VINCENT W. ALONES, 1916 - 2012

Vincent W. Alones, 95, a World War II Navy veteran from Long Island, NY has passed away. Vincent had his name published in the July 2011 issue of The Numismatist for being a 50 year member of the ANA. Vincent is an award-winning exhibitor who won an ANA Presidential Award in 1994 and the Medal of Merit in 1995. Vincent attended every ANA Convention from 1952 to 2008!

Vincent won over 200 prizes in numismatic competitions during his lifetime and was a long-time member of the Long Island Coin Club. His estate has provided a portion of Vincent's amazing coin collection to be sold, in part, to benefit the Virginia Numismatic Association. Vincent started collecting in 1934 and his collection contains many coins from major auctions such as the Anderson-Dupont Collection (1954), B. Frank Collection (1956), Farish Baldenhofer Collection (1955), B. Max Mehl (1942), and coins obtained from Abe Kosoff, Walter Breen, Empire, T. Weiss, and New Netherlands Coin Company. Many of the coins are gem uncirculated.

The Virginia Numismatic Association will hold its 54th annual convention, coin and currency show, September 28-30 (Friday 10 AM to 6 PM, Saturday, 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday, 10 AM to 4 PM at the Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center, 2371 Carl D. Silver Pkwy, Fredericksburg, VA. Session I of the Vincent Alones Estate will be sold at auction on Saturday night at 7:00 PM, September 29th, 2012, at the VNA show. Session I will include between 250 and 300 auction lots. Session I contains mostly copper coins and is especially strong in large cents, with many uncirculated and some fantastic proof examples. In addition, a nearly equal number of lots will be sold throughout the convention at fixed prices on the bourse floor.

For sale or auction will be offered over 600 U.S. large cents and about 45 colonials and half cents. Every date of large cent will be sold. Early date cent highlights include several 1793 Chain/Wreath cents, eleven 1794 large cents, multiple quantities of the remaining early dates except for a single 1799, six 1804s (genuine, restrike, and counterfeit) and an 1815 fantasy.

The real strength of the collection is with the middle date large cents with multiples of each date from 1816 on, none lower in grade than Extra Fine and with runs of "gem uncirculated" and proof examples not seen on the market for many decades. Probably some "finest known" examples such as an 1823 Restrike, Broken Die enthusiastically labeled "Proof-70" that was purchased in 1940 give a sense of the hidden beauties that may turn up during cataloging. The coins conveniently come with attribution, original auction flips, date and price paid, with some purchased as far back as 1937.

A complete list with photos, attribution and provenance is being assembled and should appear on the VNA website and/or in hardcopy catalog format by the end of July. The colonials include 1776 Continental Dollars in a variety of compositions, and other worthy lots of State coppers, Fugio cents, and French colonials. Subsequent sessions are to be determined. Special auction lots may be available for advance viewing at the Baltimore Show, the last week of June. Ask any VNA member for more information about viewing lots at the Baltimore Show. VNA members may expect a special mailing with the details.

To read Vincent Alones' obituary, see: Vincent William Alones (www.legacy.com/obituaries/newsday/obituary.aspx?
n=vincent-william-alones&pid=155806600)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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