The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 31, July 17, 2005, Article 18

ON SCHULMAN AND THE U.N. PATTERN COIN

Dick Johnson writes: "Sorry, Neil Shafer, it was not Hans
Schulman who ran the coin department in the Gimbles store
in New York City where you bought your Proclamation 2R
Philippine piece of 1834 – it was Robert Friedberg. At the
height of his empire Bob Friedberg had 33 perhaps 35 coin
departments in Gimbles and other department stores across
the country.

He is the same Friedberg who wrote the standard works on
world gold coins (1958) and British coins (1962). He published
these, and the book on so-called dollars (compiled by Hibler &
Kappen, published 1963) under the imprint, Coin and Currency
Institute, while he ran the Capitol Coin Company and the
thirty-some leased coin departments. [Bob died in 1963 but the
business was carried on by his sons, Arthur and Ira, who published
the U.S. paper money book (1964) after he died and have
updated it often.]

You are correct, Neil, in that Hans was involved with the
Andorra crown coinage of 1960. He was also involved with
the United Nations Pattern Coinage of 1946 which hasn’t
been mentioned yet in recent E-Sylum discussions of
Schulman’s life.

Hans, and another famous coin dealer in New York City at
the time, Abe Kosoff, got the idea when the United Nations
was formed in 1945 that the UN could issued their own coins.
They formed a new corporation, Coin Associates, Inc, then
created this struck pattern to show U.N. officials what could
be done.

The pair chose the denomination name "ducaton" and took
their idea to Medallic Art Company, then also in New York
City. Medallic Art commissioned sculptor Karl H. Gruppe
to prepare the design and make the models. Gruppe did an
excellent design with the flags of the Big Five nations, and a
reverse with the theme of the Four Freedoms (religion, want,
speech, fear).

Like Thomas Elder a half-century before them, who had issued
private pieces, Hans and Abe ordered the "coins" struck in as
many compositions as possible, because collectors love a lot
of varieties. It was fascinating pouring over the records of these
when I cataloged this piece for Medallic Art in 1969 (MAco
46-21). Because we classed this as a medal (not a coin) for
the firm’s internal records, it was called the "Four Freedoms
Medal" in all company files.

Hibler & Kappen list only three compositions -- gold, silver
bronze -- for their HK 871–873 (page 138). But I found in
MAco archives Hans and Abe had ordered more than these
three! First no silver was struck, it was bronze silver-plated.
The same design was also struck in eight other compositions:
aluminum, aluminum-bronze, brass, copper-nickel, nickel,
steel and zinc! That’s seven.

To further add frosting on the cake, it was also stuck in platinum
– in single and double thickness – and gold in FOUR different
thicknesses! Can you say PIEDFORTS? If you would like a
list of quantity struck of these varieties email me -- at
dick.johnson at snet.net -- and I’ll send this by return email.
[This is your Numismatic Alert System testing how many people
actually read down eight paragraphs for a free offer buried in
the center of a paragraph.] Put "Four Freedoms Medal" in the
subject line. A message is not necessary.

These were all struck with one pair of 1 1/2-inch (38mm) dies.
The two dealers had also wanted to issue the same design in
half this size, 3/4-inch (19mm) size. Samples were struck in
gold, silver and bronze. But the small size was canceled before
any quantity were struck.

These are legitimately scarce numismatic items today. You
find an Andorra 1960 crown a hundred times quicker than
a U.N. pattern "ducaton."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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