FRANK M. PINKERTON (1871-1930)

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V20 2017 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 20, Number 11, March 12, 2017, Article 11

John Lupia submitted the following information from his Encyclopedic Dictionary of Numismatic Biographies for this week's installment of his series. Thanks. As always, this is an excerpt with the full article and bibliography available online. This week's subject is Iowa collector/dealer Frank M. Pinkerton. -Editor

Frank M. Pinkerton (1871-1930), was born in November 1871 at Marshalltown, Iowa, the fifth of seven children, son of Asa Pinkerton (1834-1892), a farmer/gardener, and Anna E. Stewart Pinkerton (1840-1891). His family had lived in Illinois and moved to Marshalltown, Iowa soon before Frank M. Pinkerton was born. His family lived on their farm at 803 Jerome Avenue. He lived his whole life in Marshalltown and never married. After graduating the local school he worked in town as a clerk.

In the December 1904 issue of The Numismatist, page 378 he ran a six-line ad selling coins. In the January 1905 issue of The Numismatist, page 32 he ran the same six-line ad selling coins.

He also advertised as a coin dealer in Philatelic West, Vol. 31, No. 1, September (1905). According to Tom Elder Pinkerton was a winning bidder in his September 1905 auction, received his coins but never paid. He mentioned this in two issue of the Elder Monthly in 1906.

"F. M. Pinkerton, Marshalltown, Iowa. Received $43 in American gold coins which he secured at auction and failed to either pay for or return. The postal officials and collection bureau are after him hot-foot."

When there was a problem with the mail not only the buyer but the Post Office was to blame with Tom Elder. Judging from the facts presented by Elder it seems unfair to have condemned Pinkerton based on the evidence. It may have been a genuine case of mail tampering in which both parties, i.e., Elder and Pinkerton, were victimized. But, Tom Elder, hot-tempered and short-fused could only see his point of view, neither that of either Pinkerton nor the Post Office officials. When a deal went wrong "everybody was wrong and at fault" in Elder's mind. Although Elder is pugnacious you still can't help liking him and feeling bad for him about this particular case since he was robbed one way or the other.

Correspondence of Frank M. Pinkerton to the Chapman Brothers, postmarked May 28, 1902. A very rare piece of circusiana

In early 1909, he [Pinkerton] opened his Art & Novelty Store, 508 West Nevada, Marshalltown, Iowa.

He died of pernicious anemia on March 30, 1930 at the Deaconess Hospital, Marshalltown, Iowa. He is buried in the Riverside Cemetery, Marshalltown, Iowa. His estate sold his real estate on May 31, 1930 for $10,000.

To read the complete article, see:
PINKERTON, FRANK M. (https://sites.google.com/a/numismaticmall.com/www/numismaticmall-com/pinkerton-frank-m)