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
and
Q. David Bowers
Chairman Emeritus
