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BENJAMIN T. WALTON AND RARE GOLD COINSJohn Lupia writes: Since we've been discussing U. S. gold in the 1880's our readers might find these two postal cards of interest sent to the Chapman Brothers by Benjamin T. Walton the Cashier of the Ninth National Bank, Philadelphia, who also was a part time coin dealer. Both postal cards mention very low mintage gold pieces. The first one is an 1875 brilliant proof $3 gold piece for sale with an inquiry about its current market price. The owner has his value on the piece from $30 to $35. Walton is wondering if that value is supportable in any survey of sale records. With its U. S. Mint record of 20 pieces struck it was understood as having a premium of at least ten times face value eleven years after mintage. In the second postal card another U. S. gold coin is mentioned, this time the 1796 quarter eagle. Walton wonders which one the Chapman Brothers are offering him -- with stars (432 minted) or without stars (963 minted).
Thanks. Here are images of the cards and an excerpt from the entry for Walton in John's online Encyclopedic Dictionary of
Numismatic Biographies . -Editor
Benjamin T. Walton (1852-1914), was born on February 7, 1852 at Philadelphia, son of Benjamin T. Walton an immigrant from England and his wife Alice T. Boyer a native of Philadelphia. In the 1880 U. S. Census he is listed as a clerk living at 1109 Marlborough Street, Philadelphia with his wife Josephine E. Day (1848-1925), their two sons and his sister Eliza, a schoolteacher. He worked as the Cashier of the Ninth National Bank, Philadelphia from 1886 to 1914. He was also a part-time coin dealer and corresponded with the Chapman Brothers to buy and sell numismatic material. In 1886 he had one of the twenty 1875 Brilliant Proof $3 Gold pieces to sell the Chapman Brothers. To read the complete article, see:
To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
THE BOOK BAZARREWayne Homren, Editor The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org. To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum All Rights Reserved. NBS Home Page Contact the NBS webmaster 
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