Who has the best known collection?

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Man I would love to see that catalog.

My next question is how much were the catalogs when they were distributed? Second question is how did it become bound if the catalogs were issued separately? And third question is how do you go about receiving high profile auction catalogs from the various premier coin auction houses?

Somehow I received a stacks-Bowers catalog awhile back but nothing since and no other companies have sent me anything.

 

I had both the eliasberg and Garrett part one catalogs when I was a young coin collector a friend gave them to me when I was about 10 they unfortunately got lost probably when I moved they were completely worn out too due to hundreds of hours spent studying them I still remember a lot but would love to get copies of both again!

 

I know my collection the best.

 

Wow, I did not know he once owned a 1913 Liberty Nickel. Very cool to read it was the same one King Farouk I previously owned. Also cool to read that he seemed to enjoy it. Thank you for linking the article.

 

But they have a 1933 Double Eagle!! Only 1 person can claim a collection like that!


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So true and so unfortunate.

 

Yep. That was the Hispanic Society of America that did that.

Take a look at these two intriguing articles about the sale of the Huntington Collection (below). A huge Visigothic gold collection and Roman silver:

http://www.artsjournal.com/culturegrrl/2012/06/monetizing_the_money_why_did_n.html

http://www.artsjournal.com/culturegrrl/2012/07/video_visit_to_american_numism.html

It kind of makes you think of all these public collections (coins, art) going for sale nowadays to private collectors (ie, Detroit). While I may feel that Detroit might deserve to lose its art (you make bad financial decisions, you pay the price; Just like the rest of us!), it does make you ponder the loss of things that, theoretically, we all have access to...

 

I'm surprised no one has made mention of the King of Italy, Albania, and Somalia. Vitorrio Emannuale III was an avid collector. If I recall correctly his collection is now part of the Italian National holdings

 

This thread has taken a fascinating turn. I would second the point that auction catalogues are worth their weight in gold. For me, I think the most fun of this hobby comes from the opportunity to create and share (publish) knowledge. I usually acquire or find a coin with something new or unique (error or variety), then study it, publish an article on the coin, then give it to friend or sell it. Having access to a great selection of numismatic books (RCNA library and online journal that goes back to the 1950s) and catalogues has given me a better perspective on the hobby - although I suspect my Canadian numismatic library would pale in comparison with GDJMSP's library (there are not really a lot of books written about Canadian coins). I am always digging into old auction catalogues and books, usually to ensure I am not writing about something that has already been written.

Also, the legacy of online auctions (Heritage, icollector, etc.) have been a fantastic archive source too, because unlike catalogues, the online sites have the actual hammer price.

As for famous collections, I have a Canadian bias... the Belzberg and Pittman (who obtained a number of coins from King Farouk) collections were most impressive. I bought Pittman's Canadan 1970 VIP Specimen Set some time ago, and being my birth year - is up there as one of my favourites in my collection.

 

Unless you use them so much they degrade in condition and are worth less because they are now just "working copies".

 

As I am not a book collector, I would generally prefer a book from a working library, especially if it has good marginalia.

 

For the Newman collection, the sales are currently going on, I think the 1st 2 so far, the rest over the next couple of years.

For one of the best: The Garrett collection, there is the 4 (or 5) part auction catalogues. [PM me for info].

Also, for Garrett there is Bowers' book: The History of US coinage as Illustrated by the Garrett Collection. A very large hard covered book. hundreds of pages. [PM me for info]

 

How did I forget the John Ford collection. I don't know if they have managed to dispose of all of it yet, but so far there have been 24 auction catalogs. Impressive far a collection that has no regular issue US coins in it.