HENRY P. KENDALL FOUNDATION COLLECTION PREVIEW

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V18 2015 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 18, Number 12, March 22, 2015, Article 21

I was planning to highlight some selections from the Kendall collection in tonight's issue, but Dennis Hengeveld has done that for us over on the Coin Update site. So here's a selection from his selections; be sure to read the complete article online. -Editor

On March 26 Stack’s-Bowers, in conjunction with the Whitman Baltimore Expo, will be offering a collection of primarily early American coins and currency, sold under the name of and on behalf of the Henry P. Kendall Foundation. Assembled over more than 50 years by a dedicated collector, the sale will represent the 2nd large collection of early American coins to come to the market this year, the first being the Partrick collection sold in January by Heritage. In this article we will take a look at the Kendall Foundation auction, which is comprised of 557 widely varied lots, ranging from Federal coins to medals, tokens, world coins and contemporary counterfeits. A PDF copy of the catalog can be accessed online by clicking the following link: http://media.stacksbowers.com/VirtualCatalogs/2015/Stacks-Bowers-Galleries/Mar2015-Baltimore/SBG_Mar2015_Balt_Kendall_Catalog_LR.pdf

Many collectors, when assembling a specialized collection, will wish to acquire the finest grades they can afford. This collection, however, is different, as many common coins are in circulated grades, the personal preference of the collector (who goes unnamed in the catalog, and is only identified as a “collector from the Midwest”) who assembled the collection. This does not mean that some of the coins or currency in the collection are not the finest known; in fact, this is hardly the case, as especially the collection of Massachusetts silver coins is among the finest (if not THE finest) collection of that material ever assembled in one place.

The sale starts with 219 lots of Colonial and Continental currency, including a number of rarities seldom offered for sale. Lot 2001, for example, is a very rare 10 Kopeck note printed for the Russian-American Company, dating back to the mid 19th century, and meant for circulation in the parts of North-America that were claimed by Russia. The lands claimed by Russia stretched from Alaska to as far south as Fort Ross in present-day California, and the company even claimed a presence in Hawaii (Fort Elizabeth). Active in the fur and seal trade, some notes were printed to facilitate this trade, all of which are now very rare. The note offered by Stack’s-Bowers, graded Choice New 63PPQ by PCGS Currency is among the finest known of this historically important issue. Other lots of paper money include rare issues of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, as well as rare issues of Continental Currency seldom offered for sale.

The coin part of the collection starts with lot 2301, one of just eight Noe 1-A NE Shillings in private hands, graded PCGS EF45. The coin is a high-quality example of the earliest coinage struck on the North-American continent in what today is the United States. The next lot, 2302, is an even rarer Noe 1-D variety of the same denomination, graded VF30 by PCGS. This is not the last New England Shilling to be offered, however, as the collection has an amazing number of six(!) examples of this very rare and historic issue. The New England Shillings are complemented with one of just four New England Six Pences in private hands. Offered as lot 2307, the coin is one of just seven examples known to exist in total, and is graded EF40 by PCGS.

After the extensive offering of Massachusetts silver come even more colonial rarities. Offered are a number of examples of the earliest coinage struck for North-America, the Sommer Islands coinage struck for coinage on what is now known as Bermuda. While not technically part of the series related to the United States, they have been included in the Red Book forever, and are now an important part of American Colonial Numismatics. The highlight of this coinage is perhaps lot 2448, one of just three Sommer Islands Threepences in private hands, graded EF40 by PCGS. Like all Sommer Islands coinage the piece shows less than perfect surfaces, as virtually all have been dug up on the island. The rarity of the coin makes that the quality is less important and the coin should see spirited bidding.

Another colonial rarity that is perhaps not as well known if you are not a specialist of colonial coins is lot 2494. It is a very rare 1670-A 15 Sols struck for the French Colonies in America, one of just six in private hands, with about fourteen pieces known to exist in total. The coin is the largest denomination of a series struck for an area that included much of present-day Canada as well as some parts of the United States, and a major rarity of importance to colonial collectors. The coin is graded VF35 by PCGS and is plated in Walter Breen’s famous Encyclopedia.

One word: Wow! This was a collector who really knew what he was doing. The inclusion of the Russian-American Company note and French Colonies in America piece show a level of sophistication far beyond the typical Redbook collector (or even the typical colonial collector). To these I would add the important 1790 Albany Church penny, lot 2530. -Editor

Undated (1790) Albany Church Penny. W-8500. With D Added. EF-40 (PCGS). CAC. 121.3 grains. A beautiful example of the most popular American communion token, struck over a very well worn English halfpenny that was still circulating in the Hudson Valley a century after it was made.

In our (Stack's) Ford II sale of 2004, we offered specimens of both with With D and No D varieties. The With D brought more than the No D, but perhaps not enough more to give this variety its proper premium for rarity. Long assumed to be of about the same rarity, it actually looks like this variety is the rarer of the two by a significant margin. Mike Hodder recorded just five specimens known to him: the Ford coin, boldly overstruck on a George III counterfeit halfpenny; a specimen in the Partrick collection; one in a well known Rhode Island collection, also overstruck on a George III counterfeit halfpenny; the Robison-Roper coin; and the Picker coin.