Post your coins with pedigrees!

Some real stunners!!! I can't pick out my fav., oh what the hell, I like them all. That Shield Nickel really jumps! I need one for my Type Set and I'd be happy if the one I buy comes anywhere close to yours!

 

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PriceOfWaldo: <<Pittman is my favorite, I have three of his including this one, plus a 1905 DWI gold 4-Daler in MS65 and a 1933 Fuad 10 Piastres in MS63. Also own an Eliasberg 1938 Egypt 100 Piastres in MS62 but it's a pretty pedestrian coin, as MS65 examples are not that rare. All else being equal, Pittman coinage blows away most of the coins with Eliasberg's name on the holder, especially anything from outside the United States. >>

IMO, this is not a fair statement. I wrote articles for Numismatic News newspaper and for World Coin News about the ANR auction of Eliasberg's world gold coins in April 2005. Was PrinceOfWaldo there? I viewed most of the items in the collection, some very carefully. Eliasberg had many world gold coins that are among the finest known for entire design types, and most were physically rare as well, some extremely so. Pittman had a lot of condition rarities and some fascinating Proofs and other special strikings. The two collections of world coins were very different. The Clapp-Eliasberg group of 19th century Latin American gold coins was simply amazing; many of those issues do not exist in high grades.

Besides, experts in world coins tend to think of the Eliasberg collection as being dramatically more important than the Pittman collection of world coins. Experts in U.S. coins likewise tend to think of Eliasberg's collection of U.S. coins as being the all-time best, the merits of Pittman's collection notwithstanding. Those who have been reading my articles over the years could have learned a lot about both collections.

The Fabulous Eric Newman Collection, part 9: European Coins

Let us not forget the Millennia Collection of world gold and silver coins!

Part 6 of a Six-Part Series on the Millennia Collection

Neither Pittman nor Eliasberg had great pre-1700 British coins:

Amazing English Gold Sovereign of Henry VIII

Rare & Historically Important English Gold Sovereigns of King Henry VII

 

I'm sure Eliasberg had some nice looking and rare world coins, but most of the coins I've seen pedigreed to him are overgraded by a couple points and not at all that rare. Although in fairness, there have not been that many for sale recently. Going back about 6 or 7 years ago Eliasberg world gold coins would turn-up on eBay with some frequency, and I was surprised by how many were no better than XF but in AU holders. Even my MS62 really belongs in an AU58 holder and I'll be the first to admit it. There's all sorts of rub on the cheek that is skillfully concealed by expert photography (pic isn't photoshopped). If you tilt the coin 30 degrees you see a dramatic break in the luster across the face and bottom of fez.

 

Another Pittman coin, the fingerprint leaves me wondering if it belonged to Farouk since John Pittman was at the sale of his collection and the king was infamous for mishandling his coins.

 

Pittman - DWI. Better date of the two-year only issue. About as nice as they come, though there are probably higher graded examples out there in edge-view holders. Note the 6 digit submission number on the label.

 

This one is ex: Dick Osburn. Got it in the auction of his Seated Halves.

 

That's a rather tremendously nice looking coin. Not sure who Dick was, but the coin is sensational.

 

Dick is basically "the go-to guy" as far as dealers specializing in seated half material. His private collection is better than anything he sells.

http://www.dickosburn.com/

 

In 2011, he auctioned his private collection of halves through Stacks. That's where I got this one. It is graded 64PL.

 

Yes, I probably should have used the past tense. He's no longer a full-time dealer, either as Bryan Cushing now owns the business and Dick merely advises and otherwise helps out.

 

Not mine (wish it were!) - another sensational Pittman world coin.

http://coins.ha.com/itm/great-brita...-proof-shilling-1816-pr66-ngc-/a/3037-29645.s

 

Here's a more representative look at the coin.

 

Here's a recent pickup. In addition to all kinds of sometimes random ancient coins, I avidly collect coins of Roman Egypt. This tetradrachm of Gallienus was collected by Benjamin Cheney Pierce and accessioned by the Boston Museum of Fine Arts in 1888. Now it's mine .



EGYPT, Alexandria. Gallienus
year 13, CE 265/6
tetradrachm, 21 mm, 9.1 gm
Obv: Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev: AVTKΠΛIKΓAΛΛIHNOCCEB; eagle standing right, holding wreath in beak, palm over shoulder; L IΓ across field
Ref: Emmett 3806(13), R1
Ex Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 88.203 (accessioned 1888); Benjamin Pierce Cheney Collection

Benjamin Pierce Cheney (12 Aug 1815 - 23 July 1895) founded the company that became American Express. He started as a stagecoach driver, gained trust and money, developed some railways, and lost his right arm in a railway accident. He became a director at Wells Fargo and brought about a merger of several companies which became American Express. American Express began as an express mail business.

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Nice Sgt mjr