token or other remembrance is very different from smacking it with an unreadable chop mark. I could understand authentication of the OP's coin; but not chop marked Trade dollars, except as damaged melt value.

Here is its provenance, which to me is quite interesting:

"Ex New Netherlands Coin Co. in May 1971, said then as ex Wayte Raymond Estate". S what is interesting, it isn't a coin that Wayte sold as a dealer, it was from his personal collection imo!

The former owner thought it was a proof, even though in the Stack's auction it was described as AU. Who knows, the fact is that there are a great many PL's out there. But the fascinating part of this coin's history is as the engraving, says it was a Xmas gift given in Dec 1865 to Captain Robert Taylor from his son Frank. Well Captain Robert Taylor happened at the time to be a Captain of a District for the Boston Police Dept and  he died on Dec 4  1866. But the significant part of the story is that on May 8 1854 The Boston Police Dept was formed under the command of Chief Robert Taylor, who was authorized to hire 250 men with an appropriation of $188,000 and ordered to report to the Mayor. He would be the Boston Police Chief from 1854-1856 returning to the position of Captain after. The engraving is done superbly and is kept to the fields. The toning on the piece is outstanding as is the condition for a damaged dollar although  I understand some may think it is ruined by the engraving, I personally enjoy the damage as an added piece of history and provenance.:)

BTW it sold previously in Stacks 2005 John Ford Sale.

47 minutes ago, MarkFeld said:

Alan, why do you despise that terminology? Your way of describing it would certainly take the  out of it!

"Love Token" isn't numismatic enough for me, sounds like love letters blah blah blah.

17 hours ago, Just Bob said:

Welcome back

Very cool piece. Would an 25th anniversary engraved Morgan be considered a Love Token?

Unfortunately it is classified under the term  "Lovetoken" even tho I despise that terminology. I rather describe it as a contemporary  professionally engraved dollar.

3 hours ago, MarkFeld said:

Neat love token!

I admit, if I’d seen just the obverse, based on the color and darkened borders, I would have guessed that it was a Chinese counterfeit.

LOL, and I on the other hand would have thought it was a proof and still believe so.

But thank you for your commentary.;)

28 minutes ago, GoldFinger1969 said:

The problem with the holder is it is impossible to see the edge.  I never knew why NGC created that holder in the first place.  But I can certainly understand Mark's attachment to the coin in it's entirety.

 

I don't understand, every grading co at the time didn't  unfortunately show the edge. But that doesn't make them bad holders. Today with the prongs it is obviously more informational , that being said I have heard about the prong holders damaging white metal coins too so that doesn't help either. All holders are problematic , I am just fond of the older ones.

What an amazing story, an amazing coin with the coolest of provenances. I would keep it in that oldish holder if it were me. I would also be proud to own that piece, needless to say you are a lucky man.

thanks for looking:

Speaking of Barbers has any one some info on the 25C 1916 D/d, how rare is it really and finest none?

And on the 10c 1893/2 same questions.

I love varieties so these two interest me greatly, are they really varieties or are these another Red Book blunder, that is they are very prevalent but the Red Book just exaggerates its rarity etc.?