COLLECTING AND CATALOGING U.S. MINT BAGS

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V26 2023 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 26, Number 7, February 12, 2023, Article 30

COLLECTING AND CATALOGING U.S. MINT BAGS

Doug Nyholm edits the Mint Master for the Utah Numismatic Society. In the January 2023 issue he wrote a short article on U.S. Mint bags. With permission, we're republishing it here. Thank you. -Editor

This Carson City mint bag once held 1000 Morgan silver dollars. A Heritage auction recently sold this bag at auction for $6,000 including the buyers premium. I was totally amazed that an empty bag which once held 1000 Morgan silver dollars could sell for 6 times its once held contents.

Shown here are several pictures of vintage silver dollar bags of which literally hundreds, if not thousands were stored in vaults. It is strange that more than a few have survived, or have they, and are they part of long time old collections still in hiding. Or, were the vast majority simply tossed like garbage like an old candy wrapper? In any event, I will keep looking and hoping to find that elusive treasure someday.

1928 Double Eagle U.S. Mint Philadelphia $5,000 bag

ABOVE ARE BAGS AND BOXES OF CURRENCY AND SILVER DOLLARS. WHERE DID ALL THE BAGS GO?

IN SEARCHING FOR THESE PICTURES I CAME ACROSS AN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC MINT BAG WHICH ONCE HELD $5,000 (250)1928 DOUBLE EAGLES. WOW!

Wow, indeed! This is the fun and challenge of collecting numismatic ephemera. These artifacts served a purpose in their time, and most were later discarded after their useful life. The few that remain are interesting souvenirs and collectibles. Who will be the David Lange of mint bags? It would be interesting to catalog these and learn more about what exists. That sale price is a solid indicator of market interest. And the field covers more than just the bags of the U.S. Mint - many private banks also printed and used their own bags, and these would be of local interest and collected like National Bank Notes. I've accumulated and "de-accessioned" many of these over the years, but did not save a reference collection. Who has? What can you tell us about your holdings? -Editor

To read the complete lot description, see:
Carson City Mint Silver Dollar Bag.... (https://coins.ha.com/itm/morgan-dollars/silver-and-related-dollars/carson-city-mint-silver-dollar-bag-pcgs-7144-/a/1351-3923.s)

To read earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
COIN BAG COLLECTING & OTHER STRANGE AFFLICTIONS (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v06n27a21.html)
THE NEVADA "FITZGERALD" HOARD (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v07n23a10.html)
QUERY: MARKINGS ON U.S. MINT COIN BAGS (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v14n41a14.html)
GOLD DUST IN OLD MINT COIN STORAGE BAGS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v23/esylum_v23n48a09.html)

THE BOOK BAZARRE

RENAISSANCE OF AMERICAN COINAGE: Wizard Coin Supply is the official distributor for Roger Burdette's three volume series that won NLG Book of the Year awards for 2006, 2007 and 2008. Contact us for dealer or distributor pricing at www.WizardCoinSupply.com.

Wayne 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

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