BREEN AUTHENTICATION CERTIFICATES ON NEWMAN PORTAL

Prior to the advent of the 3rd party “slab,” Walter Breen played a role in establishing authentication for various numismatic items. Breen’s expert opinions, which took the form of a “certificate of guarantee,” served to establish a basis for negotiation between buyer and seller. R. W. Julian has contributed electronic copies of a number of these, recently recovered from an Indiana estate.

This group includes eight letters of authentication (dated 1975-1979) signed by Walter Breen on the Pine Tree Galleries letterhead. Coins authenticated are an 1851 double eagle, 1909-S Indian cent, 1787 NOVA EBORAC copper, 1787 Connecticut cent (M. 4-L), 1781 North American Token, Massachusetts $4 note (May 5, 1780), 1787 Immunis Columbia, and 1786 Vermont copper (BB-5).

Breen signed many of these, likely in the hundreds, and they are collectible by variety. This group was written on the Pine Tree letterhead, but others are known on blank paper, usually signed with Breen’s signature purple pen. Other variants no doubt exist. Perhaps E-Sylum readers could share other examples?

Image: Breen letter from 1975, authenticating a 1786 VERMONTENSIUM piece (BB-5).

Link to Breen authentication certificates on Newman Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/547337

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web