The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 42, October 2, 2005, Article 28

WORLD'S GREATEST COLLECTION

Kenneth Bressett writes: "Thanks for another great issue of
The E-Sylum. Mondays just wouldn't be the same without it.

You asked about presentation copies of the World's Greatest
Collection. I have the Silver section that was presented to
Clarence Camp, II (a name I am not familiar with). I have
also seen one or two others. I only have the full set with
original paper covers."

[By the way, Ken will be presenting "Money of the Bible"
on Saturday, October 8 at 11:00 a.m. at the Whitman Coin
and Collectibles Atlanta Expo. -Editor]

Harry Cabluck writes: "Regarding George Polizio's query
about his search for a named copy of the World's Greatest
Collection sold by Numismatic Gallery: The WGC catalog
hereabouts was a presentation to Damon G. Douglas.
It is bound in blue leather in cloth, not inscribed, not gilt.

On page 13 of auction catalog no. 30, lot 24 (the 1806 B-8
quarter) it was graded VF estimate price is $10. Sale price
was $7. The auction was held Saturday, March 3, 1945.
The book includes a reprint of Hazeltine's Type Table of U.S.
Silver Dollars. There are no scribbled notes that would
indicate who the buyers were. Hope this is some help."

Karl Moulton writes: "A follow-up to last week on the WGC
leatherbound editions - I have Homer K Downing's copies,
which were inscribed by both AK's. This is the finest set I've
ever come across in the past ten years. As Homer was an early
copper enthusiast, he really didn't need to look through these
silver and gold sales. They ended up residing in John Ford's
library, along with FCC Boyd's leatherbound WGC copies and
I doubt if Ford ever looked through them either."

Dave Perkins writes: "Wayne, in the last E-Sylum you asked if
anyone had a named copy of the World’s Greatest Collection of
U.S. Silver Coins sale catalog, or a set of presentation copies.
I acquired Boyd’s copy of the World’s Greatest Collection sale
in the June 1, 2004 Stack’s / Kolbe auction sale of the Ford library.
This catalog is priced, not named. F. C. C. BOYD is inscribed in
gilt on the front cover in the lower right corner. On the first page
is written, “With the compliments of the Numismatic Gallery” and
is signed by both Kosoff and Kreisberg.

My reason for writing is to first thank you for publishing the
information on Adolf Friedman. I am familiar with Friedman as
he acquired over half of the early U.S. Silver Dollars 1794-1803
in the WGC sale, as well as numerous other silver dollar lots in
this sale. Over the years I have not had much luck tracking down
information about Friedman. I knew only that he was a friend of
Abe Kosoff. I also have the Kosoff bid book for the silver dollar
portion of this sale. I had always suspected (prior to acquiring
the bid book) that many of the 1945 WGC early dollars were
acquired in this sale by Adolf Friedman (Friedman is listed as the
consignor of most of the early silver dollars (ex. WGC sale) in
the August 21 – 24, 1949 ANA Auction Sale on page 8).
There is a small group of 8 early dollar (and 6 half dollar) lots
in the ’49 ANA Sale that appear to have not to have sold in the
1945 WGC sale.

This very well may be the reason Adolf Friedman had been
given a special copy of the sale catalog with his name inscribed
on the covers.

I have been trying to locate a copy of the 1949 ANA Auction
Sale with buyer’s names for years, with no luck. I hope the
E-Sylum posting is successful in locating one. If you ever come
across this information I’d appreciate receiving a copy of the
buyer’s names for the early dollars. Milferd H. Bolender will
be one of the buyers, Harold L. Bareford will be another, and
John J. Pittman will likely be the buyer of one of the early dollars
(per the Akers sale catalog of the Pittman collection).

Many of the early dollar lots in the WGC have proven to have
been misattributed as to the correct Haseltine numbers. The
buyer’s names coupled with later appearances of these specimens
in another sale or collection will be valuable in helping learn what
the correct die varieties were in this 1945 sale.

One more thing: a friend of mine writes, ""Mine's H. E. MacIntosh,
and I have only the silver portion of that sale in hardbound."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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