PHILIP ERNEST BENEDETTI (1917-2010)

Philip E. Benedetti specialized in colonial coins and early American copper coins. He was the primary dealer for Loye L. Lauder. During the years she collected, she lived nearby in Greenwich, Connecticut. He also helped Theodore T. Gore assemble his collection.

Philip Benedetti was born at Hill Station, Pennsylvania, on March 15, 1917, the son of Angelo (a/k/a Fermenio Angelo Benedetti (1883-1987)) and Laura (a/k/a Lauroma Maria Petroni) Benedetti. His Coin World obituary gives his place of birth as Hill Station, PA. His WWII enlistment card gives his place of birth as Hills, PA.

He began collecting coins at the age of twelve with a 1786 colonial coin. At the time he was earning money selling papers and shining shoes.

In 1940-42, he was working on a project for the W. P. A. Then he served as an artillery instructor during World War II.

He was married to Evelyn Boone with three sons including Philip E. Benedetti, Jr. (1945-2006). In the 1950 Census, he was working as a postal letter carrier. He joined the ANA in August 1959 as member 33839. His interests included 1793-1857 large cents. His son, Philip E. Benedetti. Jr. joined the ANA in November 1962 as member 46933.

 

In October 1962, the father placed an ad in The Numismatist as Pickwick Coin Co. of Darien, Connecticut. That ad included proof Indian Head cents dated 1864 through 1909. The Lauder sale included a long run of proof Indian Head cents.

In 1964, he exhibited an 1868 large cent pattern at the Central States Numismatic Society convention. An example of this coin was lot 526 in the Lauder sale.

In 1968 he was charged with tax fraud for underreporting his income in 1961, 1962 and 1964.

Benedetti was a frequent advertised in The Numismatist, Coin World and Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine. He changed his business name and mailing address several times.

In 1942, he was living at 17 Stillwater Street in Stamford, Connecticut.

In 1950, he was living at 446 Atlantic Street in Stamford. Connecticut.

In July 1959, he joined the ANA as Philip E. Benedetti, P. O. Box 34, Stamford, Conn.

In October 1962 to November 1965, he did business as Pickwick Coin Co, P. O. Box 34, Stamford, Conn, 06904.

In December 1965, it was Pickwick Coin Co., P. O. Box 1144, Darien, Conn. The name of his son was added. The street address was 1075 Boston Post Road.

In April 1965, he was Philip E. Benedetti at P. O. Box 34, Stamford, Conn. In April and December 1965, he ran ads under both names.

In February 1966, it was Philip E. Benedetti, P. O. Box 1144, Darien, Conn, 06821.

In January 1972 to January 1976, it was Philip E. Benedetti, P. O. Box 4818, Stamford, Conn, 06907.

In July 1978 to March 1979, it was Pickwick's Greenwich Coin & Stamp Gallery at 339 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, Conn 06830.

In 1981, Pickwick's Greenwich Coin Gallery was at 46 Linden Street in Norwalk, Connecticut.

In 1987, he lived in Norwalk, Connecticut

In 1998 to 2003, he was living in Westport, Connecticut.

He was a life member of the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) and a contributor to A Guide Book of United States Coins (Red Book). He ran his last ad in The Numismatist for the March 1979 issue. Benedetti died on August 6, 2010, at Golden Hill Health Care Center in Kingston, New York.

In the early 1960's, Benedetti had a partner named E. V. Boone. I was unable to find out anything about him.

The Numismatist for November 1964 had a two-page ad for Pickwick Coin Company. There also was a November 9, 1964, two-page ad in Coin World. These included a listing of many rare colonial coins and some copies also described as rare. Three were described as unique with an additional ten having five or fewer pieces known.

If a variety has five or fewer known, I thought I should be able to identify previous listings and subsequent listings for the piece. This proved to be difficult. I did not find such listings to confirm authenticity.

We have resources available in 2026 that were not available in 1964. Everything in the Pickwick ad should be in the Red Book and the Breen Encyclopedia.

One E-Sylum reader commented on the possibility he sold fake coins. "I am of the opinion it was a lack of knowledge or, at least, not wanting to know."

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
LOYE L. LAUDER (1911-1964) (https://www.coinbooks.org/v29/esylum_v29n03a20.html)
MORE ON LOYE L. LAUDER (https://www.coinbooks.org/v29/esylum_v29n04a11.html)
BIDDING AT THE LOYE L. LAUDER SALE (https://www.coinbooks.org/v29/esylum_v29n04a12.html)

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