Another coin show smash and grab

[Nutmeg Coin]

I got this email from Numismatic Crime Center:

 

Vehicle Burglarized

 

Attached is a list of US coins and paper money stolen from August after leaving a coin show in Westford, MA on April 24,2016. Mr. August stopped a short distance from the show and became the victim of a smash and grab vehicle burglary.

 

Coins Stolen From Vehicle, April 24, 2016

All Colonial Coins and Large Cents are in 2x2 White Envelopes

Other US coins were in Stapled 2x2 Holders

Contact Richard August, (401) 331-7478

and

Westford MA Police Department, (978) 692-2161

Colonials

1772 Machin's Mills Halfpenny, F-VF

1787 Machin’s Mills Halfpenny, VF

1787 Machin’s Mills Halfpenny, VF (a second coin, 2 total)

1787 Vermont Cent, Ryder 14, XF

1787 Vermont Cent, Ryder 13, XF, Britannia Reverse

1742-A French Colonies Sou Marque, XF

1713-D French Colonies, 30 Deniers, XF

1710 or 1711-A French Colonies, 30 Deniers, Unc

1760 Voce Populi, P below Bust, VF

1787 Connecticut Cent, 33.13Z.7, VF, Draped Bust Type

1788 Connecticut Cent, Mailed Bust, XF-AU

6 or 7 other 1787 Connecticut Cents, All Draped Bust Types

Washington Success Token, Large Size, AU

Large Cents

1796 Draped Bust Reverse of 1794, Obv XF, Rev VF30, S-108, R4 Condition Census

1797 Draped Bust Large Cent, Reverse With Stems, VF-XF (VF-35), S-138 R1

1797 Draped Bust Large Cent, Reverse With Stems, VF-XF (VF-35), S-140,R1

1797 Draped Bust Large Cent, Reverse Stemless, S-131, R2, Obv VF-35, Rev VF-20

1798 Draped Bust Large Cent, S-166, Style 2 Hair, R1, XF-40

1800 Draped Bust Large Cent, S-212, R3, VF-30

1805 Draped Bust Large Cent, S-267, R1, VF-30

1805 Draped Bust Large Cent, S-268, R3, VF-XF (VF-35)

1807 Draped Bust Large Cent, XF-45, Large Fraction, S-276

1821 Coronet Head Large Cent, N-2, XF-40

1824 Coronet Head Large Cent, N-3, Unc MS-60

1843 Braided Hair Large Cent, XF-40, Petite Head, Large Letters

1855 Upright 5’s Braided Hair Large Cent, Unc, (MS-63)

Draped Bust Coinage

1806/5 Quarter, VF-XF

1806 Quarter, VG-Fine

1806 Quarter, About VF

1806 Half Dollar, VF

1807 Half Dollar, VF-XF

Capped Bust Coinage

1814 Dime, VF-XF

1821 Dime, XF-45

1827 Dime, AU

1818 Quarter, XF

1821 Quarter, XF-45

1822 Quarter, VF-XF

1828 Quarter VF-XF

1807 Half Dollar, Small Stars, XF-45

1807 Half Dollar, 50/20 Variety, XF

1808 Half Dollar, VF

1809 Half Dollar, VF

1810 Half Dollar

1810 Half Dollar

1814/3 Half Dollar, VF-XF

1820 Half Dollar, Square Base 2, Knob on 2, Wide Date,AU-55

1823 Capped Bust Half Dollar, Unc (Raw) MS-63

1824 Half Dollar, XF

1828 Half Dollar, XF

1829 Half Dollar, Unc (MS-60)

1830 Half Dollar, AU-58

1830 Half Dollar, AU

Seated Liberty Coinage

1838 Half Dime VF-XF, No Drapery, Large Stars

1838 Half Dime AU, No Drapery, Small Stars

(Over)

 

Coins Stolen From Vehicle, April 24, 2016

1855 Half Dime, XF-45

1858 Half Dime, XF-40

1870 Half Dime, VF-XF

1870 Half Dime, XF-45

1839 Dime, VF-XF

1841 Dime, VF-XF

1841-O Dime, VF, Small O

1850 Dime, VF-XF

1856 Dime, XF-45

1856-O Dime, XF-45

1856-S Dime, About Fine (Scarce Date)

1859-O Dime, XF

1885 Dime, AU

1838 Quarter, No Drapery, XF-45

1839 Quarter, No Drapery, XF-AU

1840-O Quarter, No Drapery, F-VF

1843 Quarter XF-45

1849 Quarter, XF-45

1853 Quarter, Arrows and Rays, XF-45

1855 Quarter, Arrows at Date, XF

1857 Quarter, XF

1858 Quarter XF-45

1859 Quarter, XF

1862 Quarter, XF-45

1862 Quarter, XF-45

1875 Quarter, AU-55

1876-S Quarter, VF-XF

1840 Half Dollar, VF

1840-O Half Dollar, Baseball Die Cracks, Reverse, VF-XF

1848-O Half Dollar, XF-45

1853-O Half Dollar, Arrows and Rays, XF-45

1858 Half Dollar,XF-45

1859-O Half Dollar, AU-50

1867-S Half Dollar, XF

1869 Half Dollar,AU-55

1870 Half Dollar, VF-XF

1872 Half Dollar, AU-55

Misc Coins

1794 Liberty Cap Half Cent, Granular VF (Was in a white 2x2 envelope)

1795 Flowing Hair Half Dollar F-VF

1911-D Lincoln Cent, Unc (MS-64)

1855 Three Cent Silver, VF-XF

1881 Three Cent Nickel, Proof, PR-63

1867 No Rays Shield Nickel, VF

1916-D Buffalo Nickel, Unc (MS-65)

1921-S Buffalo Nickel, VF-XF

Hard Times Token, Am I not a Woman and Sister, Low-54, XF-AU

 

 

Hard Times Token, Bergen Iron Works, New Jersey, Low-142 AU-50

Paper Money

5 Continental Currency Notes, One Unc, One AU, rest VF-XF

1776 Connecticut, Uncancelled Uncirculated

7-10 Colonial Era to 1820 "Lottery Tickets"

20-25 Obsolete Bank Notes including some from Rhode Island

Complete Set Obsolete Currency, Manhattan Silver Mining Company, Austin, NV (below)

(1870's), $100, $50, $20, $10, $5, $3, $1

Foreign Coin Highlights (Full list to follow)

Great Britain, 1829 Gold Sovereign, VF-XF

Great Britain, 1804 Bank Dollar, VF

Canada/Newfoundland $2 Gold, 1872, XF with gold loop at 12:00

Lots of early English and Latin America

All Colonial Coins and Large Cents are in 2x2 White Envelopes

Other US coins were in Stapled 2x2 Holders

Contact Richard August, (401) 331-7478

and

Westford MA Police Department, (978) 692-2161

[RWB]

Sad.

 

An awful lot of that material might get dumped and the rest pulled out of the 2x2s and sold in bulk.

[johnny9434]

how awful to lose that kinda stuff.

[bourse28]

What a horrible loss.

 

In traveling to and from shows I never stop unless its airport or destination. If hungry go thru fast food drive thru. Also make sure nobody following me. You should never let your guard down.

 

I carry mainly paper money (its lightweight plus much higher profit material) to shows with just 20-40 1st string coins as I have an online store. The guy that has $20 DE stacked in his case is more likely to be a target than me, but you can never assume......

 

 

[Matt_dac]

I go to that show from time to time....unreal. No time to grab a firearm I assume.

[Nutmeg Coin]

Another one reported today:

 

Vehicle Burglarized

 

 

 

On Sunday April 24, 2016 two Idaho dealers on their way home from the Tukwila, WA coin show were victims of a vehicle burglary when they stopped approximately 30 mins after leaving the show. The suspects used an unkown type of instrument to open the driver's door giving them access to three plastic totes and a large wooden briefcase containing over $100,000 in coins and cash. Two vehicles were used during the offense which were described as a new Chevrolet Equinox with California plates and possibly a older Subaru with Washington plates. The only description of the suspects was that one was a white male.

 

Partial Listing of stolen coins:

Large amount of coins from half cents to silver dollars in 2x2's written in blue ink and 1 1/2x 1 1/2's in green or blue.

Box of certfied dollars

1840 Seated dollar toned xf/au

MS 63 1857 Flying Eagle

1907 xf/au gold Indian

 

 

 

Anyone with information should contact:

 

 

Doug Davis

 

817-723-7231

 

doug@numismaticcrimes.org

 

[RWB]

So long as people ignore basic security and awareness, they will get robbed. There is nothing new about targeting coin dealers -- check in some old issues of The Numismatist. A hand gun will not help.

[Nutmeg Coin]

This other story may be related--with one dealer coming to the show with a gun that accidentally discharged: https://forums.collectors.com/messageview.aspx?catid=26&threadid=962902&enterthread=y

 

Oops, looks like the thread which had lots of responses has already gone down the memory hole at CU....I spoke with a dealer who was there who filled me in on what happened at the Parsippany show.

[Nutmeg Coin]

Vehicle Burglarized

 

 

 

On May 1, 2016 a dealer attending the Wooster, Ohio Coin Club show was the victim of a vehicle burglary. The offense occurred in the parking lot while loading up at the conclusion of the show. The victim may have been targeted by a group of 4 women and 2 males described as Hispanic or Columbian nationality who had been acting suspicious during the show.

 

Partial list of stolen coins:

1975 1oz Kruggerrand

6-1915 1 Ducat unc

1915 100 Korona unc

1915 4 Ducat unc

1 1908 Hungary Korona unc

1 1906 Mex 10 Peso gold unc

1 1959 Mex 10 Peso gold unc

2 1907S US $20 gold unc

17 1986-2008 gold 1 oz Eagles NGC/PCGS MS69

10 1986-2008 ½ oz Eagles unc

15 1997 $5 gold eagles unc

9 US $10 Olympic gold proofs

5 1987US $5 Const gold unc

41994 US $5 World Cup Gold

 

Anyone with information should contact:

Lt. Bolek

Wooster Police Department

330-287-5700

[bourse28]

I feel for their loss, but sadly it appears they let their guard down.

 

You simply can't do this when traveling with coins and currency. In airports, and even on planes,there are people who will try to distract you possibly to steal. Never, ever let yourself become separated from your material even if you look like a jerk.

 

On the Sunday of a show (which is slow anyhow) I would try to have a big lunch, so not famished after show and tempted to stop somewhere. If food needed, would simply go thru drive thru making sure I had not been followed.

 

If you have a lot of gold coins in your case at a show, becoming a target is a strong possibility. You should be on very high alert when leaving the show with your material. Stopping to eat is not an option.....

 

When packing up to leave, it is a mistake to leave coins in your car when going back in for other stuff. Do not leave a bc of coins in the bourse room unattended. if you absolutely have to leave your bc unattended in the bourse room while loading up, chain it to the table and have a friend watch it.

 

[WoodenJefferson]

It's unfortunate it has all come to this...gone are the days of trust

 

[Conder101]

It's unfortunate it has all come to this...gone are the days of trust

Come to this? Read old numismatic periodicals and you will find the same kind of reports back in the 40' and 50's. This is nothing new.

[Nutmeg Coin]

I'm surprised that dealers haven't considered setting up sting operations in various places; putting bait out for the crooks, dufus looking dealer, who is adept at uncoiling like a rattlesnake when the thieves pull their heist attempt; thieves get nabbed. The word gets out that coin dealers are a high risk target.

[MarkFeld]

I'm surprised that dealers haven't considered setting up sting operations in various places; putting bait out for the crooks, dufus looking dealer, who is adept at uncoiling like a rattlesnake when the thieves pull their heist attempt; thieves get nabbed. The word gets out that coin dealers are a high risk target.

 

I'm not. It would require a great deal of time and likely be quite dangerous, as well.

[JLarronde]

Maybe a Sheriff wants to show voters he/she always works against any type of criminals, and a Prosecutor wants same to show to voters? It is a win-win situation for them.