HARVEY STACK'S NUMISMATIC FAMILY, PART 18

The second part of the Anderson Dupont sale took place in November 1954. Once again this was a great opportunity to get items from an old-time collection that were fresh to the market. This sale attracted the same public interest as the Davis Graves Collection had when it was sold earlier that year. This second part featured silver, copper and nickel coins and offered numerous high quality coins and rarities seldom seen in one sale.

Specifically this sale included half cents, small cents, three-cent pieces, half dimes, dimes, quarters, half dollars and silver dollars. These series ran from the first years of issue to the mid 1930s. Half cents started with 1793 and included choice examples of 1796 Pole to Cap and 1796 No Pole, followed by numerous Mint State examples, and almost all the Proofs struck -- originals and restrikes -- and a few patterns.

The minor denominations followed, mostly in Mint State or Proofs. Half dimes, starting with a half disme, comprised high quality examples in Proof and Mint State. Dimes offered choice examples from 1796 onward with representatives from all the mints up to the 1930s well represented. Quarters started with 1796 and were almost complete, including the 1823 and 1827. Half dollar varieties included 1794, 1795 3 Leaf, 1796 and 1797, and the very rare 1838-O. This series was also virtually complete through the 1930s with the majority in Mint State and Proof.

The silver dollars were also noteworthy for varieties from 1794 on, and many of the scarce and rare dates were represented. Many Mint State and Proof examples highlighted this series.

In the office, the work preparing for this sale was intense. Everyone did their job, gave up nights and weekends to get the work done, while still running the retail and mail order business, attending shows and traveling to visit collectors. I was 26 at the time and wondered how my father and uncle kept the same pace as I did. We were invigorated by the excitement of offering these two great collections at public auction. Even foregoing the opportunity of going to Egypt seemed a small price to pay for the rewards of that year.

Over the years we have been asked whether the Anderson Dupont Collection included United States gold coins. It most definitely did, and in my next article I will tell the story of those coins.

To read the complete article, see:
Harvey Stack Remembers: Growing up in a Numismatic Family, Part 18 (http://www.stacksbowers.com/News/Pages/Blogs.aspx?ArticleID=2965)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
HARVEY STACK'S NUMISMATIC FAMILY, PART 17 (http://www.coinbooks.org/v21/esylum_v21n18a22.html)

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