Typed up for my blog, some observations on the just-ended CSNS sale and the exo listed: The 2017 Central States Numismatic Society sale in Chicago, represented by Heritage Auctions, featured an eclectic variety of exonumia of interest to the intermediate to advanced collector, with a few items for the beginner. Prices in general seemed strong, or at worst, consistent with recent auction appearances. Most items sold at what I would consider “collector prices,” although some of the pieces may still have some meat left on the bone for a dealer. Friday was all about Bashlow Confederate Cent off metal restrikes. Lacking were the gold (sold late last year) and platinum examples, of which there are only three each extent, but the other odd metals were each represented. Each of these compositions were struck in quantities of fifty, and the examples sold at CSNS were all in the mid-grade mint state, slightly less fine than the last two collections sold at Heritage (the most recent one en masse, late last year). The zinc example in the CSNS sale was a details coin, with environmental damage, and was paired with the lead piece. All compositions brought strong money, not unlike the prices brought several years ago for the individual tokens of higher grades (the red fiber and lead/zinc lots brought $1297, while the nickel, aluminum, and tin brought $1057). Consider that the zinc details coin has a retail value in the $200 range, and the popular red fiber brought 25% more than its siblings, as typical. Aside from Bashlow’s tokens, several other rarities brought big money Friday night. The highest bid on a token was a 1901 Lesher Dollar with an impressive pedigree, most notably the Eliasburg Family Collection, as noted on the PCGS AU58 label. This may have been the earliest auctioned Lesher recorded, with sales history dating to 1904. For a collector of the type, this will undoubtably be the highlight of their collection, and brought $4465. The other rarity crossing the block after spirited bidding was a 1927 Charles Lindbergh Banquet Medal, one of just twenty-five struck in silver, and amazingly preserved with a MS67 NGC label. These tokens were presented to the financial backers of Lindbergh’s New York to Paris flight, while the much more common bronze type was handed out at the banquet to attendees. $4230 brought this token home for one lucky aviation aficionado. Sunday included several more Bashlow lots, highlighted by the group of three Confederate Half Dollar tokens which brought nearly $4000. The copper/bronze example has begun to darken, and has a red-brown designation from NGC, and all had spotting. Someone paid for the convenience of finding all three compositions in one place. A two-piece MS-66 and a three-piece MS-67 lot of the cent restrikes brought retail money, but examples included were above average for the grade. Also sold was a copper ingot featuring the Bashlow cent, which brought just over $700. A good buy for a collector – a dealer will hold on to this for a while, as there are multiple examples on the market. Prices for the balance of the tokens and medals sold Sunday night seemed hot and cold. A mint state George and Martha Washington token by Lovett in copper brought $540, and its silver sister, very fine with scratches brought $150 – strong money for the copper, and well bought for the silver despite the scratches. An original First Steam Coinage token brought $1527, average for the type – a favorite of mine as a token struck by the mint for private distribution, like the Great Central Fair tokens of Philadelphia. The buy of the night had to be the pair of Illinois 97th Volunteer sutler tokens. The 10 cent was well bought at $282, but the 5 cent was a steal at $376 in MS-62 - sharper than the current plate specimen, but struck in brass.
