COIN DEALERS AND THE UNITED STATES MINT

National Archive letters from the late 19th and early 20th centuries reveal that the United States Mint maintained business relationships with coin dealers and also followed their activities. The Mint often used contemporary coin sale results to determine monetary offers for numismatic items they wished to purchase for the Mint Cabinet. In addition, dealers often proposed trading numismatic items with the Mint in order to further their interests. For example in 1894, The Scott Stamp & Coin Company of New York City sent two medals to the Mint for their Cabinet, with the expectation that in return, the Mint would supply a specimen of the last Assay Medal with [a] bust of Cleveland for their customer, John F. McCoy. McCoy was apparently still acquiring numismatic items even though his impressive collection was auctioned off 30 years earlier.

Coin dealers also used their relationship with the Mint to obtain specific proof sets or coins not readily available in circulation. In 1889, prominent Philadelphia dealers S. H. & H. Chapman ordered 75 proof sets of that year and their request was granted. However, dealers were not always successful with their petitions.

In 1922, Henry Chapman, who was no longer a partner with his brother, Samuel Hudson, sought examples of all U.S. denominations dated 1922. This is not surprising, as the Mint only struck cents, dollars and double eagles for circulation that year due to excess inventory of other denominations. Chapman made his appeal to President Harding on October 18, 1922. His letter was referred to executive Mint clerk Mary Margaret O'Reilly, who despite the lack of a proper title oversaw Mint operations for the much less experienced Director, Frank E. Scoby. She informed Mr. Chapman that

Chapman requested these coins 3 additional times and was denied by the Mint each time.

Image: 1894 United States Assay Commission Medal MS63 Brown Uncertified; ex. Heritage Auctions 9/16/2006, lot 6593, realized $402.50.

Image: Mary Margaret O'Reilly (Image Courtesy of the Treasury Department)

Letter from Scott Stamp & Coin Co. to Superintendent of the Mint Bosbyshell:
https://archive.org/details/scottdonatestwomedalsmccoymedal18940326/mode/2up

John F. McCoy Collection Catalog:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/auctionlots?AucCoId=29&AuctionId=511184&page=32

Correspondence regarding Chapman Brothers Request for Proof Sets of 1889:
https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22U.S.%20Mint%22%20chapman%20minor

Correspondence regarding Henry Chapman Request for Coins of 1922:
https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22U.S.%20Mint%22%20o%27reilly

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web