Heritage Auctions will be selling the Alamo Collection of Colonial Coins on April 30. Select items are discussed below.
-Garrett
The Alamo Collection of U.S. Colonial Issues This diverse 314-lot Colonials collection is featured in its own standalone catalog and Floor Session 2. This collection spans the full gamut of American Colonial coinage, rare varieties, high-end condition rarities, and seldom-seen types. These coins demonstrate the highest level of numismatic scholarship and discipline to comprise one of the greatest single offerings of important Colonial coinage in modern times.
1662 Oak Tree Twopence, Small 2, Noe-30, W-240, Salmon 1-A, R.4,
AU55 PCGS. 13.9 grains. A pleasing Choice AU example with
lilac, sea-green, and powder-blue toning. Noe-30 was struck from
misaligned dies, and surviving pieces have the appearance of an
off-center strike toward 7 o'clock. Designated as Garrett on the
PCGS insert, though the present coin was neither lot 1212 or 1213
in the October 1980 Bowers and Ruddy catalog, and a Garrett
pedigree is disavowed in its 2003 Stack's catalog appearance.
Listed on page 8 of the 2026 Guide Book.
Ex: Cumberland Investment Corporation, 1/1988; Hain Family
Collection (Stack's, 1/2002), lot 78; Red Bank Collection (Stack's,
12/2003), lot 330.
To read the complete item description, see:
1662 Oak Tree Twopence, Small 2, Noe-30, W-240, Salmon 1-A, R.4,
AU55 PCGS.
(https://coins.ha.com/itm/colonials/1662-oak-tree-twopence-small-2-noe-30-w-240-salmon-1-a-r4-au55-pcgs-pcgs-915751-/a/1393-3264.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515)
1652 Pine Tree Shilling, Large Planchet, Pellets at Trunk, AU55
NGC. Noe-1, W-690, Salmon 1-A, R.2. 71.5 grains. The Noe-1 Pine
Tree shillings are plentiful in all grades and they are ideally
suited to represent the Pine Tree type in a colonial type
collection. Indeed it is the opinion of many that this is the best
variety to choose as a representative of colonial America. Light
wear defines the grade of this pleasing blue-steel and
cinnamon-brown shilling that is housed in an earlier generation NGC
holder. Listed on page 9 of the 2026 Guide Book.
To read the complete item description, see:
1652 Pine Tree Shilling, Large Planchet, Pellets at Trunk, AU55
NGC. Noe-1, W-690, Salmon 1-A, R.2.
(https://coins.ha.com/itm/colonials/1652-pine-tree-shilling-large-planchet-pellets-at-trunk-au55-ngc-noe-1-w-690-salmon-1-a-r2-pcgs-800852-/a/1393-3265.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515)
(1659) Lord Baltimore Shilling, H. 1-A, W-1080, R.6, XF40
PCGS. A partly lustrous light silver-gray example with moderate
waviness to the planchet. There are a couple of ancient hairline
scratches on the obverse that are not a particular distraction. The
centering is excellent. Clash marks of denticles are present
beneath the II, as usually encountered on survivors of this rare
issue. The Lord Baltimore Shilling was struck at the Tower Mint in
London circa 1659, under the authority of the second Lord
Baltimore, Cecil Calvert (1606-1675). The pieces were eventually
exported to the Maryland colony, where they were expected to remain
since they were underweight. However, they had largely disappeared
from circulation by 1700, unlike the contemporary Massachusetts
pieces struck locally in greater quantity. Listed on page 10 of the
2026 Guide Book.
Ex: Atlanta Signature (Heritage, 8/2001), lot 5016; Steve Glenn
Collection/Central States Signature (Heritage, 4/2006), lot
7.
To read the complete item description, see:
(1659) Lord Baltimore Shilling, H. 1-A, W-1080, R.6, XF40
PCGS.
(https://coins.ha.com/itm/colonials/-1659-lord-baltimore-shilling-h-1-a-w-1080-r6-xf40-pcgs-pcgs-931464-/a/1393-3270.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515)
1723 2PENCE Rosa Americana Twopence, Martin 3.14-E.14, W-1334,
R.8, MS64 PCGS. William Wood purchased a coinage patent from
King George I and struck a number of issues for Ireland and the
American colonies. These included Rosa Americana halfpennies,
pennies, and twopence, as well as Hibernia farthings and
halfpennies. Ireland largely rejected the Wood coinage, and the
patent was abandoned in 1725.
When Sydney F. Martin compiled The
Rosa Americana Coinage of William Wood that was published
through the Colonial Coin Collectors Club (C4) in 2011, he included
a table of varieties in known collections. However, he was unaware
of any examples of this variety other than the Ford Collection coin
that was cataloged as lot 147 in the May 2005 auction of that
collection. A satiny and sharply struck near-Gem with consistent
medium brown toning. The fields and devices are refreshingly
unabraded. In addition to its rarity as a variety, this example is
the sole finest of its type that PCGS has certified (2/26). Listed
on page 13 of the 2026 Guide Book.
Ex: Lorin G. Parmelee (New York Coin and Stamp, 6/1890), lot
538; John G. Mills (S.H. & H. Chapman, 4/1904), lot 73; George H.
Earle (Henry Chapman, 6/1912), lot 1977; F.C.C. Boyd Estate; John
J. Ford, Jr. (Stack's, 5/2005), lot 147; Milwaukee ANA Signature
(Heritage, 8/2007), lot 1514; Liberty Collection of American
Colonial Coinage/Long Beach Signature (Heritage, 5/2008), lot
1844.
To read the complete item description, see:
1723 2PENCE Rosa Americana Twopence, Martin 3.14-E.14, W-1334,
R.8, MS64 PCGS.
(https://coins.ha.com/itm/colonials/1723-2pence-rosa-americana-twopence-martin-314-e14-w-1334-r8-ms64-pcgs-pcgs-128-/a/1393-3298.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515)
1722 Hibernia Farthing, M. 1.1-A.1, W-12200, R.5, MS63 Brown
PCGS. 56.6 grains, per the Garrett description. Traces of
original red reside on the glossy brown surfaces of this pleasing
Select Mint State example that is well centered with strong design
details. Slight planchet roughness is as made. The 1722 farthing
with the D:G: REX legend is considered a rarity in the series,
although Sydney Martin assigns an R.5 rating, suggesting that the
variety is more available today than when Breen estimated 8-10
known in 1988. We have handled less than 10 of these over more than
three decades of tracking auction appearances. Listed on page 15 of
the 2026 Guide Book.
Ex: Waldo C. Newcomer; Wayte Raymond, 9/1921; John Work Garrett;
Garrett Collection, Part 3 (Bowers and Ruddy, 10/1980), lot 1257;
Liberty Collection of American Colonial Coinage/Long Beach
Signature (Heritage, 5/2008), lot 1845.
To read the complete item description, see:
1722 Hibernia Farthing, M. 1.1-A.1, W-12200, R.5, MS63 Brown
PCGS.
(https://coins.ha.com/itm/colonials/1722-hibernia-farthing-m-11-a1-w-12200-r5-ms63-brown-pcgs-pcgs-921455-/a/1393-3299.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515)
1787 COPPER Immunis Columbia, Eagle Reverse, MS62 Brown
PCGS. W-5680, High R.4. These copper pieces are often
cataloged as pattern coins with the intent of securing a coinage
contract, although enough survive in circulated grades to suggest
they may have served as a private commercial coinage. These and
related pieces are listed in the Guide Book as "speculative
issues, tokens, and patterns." This lovely example features
splendid chocolate and olive-brown surfaces with slight central
weakness as usual. Trivial marks limit the grade. PCGS Population:
4 in 62, 9 finer (2/26). Listed on page 25 of the 2026 Guide
Book.
To read the complete item description, see:
1787 COPPER Immunis Columbia, Eagle Reverse, MS62 Brown
PCGS.
(https://coins.ha.com/itm/colonials/1787-copper-immunis-columbia-eagle-reverse-ms62-brown-pcgs-w-5680-high-r4-pcgs-841-/a/1393-3393.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515)
1799 MEDAL Gold Funeral Urn Medal AU55 NGC. Baker-166,
Fuld Dies 1-B, GW-70. Plain edge. 29.3 mm. 206.5 grains. George
Washington was a favorite subject of medalists over the years, and
a wide series of death medals were produced. The Funeral Urn medals
were part of a series of gold, silver, and tin medals produced by
Newburyport, Massachusetts engraver Jacob Perkins. This example is
from the comprehensive John Ford Collection, which contained nearly
two dozen such pieces in various dies and medals.
The obverse features a profile of Washington within a closed
wreath, around, the inscription HE IS IN GLORY, THE WORLD IN TEARS.
The reverse has a large funeral urn with script GW. The abbreviated
reverse legend lists milestone events in Washington's life. He was
born on February 11, 1732, was General of the American Army from
1775 to 1783, President of the United States of America from 1789
to 1796, General of the Army of the United States in 1798, and died
December 14, 1799.
This is a pleasing example with reflective bright yellow-gold
surfaces. The fields near the major devices exhibit a few
pinscratches, most prominent near the profile. It is holed at the
top as issued (19 of 22 funeral medals in the Ford Collection were
holed). A minor planchet depression is visible at the right end of
the pedestal below the urn.
Ex: F.C.C. Boyd Estate; John J. Ford, Jr. (Stack's, 5/2004), lot
170; Columbus Central States Signature (Heritage, 4/2006), lot 198;
Milwaukee ANA Signature (Heritage, 8/2007), lot 1535; FUN Signature
(Heritage, 1/2008), lot 2649; Liberty Collection of American
Colonial Coinage/Long Beach Signature (Heritage, 5/2008), lot
2070.
To read the complete item description, see:
1799 MEDAL Gold Funeral Urn Medal AU55 NGC.
(https://coins.ha.com/itm/colonials/1799-medal-gold-funeral-urn-medal-au55-ngc-baker-166-fuld-dies-1-b-gw-70-pcgs-505010-/a/1393-3539.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515)
1787 1C Fugio Cent, STATES UNITED, 4 Cinquefoils, Pointed Rays,
N. 13-X, W-6855, R.2, MS65 Brown PCGS. CAC. Newman 13-X is
undoubtedly the most plentiful Fugio cent variety today, thanks to
the New York Hoard that contained 726 examples of this combination
(44% of the entire hoard). It is probably the case that many of
those coins, discovered in the 1850s, still survive in or near Mint
State, providing collectors with an opportunity to obtain a high
quality example. In United States Fugio Copper Coinage of
1787 [Ypsilanti, MI: Jon Lusk, 2008], Eric P. Newman comments
on the hoard: "Today, while Mint State Fugio coppers are seen as a
glorious addition to a numismatist's cabinet, their very existence
underlines their failure as a circulating medium." This lovely
copper has highly lustrous surfaces and deep chocolate color that
is blended with considerable original mint red, nearly enough to
qualify for a "RB" designation. PCGS Population for the type
(multiple varieties): 22 in 65 (2 in 65+), 5 finer (2/26). Listed
on page 52 of the 2026 Guide Book.
Ex: Long Beach Signature (Heritage, 9/2008), lot 58.
To read the complete item description, see:
1787 1C Fugio Cent, STATES UNITED, 4 Cinquefoils, Pointed Rays,
N. 13-X, W-6855, R.2, MS65 Brown PCGS. CAC.
(https://coins.ha.com/itm/federal-contract-coinage/1787-1c-fugio-cent-states-united-4-cinquefoils-pointed-rays-n-13-x-w-6855-r2-ms65-brown-pcgs-cac-pcgs-/a/1393-3565.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515)
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: Subscribe
Copyright © 1998 - 2025 The Numismatic Bibliomania Society (NBS)
All Rights Reserved.
NBS Home Page
Contact the NBS webmaster
|