STACK'S BOWERS: LITMAN COLLECTION U.S. COINS

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V29 2026 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 29, Number 36, 2026, Article 17

Stack's Bowers sold the Charles "Cheech" Litman Collection of U.S. Coins from August 31 - September 5. Select items are discussed below. -Garrett

Historic Lord Baltimore Shilling Undated (1659) Lord Baltimore Shilling. Hodder 1-A, W-1080. Rarity-6. Large Bust, MARIÆ. AU-50 (PCGS). A very nice survivor of this important issue, the first silver coin produced abroad exclusively for American circulation. Well struck in general, although we do note typical softness to the detail on Calvert's head and in the opposing area on the reverse, within the shield. Both sides are uncommonly well centered for the type and, although some of the border denticulation is beyond the flan, all peripheral motifs are complete. Overall detail is suitably bold for the assigned grade, in fact, and there are no sizeable marks to distract during in-hand viewing. The surfaces are a bit muted beneath blended russet and mauve-gray color, the combination of these two attributes suggesting retoning over an old, light cleaning. Close inspection with a loupe reveals faint pin scratches over and around Calvert's portrait and along the right obverse border that are also mentioned for accuracy. With PCGS having certified only one Mint State coin, and AU examples elusive regardless of overall quality, this piece is uncommonly strong both technically and aesthetically for this challenging colonial era type.

The terms of Calvert's grant called for him to be guaranteed all rights enjoyed by the Bishop of Durham, who had issued coins in his own name during the Middle Ages. Thus, Calvert had shillings, sixpences, groats (four pence), and copper pennies (or denariums) coined bearing his bust and Arms, and passed local ordinances in Maryland calling for their mandatory circulation. He ran afoul of British authorities, who frowned on him exporting silver from the mother country no matter what the terms of his claim may have been. Despite his legal troubles, coins of every denomination reached Maryland and began circulating there in the early 1660s. Today, most survivors of this denomination are in poor condition, often holed and plugged after use in jewelry, badly polished, well-worn, or a combination of the above. While sixpence often survive in decent grade, thanks in part to a hoard of about 20 pieces located in England two decades ago, the shillings rarely fared so well. While a few high grade pieces exist, more than one of them shows what may be charitably called negative eye appeal. This pleasing PCGS AU-50 is an exception, ranking among the nicer-looking examples from the Hodder 1-A dies that we have ever had the privilege of bringing to auction.

To read the complete item description, see:
Historic Lord Baltimore Shilling (https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-1UUFNV/undated-1659-lord-baltimore-shilling-hodder-1-a-w-1080-rarity-6-large-bust-mari-au-50-pcgs)

Remarkable Albany Church Penny Struck on a French Sol Unique Host Undated (1790) Albany Church Penny. W-8500. Rarity-7. D Above CHURCH. Overstruck on a French Copper Sol of Louis XV. VF-30 (PCGS). A most unusual specimen of this important issue, struck over a Louis XV copper sol. The crown atop the French shield on the reverse of the host is seen left of the CHURCH PENNY stamp at center. The last few letters of FRANCIAE and ET are visible outside the punch near 3 o'clock, while on the blank reverse, LU of LUD. and the lower truncation of King Louis' bust are visible. The surfaces are mostly even light brown, somewhat darker olive within the punch. The lettering within the punch is all nice and bold, with just trivial weakness on the right side of H of CHURCH. Some natural striations are noted, along with microscopic granularity in areas, and a single deep dig is noted on the blank reverse. The eye appeal is excellent for one of these, which show often show poorly struck punches or post-minting damage. But for the specialist, neither the aesthetic appeal nor the nice grade is the real attraction, but the opportunity to own something truly unique that actually offers new insight into the circulating medium in upstate New York at the birth of the Republic.

The Albany Church pennies were communion tokens struck during the fallout of the Copper Panic of 1789, when the circulating copper medium became so engorged with counterfeit coppers, worn out pieces (like the host for this one), and miscellaneous lightweight trash that the merchants of New York City began to reject them. The number of coppers it took to equal a dollar swelled, from 90 to a dollar to twice that number. As the New York City copper coin market convulsed, the consumer economy nearby began to feel the effects of the panic as well, extending up the Hudson to Albany, down to Philadelphia, and throughout the region.

While many Albany Church pennies show substantial undertype, up until the discovery of this coin, that undertype had always been an English halfpenny. While different types of British halfpence have been seen, this appears to be unique as a piece struck on an identifiable non-English copper. Only counterfeit George III halfpence were singled out for inclusion in the still-useful Appendix 3 of Dr. Phil Mossman's magnum opus, Money of the American Colonies and Confederation. The Richard August piece was on a very worn William III piece from genuine dies, Syd Martin had a piece boldly overstruck on a counterfeit George III piece, and a piece with a scarce George II undertype was included in our August 2019 ANA sale. This sort of undertype is unique in your cataloger's experience and unpublished in the literature. It's a very special piece, as such.

To read the complete item description, see:
Remarkable Albany Church Penny (https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-1UUG2C/undated-1790-albany-church-penny-w-8500-rarity-7-d-above-church-overstruck-on-a-french-copper-sol-of-louis-xv-vf-30-pcgs)

Rare and Appealing 1792 Getz Pattern in Copper Off the Market Since 1978 1792 Washington Getz Pattern. Small Eagle. Musante GW-22, Baker-25A, W-10775. Copper. Plain Edge. VF-30 (PCGS). A well above average specimen of this rarity from the dawn of the United States Mint. Even and appealing medium brown surfaces showcase a wealth of detail on both sides. A glass reveals some fine granularity across the surfaces, and several rim bumps and bruises are seen around the circumference. The most significant of the bruises is beneath the arrow talon on the reverse, but each side shows a couple of notable ones. Two light edge cuts are barely visible atop the obverse, mostly obscured by the holder. The surfaces show scattered marks and fine old scratches, and some hairlines are seen on the cheek, but the overall aesthetic appeal is quite nice for one of these. The population of Getz patterns is heavily weighted at lower grades, with a surprising number of (very expensive) high grade survivors known, but relatively few in the appealing middle circulated grades. Only six of these have been graded in the VF range by PCGS. This piece shows full legends, a bold date, and excellent detail on the central devices of both sides.

In April 1792, the Congress sent off a Mint Act for President Washington's signature. It was essentially the House version of the bill, insisting that American coins depict "an impression emblematic of Liberty." The Senate version of the bill, which never saw the president's desk, was much different, and Washington's opposition to the concepts therein may have helped kill it. By the terms of the Senate version, United States coins would have depicted:

An impression or representation of the head of the President of the United States for the time being, with an inscription which shall express the initial or first letter of his Christian or first name, and his surname at length, the succession of the presidency numerically, and the year of the coinage; and upon the reverse of each of the gold and silver coins, there shall be the figure or representation of an eagle, with this inscription - 'United States of America.' If that design prescription sounds familiar, it is because it is precisely what appears on the Getz patterns, down to the Roman numeral I representing "the succession of the presidency numerically" that follows G. WASHINGTON PRESIDENT.

It appears Getz's dream of work with the United States Mint did not cease when the coinage act's language made his patterns obsolete. These dies may have been put back into use early in 1793, producing small planchet pieces whose weight intended to meet the standard for the new cent coinage. One specimen, in the Lasser Collection at Colonial Williamsburg, is overstruck on a 1794 cent. This portrait punch also created new dies: the 1796-dated die used on the unique silver "Drumheller Dollar," which also used this exact reverse die; as well as the 1797 Getz Washington Masonic medal. These dies look to have made their way into the hands of Philadelphia mechanic John Harper, whose August 1797 estate listing cites "2 Dies of General Washington Heads, 1 [ditto] of the face Masons coat of arms." The nature of Getz's relationship to Harper has yet to be uncovered.

George Fuld's thorough census of Getz patterns, published in 2009, listed this example as his "Number Twenty-Six" out of 53 copper pieces he encountered, 42 of which were plain edge examples. The ornamented edge seen on some specimens points to their intended use as multi-denominational patterns, as the edge imitates that seen on the Spanish colonial silver denominations familiar to Getz and his contemporaries. Though made privately, this piece's historical context is the same as the 1792 half dismes and the rarer patterns of that year, making it a prized survivor of the founding days of our national mint.

Provenance: From the Charles "Cheech" Litman Collection. Earlier from Paramount's sale of August 1974, lot 723; our (Bowers and Ruddy's) 1978 ANA sale of the Robert E. Branigan Estate, August, lot 80.

To read the complete item description, see:
Rare and Appealing 1792 Getz Pattern in Copper (https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-1UUG66/1792-washington-getz-pattern-small-eagle-musante-gw-22-baker-25a-w-10775-copper-plain-edge-vf-30-pcgs)

1807 Draped Bust Dime. JR-1. Rarity-1. MS-61 (PCGS). OGH. This attractively toned example is dressed in iridescent champagne-pink that appears to drift toward the borders. The strike is typical of the issue with soft detail here and there around the peripheries, especially along the left reverse border, yet sharper focal features in the centers. The final issue in the Draped Bust dime series, and always in demand to represent the Heraldic Eagle reverse design in type sets, the 1807 is a strong performer in all grades. In Mint State, as here, this issue is scarce to rare, especially relative to the demand that such pieces enjoy among today's quality conscious collectors. The 1807 holds additional appeal to variety specialists, the single die marriage of the year featuring the same reverse that the Mint previously used to strike Capped Bust Right quarter eagles of the 1805, 1806/4, 1806/5 and 1807 deliveries.

1858 Liberty Seated Half Dollar. JD-1. Rarity-5. Proof-63 (PCGS). Gold CAC. OGH. Warm cobalt blue and pinkish-silver undertones backlight soft, gently mottled russet and pearl iridescence. The 1858 is the first Proof Liberty Seated half dollar for which we can realistically estimate an original mintage. Most sources provide a figure of approximately 300 coins struck, but with so many examples melted as unsold, the issue is far rarer in today's market than such an estimated mintage might imply. Indeed, the number of coins extant in all grades is on the order of just 150 to 175 pieces (per John W. Dannreuther, 2025). That offered here is the only certified example to have met with coveted Gold CAC approval - a virtually Choice specimen that will sell for a strong bid.

1897-S Barber Half Dollar. MS-64 (PCGS). CAC. OGH. A frosty near-Gem with strong underlying luster that supports vivid reddish-gold and cobalt blue iridescence that deepens toward the borders. Nicely struck with just a touch of lightness in the reverse arrow feathers and adjacent claw. An issue that is considerably scarcer across the grading spectrum than its mintage of 933,900 pieces suggests; like most San Francisco Mint half dollars of the era, the 1897-S saw heavy duty in the channels of commerce. It is remarkable, indeed, that Mint State coins of the present quality exist at all!

1896 Morgan Silver Dollar. JD-1. Rarity-3. Proof-65 (NGC). Gold CAC. OH. This awe-inspiring specimen really needs to be seen to be fully appreciated. Both sides are wonderfully original in preservation with intense target-like toning in cobalt blue, reddish-rose and orange-copper iridescence. Also expertly preserved, the surfaces are silky smooth in appearance and strongly suggest an even higher Gem Proof grade. The strike is full, and there is bold cameo contrast that goes unmentioned on the Generation 5.0 NGC holder. Whereas Proofs of the 1888 to 1893 era are the most consistently unattractive in the Morgan dollar series (due to lightness of strike in the centers), those delivered between 1896 and 1898 are among the most beautiful. Special care seems to have been taken in the preparation of dies during the latter era, resulting in some of the most striking Proof Morgans available to today's collectors. Even so, this one is far finer than most, and it offers exceptional quality and stunning eye appeal from a mintage of 762 pieces. Sure to sell for a very strong premium.

1884 Gold Dollar. JD-1. Rarity-4. Proof-64 Cameo (NGC). CAC. Proof gold dollar production soared to previously unheard of levels in 1884 with a mintage of 1,006 pieces. Numismatic scholars have found irrefutable proof that this increased mintage is due to contemporary demand for coins to use in jewelry, "a fad [having] developed circa 1882-3 for use of small gold coins as jewelry (watch fobs, tie pins, cufflinks, etc.), and Mint Superintendent A. Loudon Snowden took advantage of it," as reported by Walter Breen in his Proof coin Encyclopedia. Yearly Proof gold dollar mintages would remain above the 1,000-coin mark through the series' end in 1889. With most examples used in jewelry and subsequently lost, the Proof 1884 is rarer than the mintage might suggest. John W. Dannreuther (2018), in fact, accounts for only 150 to 200 survivors in all grades. At the premium Choice Cameo level, as here, the Proof 1884 is very scarce from a condition standpoint and seldom offered in today's market. This beautiful and vivid piece would do justice to an advanced Proof gold type or date set.

1879 Three-Dollar Gold Piece. MS-63 (PCGS). OGH. This lovely prooflike example exhibits delightful orange-olive color to both sides. It is sharply struck, nicely preserved, and sure to please advanced three-dollar gold enthusiasts. By the late 1870s the usefulness of the three-dollar gold piece in commerce (such as it ever was) had long since passed and, with only a single exception in 1874, yearly circulation strike deliveries were small. In anticipation of the federal government's mandate that gold coins would once again be exchangeable at par with paper bills on January 1, 1879, the Philadelphia Mint increased its output 1878 with a delivery of 82,304 circulation strikes. Although the market achieved parity on its own on December 17, 1878, by the following year the unpopularity of the three-dollar gold piece had been reaffirmed and mintages once again fell off drastically. The 1879 has a mintage of just 3,000 circulation strikes, achieved mostly to satisfy demand for holiday gifts and similar purposes, as well as to prevent the creation of a Proof-only numismatic rarity. In the end most circulation strikes of this date accumulated in the Philadelphia Mint and were eventually melted, with the result that fewer than 750 coins are believed extant in all grades. This is a scarce Select Uncirculated survivor that would be just right for an advanced collection of this challenging 19th century gold series.

1911 Indian Eagle. MS-64 (PCGS). Gold CAC. OGH. As the highest graded of just four circulation strike 1911 Indian eagles to have secured desirable Gold CAC approval, this exquisite near-Gem Mint State example will certainly sell for a very strong bid. It is a beautiful coin whose intensely lustrous, satiny surfaces are dressed in a bold blend of vivid rose-gold and powder blue colors. Fully struck and smooth enough to support at least an MS-65 grade. Outstanding!

1936-D Cincinnati Music Center. MS-65 (PCGS). Gold CAC. OGH. This breathtakingly beautiful Gem is stunningly toned in blushes of red, orange-gold, cobalt blue and silver-olive iridescence. The most vivid and varied colors have gathered at the peripheries, while the entire package is bathed in full, smooth, softly frosted luster. A coin that will certainly generate strong bidder interest and sell for a remarkable premium.

1936 Columbia, South Carolina Sesquicentennial. MS-66 (PCGS). Gold CAC. OGH. This awe-inspiring Gem really needs to be seen to be fully appreciated, such is the vividness and beauty of the multicolored iridescent toning that adorns both sides. Intense mint luster shines powerfully through the reds, golds, russets and blues that decorate the surfaces. Presenting as pristine in hand, and sure to generate strong competition between toning enthusiasts, old holder collectors, and those pursuing Gold CAC stickers.

1863 Pattern Postage Currency Dime. Judd-329, Pollock-399. Rarity-6-. Tin. Plain Edge. Proof-55 (PCGS). Obv: Pattern Postage Currency design with an ornamental shield surrounded by an inverted laurel wreath suspended from a ring. A pair of crossed arrows are behind the shield. The inscription EXCHANGED FOR / U.S. NOTES is around the periphery. Rev: The denomination 10 CENTS and date 1863 in the center, with peripheral inscriptions POSTAGE CURRENCY above, ACT JULY 1862 below. Untoned with bright pewter gray surfaces and all design elements sharply rendered and clear. Provenance: From the Charles "Cheech" Litman Collection.

Undated (1842-1852) August Bechtler $1. K-24. Rarity-3. 27 G. 21 C. Plain Edge. AU-58 (PCGS). OGH. Rich orange-honey gold color covers both sides, with rich luster protected around the legends. One of the more choice examples of the type at the certified AU-58 level we've ever encountered, with just a few wispy handling marks above the digit 27 that requite magnification to discern. The die state is quite late, with significant die rust scattered throughout both sides. The aesthetic appeal is positively superb. One of the most common of all territorial gold issues, the gold dollars of August Bechtler saw wide circulation throughout the South. They also saw widespread damage, both from jewelry use and from polishing in non-numismatic hands. Those with this kind of sharpness and originality bring a strong premium in the marketplace today.

These lots have concluded, but the Stack's Bowers Summer 2026 Global Showcase Auction continues through September 11, 2026. -Editor