Copy of a David Lange magazine article manuscript with cover letter to Walter Breen 0

[Just Bob]

I found this for sale by someone who is selling some of Breen's personal catalogs and other effects. The manuscript is 7 pages, and included a few very interesting charts (pic attached).  Also included was a copy of an article by Mr. Lange that was printed in Coin World, with notes (Breen's?) in the margin.

 

 

[DWLange]

That's a blast from the past. Walter included my findings in the Barber Quarter section of his 1988 encyclopedia.

[Bignubnumismatics]

 

On 8/21/2022 at 7:06 PM, Just Bob said:

I found this for sale by someone who is selling some of Breen's personal catalogs and other effects. The manuscript is 7 pages, and included a few very interesting charts (pic attached).  Also included was a copy of an article by Mr. Lange that was printed in Coin World, with notes (Breen's?) in the margin.

 

 

 

Breen was out there…

Not a very good researcher and everything he couldn’t prove, he made it work somehow.

Here’s my funny Breen letter though.

[RWB]

On 8/21/2022 at 9:01 PM, DWLange said:

Walter included my findings in the Barber Quarter section of his 1988 encyclopedia

One of the sections that is consistently correct, too!

The "1917 proof nickel authentication" is entirely bogus.

Edited August 22, 2022 by RWB

[GoldFinger1969]

I realize there was no internet and no lightning-response capability back in the 1980's and before....but why would someone like Breen -- who clearly knew coins -- try and "cut corners" by trying to assert things that weren't true ?

I guess it's like folks who can play baseball but use PEDs or Madoff trying to juice his alleged returns rather than take a hit for 1 or 2 bad years.

[RWB]

On 8/21/2022 at 9:28 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

I realize there was no internet and no lightning-response capability back in the 1980's and before....but why would someone like Breen -- who clearly knew coins -- try and "cut corners" by trying to assert things that weren't true ?

Breen guessed and invented and lied to satisfy the people paying him, such as Ford, FCI and others. NARA records and graffiti in his handwriting indicate that he did little original US document research. Breen's writings show limited understanding of US Mint coinage processes and equipment, and almost nothing except "looks-like" guesses in most cases. The mixture of dishonesty with some otherwise accurate information limits the value of everything he wrote from the J J Ford indenture until he died.

["Looks-like" guesses = "Well it looks like a proof/specimen/prototype to me, so it must be a proof/specimen/prototype." That an item resembles something does not mean it IS the thing."

[GoldFinger1969]

On 8/22/2022 at 9:29 AM, RWB said:

Breen guessed and invented and lied to satisfy the people paying him, such as Ford, FCI and others. NARA records and graffiti in his handwriting indicate that he did little original US document research. Breen's writings show limited understanding of US Mint coinage processes and equipment

Who DID do this research back then (besides you, assuming you did it then) ?

[physics-fan3.14]

On 8/22/2022 at 3:24 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

Who DID do this research back then (besides you, assuming you did it then) ?

Very few people did - that's why modern numismatic researchers like Roger are so valuable. And why they have literally re-written what we thought we knew about numismatic history. 

One of the best of the mid-20th century was probably Don Taxay. 

[RWB]

On 8/22/2022 at 3:24 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

Who DID do this research back then (besides you, assuming you did it then) ?

Don Taxay's call slips occasionally pop up as do those of Dorothy Pascal. Several defacements of letters/reports seem to match Breen's handwriting, but there are other that do not. It is almost impossible to separate contemporary clerks' notes from 20th century scribbles.