SELECTIONS FROM THE DECEMBER 2016 HOLABIRD SALE

Lot 3100: Eighth Army Corp Silver Medal (Montana)

Rare. First to Respond to their Country's Call / 1898 Campanas De Filipinos 1899 // First Montana's U. S. Vols. Second Division Eighth Army Corps. Round, silver, 40mm. State: Montana City: Date: 1898-99 FHWAC#: 41528

To read the complete lot description, see:
Second Rare Eighth Army Corp. Montana Silver Medal (https://holabirdamericana.liveauctiongroup.com/Second-Rare-Eighth-Army-Corp-Montana-Silver-Medal_i26107443)

Lot 3157: Absolute Money Satirical Note Group

Fascinating American history. Four pieces of political currency and an original hand written letter explaining their distribution.

Ainger and Taylor, editors of the Charlotte Republican in Michigan printed and circulated "from Maine to Texas" over 160,000 of these satirical notes. An original letter dated Nov. 15, 1880 to Philadelphia is included. Two notes of Absolute Money for the sum of Fifty Dollars. Both sides full of satirical political commentary: "gold and silver are a deceptson(sic). What we want is absolute, irredeemable paper, stamped by the government." "Eternal damnation to any man who refuses to take this bill at par for all debts." "Civilization demands paper currency representing no artificial value. This is just the thing--representing no value whatever." Two notes for absolute money for the sum of One Thousand Dollars, including phrases like: "Burn the bonds. Shoot the bondholders" Issued on Swindlerville Avenue in Washington City, July 24th, 1880.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Political Currency with original letter of explanation from the publisher (https://holabirdamericana.liveauctiongroup.com/Political-Currency-with-original-letter-of-explanation-from-the-publisher_i26107500)

Lot 3183: Eckfeldt and Du Bois, 1850 w/ Original Gold Samples

Supremely rare Gold Rush era book. First edition. Contains original Gold Rush gold flake samples on pg. 45. New Varieties of Gold and Silver Coins, Counterfeit Coins, and Bullion; With Mint Values. By Jacob R. Eckfeldt and William E. Du Bois, Assayers of the Mint of the United States. Philadelphia: Published by the Authors, and for Sale by the Principal Booksellers; also at the Agencies of Adams & Co., at Panama and San Francisco, 1850. 60 pages. Table of contents on back cover. Engraved frontispiece, blue plate of California and Mormon coins in gold. Original red paper boards with gilt lettering and illustrations of coins in gold and silver. Spine is gilt-decorated, a.e.g. (rebacked, original spine preserved). Bookplate of Carrie Estelle Doheny on front free endpaper. Front pastedown with engraved bookplate of Edward Laurence Doheny with photograph of family surrounded by illustrations.

Edward Laurence Doheny (1856 -1935) was a U.S. oil tycoon who drilled the first successful oil well in the Los Angeles City Oil Field in 1892, starting the petroleum boom in Southern California. Carrie Estelle Doheny was his wife. This book was an essential guide for bankers. Preserved in rose cloth slipcase with chemise. Condition: Small losses and light chipping to the binding and covers, most likely due to the delicate paper-over-boards binding. Foxing. Rarity: [i] State: City: Date: FHWAC#: 19274

To read the complete lot description, see:
New Varieties of Coins and Bullion, Eckfeldt and Du Bois, 1850 w/ Original Gold Samples (https://holabirdamericana.liveauctiongroup.com/New-Varieties-of-Coins-and-Bullion-Eckfeldt-and-Du-Bois-1850-w-Original-Gold-Samples_i26107526)

Lot 3184: Universal Money Table and Commercial Exchange Standard Broadside

A spectacular early broadside dating to 1828. 39 x 26.5". Full color. This spectacular chart, which appears to be an early copy of very fine quality, shows all the gold coins of the world and a chart of their weights and relative value with respect to each other. There are virtually hundreds of coins depicted in great detail on the broadside. The two US gold coins depicted are 1827. From the text: "The entire arranged and translated from a celebrated French work and greatly improved with many valuable additions, by L.A.J. Mordaque, author of the french orthologer history of Napoleon and other works. Member of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society."

The printing quality here is so high as to suggest this could be an original. The work that would've been in the original French work was pasted together of many sheets, as evidenced here. The piece is framed in black ebony and gold trim. Please inspect. State: City: Date: FHWAC#: 43564

To read the complete lot description, see:
Pigot & Co. Universal Money Table and Commercial Exchange Standard Broadside (https://holabirdamericana.liveauctiongroup.com/Pigot-Co-Universal-Money-Table-and-Commercial-Exchange-Standard-Broadside_i26107527)

Lot 3296: 1856 San Francisco Committee of Vigilance Medal

The year was 1856. Not since 1849 was there so much excitement in California. The Vigilance Committee was resurrected and out to clean up the town of San Francisco. The Committee was originally created in 1851. With the "sometimes you have to break the law to preserve the law" attitude, this Committee actively sought membership and kept systemic and accurate records of members and deeds. Although not working within the law, they followed modern jurisprudence. Each man identified by the Committee as breaking the law was given notification that their presence was unacceptable in San Francisco and they had a short time to leave. If the Committee took more drastic measures, such as hanging, the defendant was given a trail with a qualified attorney to represent him. Although the trial was short and the sentence was fulfilled quickly fulfilled. In August of 1851 the police, spurred by a declaration from the Governor, finally put a stop to the actions of the Vigilance Committee.

The Committee became inactive, but never formally dissolved. In 1856 the good citizens of San Francisco once again felt the encroachment of the lawless on their daily lives. The Vigilance Committee was reborn. The final straw was the death of James King of William. As a newspaperman King was calling out thugs in his paper. One of those thugs, James P. Casey shot him to death. 2,600 law abiding citizens were quickly enrolled. (This number would eventually grow to about 7,000.) It was said that every man who held a municipal position was elected by fraudulent means that were orchestrated by Casey. The first act of the Vigilance Committee was to hold their own election and replace every elected official in San Francisco. Their next act was to retrieve Casey from the local jail (where he was put in protective custody). The sheriff seeing canons and companies of men surrounding his building gave up Casey. Casey was tried and hung.

The Governor of California soon declared the city of San Francisco to be in a state of insurrection. He ordered a militia be secured, but he could not find 150 men to fill its ranks. The Committee continued to deport undesirable characters and hang the most offensive. Late in 1856 the Vigilance Committee disbanded having successfully completed their mission to once again restore law and order to the streets of San Francisco and to clean up the corrupt government of the city. A documented eight people were hung by the Committee and several city officials were forced to resign. The number of lawless men forced to leave the city under punishment of death and the number of men who left voluntarily is undocumented.

This silver medallion is numbered 1884. We are in the process of identifying this member and will provide updated information if found. Records of membership exist in collections at the Huntington Library. Unlike many vigilante groups, members of this committee did not hide their involvement. Partial lists of prominent members were published at the time, possibly to encourage enrollment and sway public favor.

It measures 37.1 m,. 26.219 grams and is 3.5 - 3.7 mm. thick. On the obverse SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA is engraved on the bottom and BE JUST AND FEAR NOT. FIAT JUSTITIA RUAT COELUM. around the top. Justice stands in the center, The reverse depicts the Great Seal of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance comprising the All Seeing Eye in the center and a scroll below to receive the member's number, COMMITTEE OF VIGILANCE is above the all seeing eye and ORGANIZED 9TH JUNE 1851. REORGANIZED 14TH MAY 1856 around the top. The Maker's mark is V & G. (Vachon & Gihon) at lower left. The medallion was struck in silver with a plain edge, and looped for wearing as made.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Very Rare 1856 San Francisco Committee of Vigilance Silver Medal (https://holabirdamericana.liveauctiongroup.com/Very-Rare-1856-San-Francisco-Committee-of-Vigilance-Silver-Medal_i26107639)

To read the complete article, see:
DONALD YOUNG EXONUMIA IN HOLABIRD SALE (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n47a15.html)

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