The E-Sylum:  Volume 4, Number 30, July 22, 2001, Article 10

COLLECTORS OF MINT ERRORS 

   In last weeks discussion of the Pennypacker sale of the Jess 
   Bauscher error coin collection we asked: "So what is (or was) 
   C.O.M.E.?  Collectors of Mint Errors, perhaps?" 

   The following answer came from Mike Bozovich, CONECA 
   Librarian.  (Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error 
   Collectors of America): 

   "C.O.M.E. was, indeed, "Collectors of Mint Errors" and was 
   the endeavor of Michael Kolman, Jr. of Federal Brand 
   Enterprises fame.  A "sometimes" journal was produced by 
   Mr. Kolman during the late 1950's - October 1956 being the 
   first number. 

   The "Mint Error Collector Bulletin" was published by 
   Kolman in one form or another until 1964.  One "issue" of 
   the Bulletin appeared as a single page in Federal Brand's 
   05/15/59 "Penn-Ohio" sale catalog.  Kolman often featured 
   long runs of mint error coins in his auctions and was an early 
   promoter of collecting such material. 

   C.O.M.E. was the first national organization devoted to 
   collecting mint errors and while it was run solely by one 
   person and lacked a board of directors, etc., it deserves its 
   place as "first". 

   The "Bulletin" is extremely difficult to find now and I despair 
   of ever completing a set.  I have seen a reference to a set 
   "bound in two volumes" that was produced by Kolman in 
   1966, although I doubt he sold very many copies. 

   It should be noted that using "Bausher/Dolan" as a reference 
   to collecting mint errors is generally a bad idea.  It is full of 
   impossible coins and basement-job fabrications.  The body 
   of knowledge in this area has greatly advanced over what it 
   was then." 

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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