From the Numismatic Crime Information Center, I think they will be hard to fence: Residential Burglary Detectives with the Seattle, WA Police Department are investigating a residential burglary resulting in the loss of a complete collection of 12 Caesars in VF+ condition.
What a terrible loss! I was the victim of a home buglary about 10 years ago. In my case, everything was recovered. I wish the same for this victim.
I hope they catch whoever did it quickly. And hopefully (not that any of this is good) they were targeted for the numistmatic value rather than gold value cause then they may get melted down.
I can't help but wonder why the owner kept such a collection at home. I wish he gets it back, and hope they hang the thief by the short hairs, but still.
When I lived in the Pacific Northwest there was a coin collector who was murdered in his own home over his collection. Apparently he would go to the local watering hole and boast about his collection. Sadly the worst possible situation happened.
I can't find this report on http://www.numismaticcrimes.org anywhere. Are there pictures of the reverses or catalog numbers to help better identify the coins?
I suppose the unfortunate victim had his collection stored in easily accessible 'drawers' or cabinets?? But even a 'safe' or an ATM for that matter can be removed by someone determined enough. It does make those of us with even 'modest' collections to reconsider how and where we store our 'treasures'. I hope they burn the bastards!