GOLD CONFEDERATE CENT RESTRIKES

In The E-Sylum vol. 9 no. 46, November 12, 2006, Tom Delorey very correctly expressed his view of how the making of restrikes can get out-of-hand. He presented a letter from Robert Bashlow concerning 2nd restrikes of the Confederate cent. Adding to this problem, there seems to be little if anything that can be done about the counterfeits that are being created. I have seen two thin planchet gold Confederate cent 2nd restrikes and a gold reverse hub impression, along with a host of other recently made junk.

A word of warning; if what you have or see is a gold Confederate cent 2nd restrike piece, it is fake. David Laties, Bashlow's business partner, has stated to me, in no uncertain terms, that they struck three (3) thick planchet gold pieces – and that is it! No other gold pieces were struck!

Authentic Thin Goldine
Fake Thin Gold

Mr. Laties still has his gold Confederate cent 2nd restrike, one was donated to the Smithsonian and Bashlow lost his piece. Dr. Doty of the Smithsonian has confirmed that the donated gold piece is still at the Smithsonian. Keep in mind that the Gold Confiscation Proclamation of 1933 was still in effect in 1962. Bashlow had already had a run-in with the Secret Service and was terrified of having another brush with them. This attitude has been confirmed by Mr. Laties.

The letter from Bashlow, mentioned above, provided some insights into some of the items that were struck. In particular, he mentioned that there were two or three thin planchet restrikes in silver and about six in bronze. He did not mention goldine, but that is not surprising since he mentioned reverse hub impression in goldine and bronze and failed to mention those in silver.

Laties Gold

You know, it is true that now and then a blind hog does find acorns. I now own one thin planchet silver and one goldine 2nd restrike. The thin planchet pieces were not weakly struck as some have argued. These pieces are as well struck as the thick planchet pieces. I have confirmed the provenance of these pieces as having come from Bashlow. I will be making a presentation to The Calumet Numismatic Club on June 16th and will show the diagnostic problems with the fake pieces.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: BASHLOW'S CONFEDERATE CENT RESTRIKES (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n46a20.html)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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