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Anyone remember Numistamps?

Started by RGT,

21 posts in this topic

RGT

RGT

Posted
Posted

I just came across these while cleaning up some junk around the house. I bought them on ebay about five years ago.

 

I remember seeing these advertised in Coin World in the mid '70s. I don't know what they originally sold for. The three small cent varieties have a small 1971 printed near the edge. The half cent has 1976 and the name Mort Reed. That name sounds familiar but I can't recall who he is. As I recall, they were each made of the original composition of the type they represent. Each one is stamped on the back with a serial number. All four of mine have the same serial number.

 

Does anyone know more about these, like how many types were made, when they were made, how many of each were made or how much they sold for?

554187-Numistamps.jpg.77c6e8823e1912be8fae298b557f5277.jpg

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gmarguli

gmarguli

Posted
Posted

That's funny, JamminJ & I were discussing these last week when we saw one on a bid board. I don't believe they were made of silver. In fact, I'm pretty sure they were not.

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truthteller

truthteller

Posted
Posted

Greg is correct, the medals are not silver, but some type of plated bronze. I bought several of these in a collection years ago. I offered them at $1 each, with no takers. frown.gif Makes a great paperweight, though. thumbsup2.gif

 

 

TRUTH

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JamminJ

JamminJ

Posted
Posted

How 'bout that!

 

As Greg mentioned I had no clue about what they were, but they sure didn't seem to be selling well.

 

-JamminJ

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RGT

RGT

Posted
  • Author
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Greg is correct, the medals are not silver, but some type of plated bronze. I bought several of these in a collection years ago. I offered them at $1 each, with no takers. frown.gif Makes a great paperweight, though. thumbsup2.gif

 

 

TRUTH

 

I'm sure mine aren't silver since they are cents and a half cent. But the cent types I have are CN varieties and they do have the look of a CN cent. The half cent appears to be made of copper. As you say they also look like they were coated with something to help them keep their color. I've never seen any of them for silver coins.

 

I would have been a buyer at $1 each. I think I paid close to $3 each for these and I quite like them. I just wish I had some way to display them. Maybe I can cut out a matt for them and frame them. It would look better with more of the different types though.

 

I suspect their are a lot of these out there somewhere gathering dust.

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MrDJ-migration

MrDJ-migration

Posted
Posted

I came across this discussion while I was looking for information on Numistamps. I collected 71 Numistamps back in the 70's and was wondering about the extent that anyone is aware of them and what value they might have today. A few years back (2003) I came across and eBay auction for one Numistamp, which sold for $10. The original selling price, back in the mid to late 1970's, was US$4.50.

 

The concept underlying Numistamps was pretty cool. Artist and author Mort Reed surmised that for most collectors it would probably be impossible to collect a quality set of U.S. coinage due to the high cost. So why not replicate the coins in an inexpensive ingot form that was acceptable to the U.S. Treasury, since reproduction of U.S. coinage is illegal. Thus the Numistamp was born. Numistamps were supposed to be struck using the exact metal of the original coins, although I doubt that real silver was used. The resulting coin substitutes have artistic detail that is quite impressive. My collection consists of 7 early half cent pieces, 6 small cents (i.e. our current penny), 8 five cents, 10 dimes, 13 quarters, 16 half dollars, and 11 one dollar replicas. The latter three ended with the special bicentennial coins. A loose leaf type binder, with special cardboard mounting pages, was included with my set.

 

I also checked my records and came across an undated article on Numistamps although I do not know what publication I clipped it from. This article prompted me to begin collecting the Numistamps. I am very curious about how many of these Numistamps were ever sold.

 

A PDF file with the article and a few photos of my collection can be downloaded at the following link:

 

http://www.mediamax.com/mrdj009/Links/9A870AB0AE

 

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jesbroken

jesbroken

Posted
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Those are pretty neat, RGT. Mort Reed authored "Cowles Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins", among other works and he was an artist. Don't pretend to know a lot about him other than reading an article on the net.

 

 

Edited to add:

Another note I'll add is that in 2004 a complete set of 114 Numistamps were sold in a liquidation auction for $50. They were described as stamped steel which were then coated with various materials.I would have bid with no problem for these but knew nothing at the time about them nor was I aware of the auction.

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bsshog40

bsshog40

Posted
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These were ones I bought for the heck of it. Don't think I gave too much but seeings how I'm somewhat of a jefferson collector, I bought them because they were nickels.

NumistampsPlaquecolor.jpg

 

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bsshog40

bsshog40

Posted
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An old post brought to life. I had posted these here a couple yrs ago but the pic is gone so I guess I'll post them again. I picked these up rather cheap also.

 

NumistampsPlaquecolor.jpg

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Mokiechan

Mokiechan

Posted
Posted

They really are quite attractive. I have one in my collection which depicts the Seated Liberty Half it is plated with what I believe was Silver but I am not sure.

 

later,

Malcolm

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kennymack13

kennymack13

Posted
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Yes I have a complete set. I bought them when they first come out and I have all of them from Half cents to 3 dollar Gold. I love them and they cost $4.50 each when I bought them.

 

My set # is 2657 and I even have the original brochure for them and all of the invoices.

 

Ken Harrison

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