MORE ON MAUNOVRY'S LESHER DOLLAR HOARD

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V20 2017 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 20, Number 41, October 8, 2017, Article 14

Bob Leonard researched Lesher Dollars for his recent book Forgotten Colorado Silver. He offers these observations on dealer Jean Fabien Maunovry, the subject of John Lupia's submission last week. Thanks! -Editor

I studied Jean Fabien Maunovry in connection with the research for Forgotten Colorado Silver and can add a little more to this account. Mrs. Maunovry died in Denver on March 30, 1979 at the age of 101, according to the Goulder/Kurt Family Tree in Ancestry.com. Her ashes are apparently buried in Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, next to her first husband, Clark C. Fenner.

This family tree seems to be the only authority for Maunovry's September 21, 1921 disappearance; I stayed in Colorado Springs for a few days after the Golden Day at the American Numismatic Association headquarters this past August, and visited the Penrose Library there. The local history department has no file on Maunovry, and he does not appear in the periodicals index either (also checked "coin dealer"), so his "disappearance" was not reported at the time and must come from family tradition. (I was unsuccessful in contacting the originator of the family tree to determine their source.)

Maunovry is listed in the 1922 Colorado Springs city directory, surveyed Jan. 1-April 15, 1922, but this may be an oversight. In 1924 he was still listed as a member of the Rochester Numismatic Society, Rochester, NY, but with no address.

"He [Maunovry] claims he purchased a hoard of Lesher silver dollars while living in Denver in 1905 as reported in 1918 by Farran Zerbe."

I would argue that the evidence is not strong enough to state that the hoard was actually purchased in Denver; I would also dispute use of the word "claims," which to me implies the writer believes the statement has no foundation in fact.

"The quantity accumulator is Jean Maunovry, now of Rochester, New York, who was for some years a resident of Denver and interested in mining claims in the Cripple Creek district. Mr. Maunovry says he purchased from one person a lot of about one hundred in 1905, and several at different times from banks, curio shops and individuals."

From studying Farran Zerbe's correspondence on Lesher Dollars at the American Numismatic Society archives, I became impressed with his careful, cautious approach to Lesher Dollar research. He was also in 1918 one of the most aggressive Lesher collectors, and had no incentive to make them appear commoner than they were. Clearly he was satisfied that Maunovry's holdings were what Maunovry said they were.

Based on Zerbe's actual statement, I would offer this summary of the transaction, restating Maunovry's "claim" as Zerbe's "report."

Farran Zerbe reported in 1918 that Maunovry purchased a hoard of about 100 Lesher silver dollars in 1905.

For Mrs. Maunovry's entry on Find A Grave, see: Clark C Fenner (https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=34118604&PIpi=15723436)

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