The Langbord case just got a little stronger.

If, in fact, a document exists that suggests that coinage may have been transferred to the cashier's vault, the burden would fall upon the government to prove that no transfer occurred.

Chris

 

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In fact before 1944 that was exactly the governments position, that all the 1933 double eagles had been accounted for. Then after someone asked about one being auction they decided to confiscate them on the grounds that they were stolen even though their records said none were. Then after they questioned izzy and found out he had sold nine of them they rounded up eight (King Farouk had number 9) and they once again declared that all of the 1933 double eagles had been accounted for. So Eliasberg asked did that mean he could keep his? NO, and they confiscated the tenth of the nine coins and once agains declared that they had all been accounted for. Then the ten Langbord coins turned up. (And there is at least one more piece out there as well.) In short the government isn't really aware of what was done or happened with the 1933 double eagles and can't say for sure that they couldn't have left legally.

In the Coin World articles it states that there are documents that show some 1932 double eagles were destroyed and replaced with 1933 double eagles and sent to the cashiers office. If they were there they could have been paid out. Roger also mentions that it was normal procedure to hold some coins at the Treasury for sale to collectors by mail, and that they didn't really keep records of those sales. In the book The Walter P Nichols File by Q David Bowers there is a copy of a form letter from the Treasury that was sent out to people who had previously ordered coins from the Treasury listing what coins were available for sale. At the bottom of the form letter was a hand written notation that the 1933 double eagles were now available as well.

Roger also mentions that the Secretary of the Treasury often had a supply of coins as well for handing out to VIP's or visitors. There are reports from the 1940's from people who knew or had visited the Secretary that reported he had about 25 of the 1933 double eagles. If he did, did he hand any out?

I think it would be very difficult to prove that any of these coins were stolen. There were no shortages reported and several different ways they might have gotten out legally.

 

Sure would be nice to see all the controversy over the 1933 double eagle ended. Can you imagine how much of our money has been and will continue to be spent on this issue if it's not finally settled? It's almost a 100 years after the fact and gold ownership is allowed again - 99% of the taxpayers don't give S_ _ _ about this issue. Time to hang it up Treasury and spend your time repairing the economy.