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The E-Sylum: Volume 8, Number 46, October 30, 2005, Article 4 FORD MASSACHUSETTS SILVER SALE REPORT Alan V. Weinberg writes: "I'm really surprised no one reviewed the Stack's JJ Ford Sale of Massachusetts colonial silver coinage in NYC this past October 18. So here's my contribution: Massachusetts colonial silver coinage has been a favorite specialty of mine back to my high school days - I'm 61 now. I received a choice shilling for graduating from high school and another choice shilling in 1976 for my wedding...still have 'em (yes, the wife too). So it was with enormous anticipation when I first learned the Ford Mass silver would be auctioned as I knew the collection, ex T. James Clarke & FCC Boyd, would be noteworthy. And when I received the Stack's ground-breaking auction catalogue I was ecstatic. The quality of the catalogue - not just the contents - was beyond expectations. A classic reference. I'd always regarded the series as rather esoteric in that very few people collected Mass silver by variety compared to collectors of colonial state coppers. So I didn't anticipate the crowd that I saw upon entering the hotel auction room across the street from Stack's. Standing room only. Uh oh, another record-breaking auction. Can I buy anything? I was even more concerned when the New England shillings broke the previous 2001 Andy Hain records, ranging from $220,000 to $300,000 "hammer" (that's plus another 15% buyers fee). And the tiny, visually unimpressive Willow Tree threepence hammered for $550,000. Oh Boy! I'm gonna go home empty-handed! Coin after superb coin, and some not so superb, sold for top prices. And this on top of the fact that many varieties were offered in duplicate, triplicate and more. To mainly serious collectors and dealer colonial specialists , not to "slabbers" and speculators. And no one bidder dominated the bidding as has occurred in some previous Ford sales, to the chagrin of other bidders. I went targeting two particular coins and went home with one, my first choice, an extraordinarily choice and massive Pine Tree shilling . An altogether pleasant day in NYC viewing, bidding and then socializing during and after the sale. Pure numismatics. Not a slab or a Grey Sheet in sight. And it was warm and sunny in NYC , not like the previous rain-deluged week." Wayne Homren, Editor The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org. To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@coinlibrary.com To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum | |
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