SELECTIONS FROM PRESIDENTIAL AUCTION 86

Lot 21: Jones Exchange Hotel Counterstamp
Pa 239F. JONES EXCHANGE HOTEL, PHILADELPHIA. Brunk 21940. A sharp c/s on a holed 1788 2 reales.

Lot 30: Richardson's Battery

UNLISTED VARIETY OF RICHARDSON'S BATTERY. Type of MAV 117 & Storer 5784 But struck in 52mm. Very Fine. A white metal band surrounds a brass ring encasing copper, lead & brass discs surrounding a lead heart at center. The obverse of the heart bears an incused inscription: MAGNETO GALVANIC around RICHARDSON’S/ BATTERY. The heart on the reverse is incused with PAT. IN U.S. A. FEB. 9, 1881, around IN CANADA/ FEB.9/ 1881.

The Richardson, Boyd and other similar Galvanic Batteries supposedly worked by "galvanic action" due to the "union of metals." Whereas in a common battery the effect is facilitated by an acid, These device needed only "the natural humidity of the skin" to cause a beneficial flow of electricity. This was sufficient to cure nearly any disease by producing "a proper proportion of electricity" in the blood—or so "Professor" Boyd claimed. The Boyd Battery is the most common of the type. The Richardson batteries are all rare and this unlisted variation is the first that has come to our attention. It is not mentioned in this size by either Storer or Rulau.

Lot 33: Henry Cook Store Card

115-Aa-1e. HENRY COOK, BOSTON, Rulau MaBo 19A. 42mm. White Metal. George Lovett, Sc. Brilliant Proof-like Unc. with a small dig above the R in FRIEND on the reverse. This is a wonderful political store care issued by Bostonian Henry Cook, who, among a variety of pursuits, was among the first to advertise himself as a dealer in coins and medals. At obverse center is a scroll labeled CONSTITUTION and below, THE GIFT OF OUR PATRIOT SIRES/ WE WILL NEVER/ SURRENDER/ TO/ TRAITORS & REBELS. Within a band around the rim is 13 starts and the legend, NO SURRENDER OF THE FORT SUMTER OF THE NORTH

Lot 49: Philadelphia Fire Department Grand Parade Medal

GRAND PARADE OF THE PHILADELPHIA FIRE DEPARTMENT, 1865. Marqusee 214. 51mm. White Metal W.H. Key, Sc. Choice Unc. Obv: An early horse-drawn fire engine under a canopy of stars. In exergue: IN COMMEMORATION OF THE/ GRAND PARADE OF THE/ PHILA. FIRE DEPT./ OCT. 16, 1865. Rx: IN PEACE FIREMEN IN WAR SOLDIERS around a montage of banners, flags, cannon, rifles, etc.

The Parade was a sight to behold. Over one hundred companies were in the procession. More than twenty thousand firemen marched in the parade which stretched for over 20 miles. The newspapers of the day noted with approval (and some surprise?) that there was not "a single scene of disorder." White metal specimens were used as parade badges and are most often found holed. This unholed specimen is unusual.

Lot 65: Goetz 'With Hindenburg For Germany' Medal

WITH HINDENBURG FOR GERMANY, 1933. C-31; K-484. 139.6mm. Cast Bronze. Karl Goetz, Sc. About Uncirculated. Obverse with busts of Hindenburg, Hitler and Von Papen to the right, their names around. The reverse displays a German soldier holding a shield inscribed "National Front", while slaying a dragon. (No swastika on shield) . Dated "Jan. 30, 1933" to left. The legend translates as "With Hindenburg for Germany".

This massive medal commemorates President Hindenburg nominating Hitler as chancellor and von Papen as vice-chancellor in early 1933. Even though Von Papen’s title was vice chancellor, at this stage of development, he still held the political power. Eight of the cabinet members were allied with him as opposed to only three with Hitler and it was Von Papen, not Hitler, who had the ties to Hindenburg.

Goetz submitted this medal to the Brown House, the Nazi Part headquarters for all of Germany for approval, but after a long wait approval was denied as the reverse did not display a swastika and Goetz was not a party member. A later, edited design was made with a swastika on the shield that was approved and struck in 60mm. and 36mm sizes. This is an early, rare piece before the design was changed. Its absence in the 2006 auction of the 1700+ lot Bottcher collection of Goetz medals attests to its rarity. An important and imposing medal which catalogs Hitler’s path to power.

Lot 144: Thomas Elder Portrait Medal

THOMAS ELDER PORTRAIT MEDAL, 1908. DeLorey 1. 51mm. Aluminum. Choice PL Brilliant Uncirculated with light hairlines. Obverse: Bust to the right, THOMAS L. ELDER to either side. Reverse: THOMAS L. ELDER/ 32. EAST 23RD ST./ NEW YORK CITY/ NUMISMATIST AND/ DEALER IN. RARE COINS/ AND MEDALS/ COLLECTIONS CATALOGUED/ FOR/ PUBLIC SALE.

This medal is pictured on page 126 of the first edition of H&K’s book on So-Called Dollars above his biography

Lot 181: 1860 Henry Clay Medal

HENRY CLAY WILL CARRY THE DAY, CA. 1860. HC-D. 19.5mm. WM. Choice PL Unc. A beautiful premium condition piece. Obv: FOR PRESIDENT above a bust of Clay to the left. 1845 at bottom. Below the bust is the designer’s initial, “T”. Rx: HENRY CLAY/ WILL/CARRY/ THE DAY. A star to right and to left.

Elder attributed the obverse die to Benjamin True while DeWitt thought it was executed by Joseph Thomas. We agree with DeWitt. Scarce.

Lot 312: 1968 Assay Medal

1968 ASSAY MEDAL. JK-AC-112. 57.4mm. Bronze. Frank Gasparro (Obv.) & Edgar Z. Steever (Rev.), Sc. Uncirculated, without the heavy speckled tarnish which often plagues these late date assay medals. Housed in its original US Mint presentation box. The obverse presents a facing bust of former Secretary of the Treasury (1801-1814) Albert Gallatin while the revere displays a large weight inscribed: POUND TROY 1824 BATE LONDON. At bottom are smaller weights marked GRAIN, GRAM and OUNCE.

According to the author of the OTACS pamphlet, a mere 45 of these medals were struck by the Mint. Our last offering of one of these medals was in our 2010 Auction Eighty where an Uncirculated specimen brought $2415.00. The previous owner's note accompanying this lot states that it was purchased from our 1986 Dreyfuss Collection Sale for $770.00. (No lot envelope).

Lot 410: Isaac Greenwood ANS Membership Medal

AMERICAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY SECOND MEMBERSHIP MEDAL – SPECIAL PRESENTATION MEDAL , (1911) Miller 27; Baxter 248; Marqusee 54. 77mm. Silver. Gutzon Borglum, Sc. (Tiffany & Co.). About Uncirculated with a thin streak of tarnish on the reverse, as shown. Obverse with a backside view of a nude male figure looking at a portrait plaque. FOUNDED/ IN/ NEW YORK/ MDCCCLVIII. The reverse bears the inscription: THE/ AMERICAN/ NUMISMATIC SOCIETY /PARVA NE PEREANT/ MEMBER’S MEDAL/ 1910 with a wreath above and below. At bottom is engraved the member’s name, ISAAC J. GREENWOOD/ 1859.

This particular medal is mentioned by Miller on p. 84. "Silver membership medal have also been presented on occasion, such as that presented to Isaac Greenwood shortly before his death in 1911. He was, at the time, the Society's oldest member, and that was the reason for the presentation. Greenwood joined the society in 1859 and served as Second Vice President from July 28, 1864, until March 22, 1866. Also in 1911, Greenwood gave the Society his collection of more than 3,000 coins, medals and banknotes, as well as his numismatic book.

To access the online catalog, see:
http://www.maineantiquedigest.com/launch/shows_and_auctions/1762/description?iframe=true

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