Written by Brian Kendrella, President and Q.
David Bowers, Chairman Emeritus
A Great Convention
The entire
Stack’s Bowers Galleries staff invites you to be a part of one of the most
dynamic conventions of the year, and to participate in what will be a
long-remembered auction.
The venue is
the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Expo at the Baltimore Convention Center.
Year in and year out, this has been a favorite show for collectors and dealers
alike. Draw a 400-mile circle around Baltimore and you include, perhaps, 60
percent of the active numismatists in America. As such, it is a pleasant drive
or a scenic ride on Amtrak. The Baltimore-Washington International Airport
beckons if you are coming from a longer distance — a modern facility with a
minimum of delays and red tape.
In a survey
taken of dealers a few years ago, Baltimore was overwhelmingly picked as the
most popular convention city. If you and your family want to spend a very nice
several days, we’ll see you there! Alternatively, you can “attend” in real time
on your computer if you live in Zurich, Boise, Dallas, or wherever. There are
multiple elements to our auction, including U.S. coins and related numismatics
as featured in this catalog, as well as additional catalogs that feature U.S.
currency as well as ancient and world coins and paper money.
A Great Sale
Highlighted
by The David M. Sundman Collection of Massachusetts Silver Coins, our sale will
be one of the finest of our era. The Sundman Collection features prime
rarities, some pedigreed back to the 19th century, in the NE (New England),
Willow Tree, Oak Tree, and Pine Tree series. It was a pleasure working with the
other numismatic experts at Stack's Bowers Galleries and with Dave Sundman to
present these — including some commentary you may find interesting about the
numismatic tradition of that series.
Session 1
begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6. Food and beverages will be served to
registered bidders. Varied numismatic Americana start the sale, followed by
denominations in order from half cents to half dollars, 719 lots in all.
Included will be coins in all grades and price ranges, from popular and
affordable, to scarce and rare.
Session 2,
United States currency, commences on Thursday, November 7, at 5 p.m., and is
featured in a separate catalog.
Session 3,
Rarities Night, starts on Thursday at 6 p.m. The Just Having Fun Collection of
Shield Nickels is complete from 1866 to 1883, with ultra-grade Proofs
(including the legendary 1867 With Rays) plus, remarkably, Gem Mint State
coins, some of which are far rarer than Proofs. The George Gardner Collection
of Walking Liberty Half Dollars offers exceptional specimens in this beautiful
series. All eyes will be facing forward when a spectacular Gem Proof 1893-CC Morgan
silver dollar is offered. It may be years, if ever, before an equivalent coin
is available. Early silver coins of various denominations, including notable
silver dollars, are of commanding importance and are followed by Capped Bust,
Liberty Seated, and later series. Quarter eagles include three of the most
famous rarities of the denomination — one of the finest of the 1854-S and
marvelous Gem Proofs of 1863 and 1875. An 1881 Proof set complete from the
Indian cent to the double eagle, 14 pieces, will long be remembered. An 1895
Proof set of minor and silver coins includes the highly important Proof-only Morgan
dollar. Panama-Pacific $50 gold coins in octagonal and round formats will draw
wide attention as well.
Session 4,
continuing American coins from silver dollars to gold plus commemoratives,
patterns, and other series, begins at 10 a.m. on Friday, November 8. Morgan
silver dollars, for example, include most of the varieties needed to complete a
collection. Building a type set of United States gold? You’ve come to the right
place. Commemoratives of the classic era from 1892 to 1954 also include many
Choice and Gem varieties.
C4 and Session 5
Session 5 at
6 p.m. on Friday showcases The Sundman Collection, The Moore Collection and
other important properties, and is dedicated to The Colonial Coin Collectors
Club (C4). Founded in 1993, the club comprises collectors, dealers, and
scholars in this field. The annual convention of C4 is earlier in the day, and
you are cordially invited to attend. This is one of the finest specialties in
numismatics and is very enjoyable to pursue. We suggest you visit the C4 website,
colonialcoins.org, and do some exploring. You will find an overview of colonial
coins, ideas on how to collect them, resources you can tap, and more. This is a
very dynamic group and well worth joining. The C4 Newsletter, edited by Syd Martin, is one of the finest
publications in numismatics.
Our post-Expo
Internet offerings will be of interest also, and will include many worthwhile
coins.
How to Be a Winning
Bidder!
There are
several easy ways to bid in our Baltimore sale. First, the red carpet will be
out for you if you come to the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Expo. Attending
our sale should be your first priority of course, but you will enjoy a bourse
with hundreds of dealers and the opportunity to meet and greet other collectors
and dealers.
Alternatively,
you can participate on the Internet, on
the telephone (by advance arrangement), or by sending your bids by mail. The
secret that is quickly spreading to common knowledge is that our cutting-edge
live auction software enables you to attend
our sale, in a way, from the comfort of your favorite chair in your living
room, or from your office. On your screen you will see our auctioneer in
action, hear every word of commentary, and watch the progression of bids. See
something you like? Just click “Bid” on your screen, and you are competing live
in the auction gallery. The experience is exciting!
Today, most of our buyers bid
this way! Countless thousands of clients follow the action via the Internet in
this manner.
Study our lot descriptions carefully and view the professionally
photographed images. Contemplate the coins in your specialties, then consider
some new areas. Collecting is a dynamic, ever-changing adventure, and
discovering new things to collect is part of the enjoyment.
Thinking of Selling?
We invite you
to take advantage of the excitement and enthusiasm and be a part of our dynamic
2014 auction schedule! Upcoming sales include our January New York International
Numismatic Convention (NYINC) auction — a prestigious event dedicated to the
needs of world and ancient collectors — held at the historical Waldorf Astoria
Hotel. Following NYINC is our February 2014 Americana Sale, which has already
garnered several important consignments. The sale will be held in our own New
York auction gallery at 110 West 57th Street, with a special Rarities Night
Auction held in the penthouse of the Le Parker Méridian Hotel. You may also
want to consider participating in our spring, summer and winter Whitman Coin
& Collectibles Baltimore Expos, where we will serve as official auctioneer
of all three coin and currency shows. World and Asian numismatic collectors
will not want to miss our April and August 2014 Hong Kong Auctions, which draw
leading specialists and collectors from around the globe.
Consignors
have numerous options when selling coins and paper money in the New Year, but
only one choice when it comes to having your consignments handled by a firm
with the longest standing record of success in numismatics, Stack’s Bowers
Galleries. Contact us today at 800-458-4646 (West Coast) or 800-566-2580 (East
Coast) to ensure your rarities are part of our prosperous 2014 auctions.
On behalf of
all of us at Stack’s Bowers Galleries, we appreciate your review of our
November 2013 Official Auction of the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Baltimore
Expo. It promises to be a grand event, and we look forward to you being a part
of it.
Sincerely,
Brian
Kendrella
President
Q. David
Bowers
Chairman
Emeritus
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