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SELECTIONS FROM HOLABIRD MARCH 2018 SALEHere are some items that caught my eye in the catalog of the March 2018 auction sale from Fred Holabird. -Editor
Hart's "Coins of the West" Set  Thirty six coin set in Mint State Condition ranging from MS 63 to MS 66. Four MS 66; fifteen MS 65; fifteen MS 64; two MS 63. Similar in shape and dimension to the California Fractional Gold series, the privately struck gold “Coins of the Golden West” have been puzzling researchers for decades. Struck in 10 ct. gold or finer (with the Alaska-Yukon series coming in at approx. 21 ct, according to Burnie), these mysterious and gold issues are a colorful commemoration of all U.S. gold rush locales and feature unusual denominations such as Pinch, DWT and Minerva Bear. The group includes: Alaska Pinch Series – 6 pcs., Parka Heads – 3 pcs., Alaska-Yukon Expo – 3 pcs., Minerva Bears – 6 pcs., Indian Bears – 6 pcs., Idaho Gold – 3 pcs., Montana Gold – 3 pcs., Oregon Gold – 3 pcs., Washington Gold – 3 pcs. M.E. Hart, the original marketer of these beautiful gold tokens (along with Farran Zerbe) is even somewhat of a mystery – speculation exists that it is the person of Mary E. Hart, one of the most prominent and flamboyant businesswomen of the era. A brief look at the trajectory of her life puts Mary E. Hart at the epicenter of the Golden West set distribution: By 1904, Mary Hart was traveling regularly between San Francisco and Alaska, as well as Los Angeles and Tacoma – a tireless promoter of Alaska, she was the manager of Alaska’s exhibits at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, continuing her Alaska promotions into the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. She also had family connections with Mayer and Brothers Jewelers, makers of the Alaska-Yukon tokens, and was active in marketing all the Golden West issues at the 1916 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. While there is no “smoking gun” indicating that Mary E. Hart was responsible for producing the “Coins of Golden West”, ancillary evidence strongly suggests that she was in the thick of it. With her interest in the gold industry (and an impressive collection of Alaska gold nuggets), she is a natural fit for the persona of “M.E. Hart”, the original promoter of these fascinating private gold issues. The lot description has MUCH more research information - practically a monograph on the topic. -Editor
To read the complete lot description, see: Denver Mint and Colorado Bank Books  Hardcovers. A Pioneer Denver Mint by Mumey, Growing Through History with Colorado, The Colorado National Banks 1862-1987 by Noel (Al Adams Gold Rush Memorabilia Collection) Date: Location: Denver, Colorado Some of the numismatic literature offered in the sale. -Editor
To read the complete lot description, see: Letter By Snowden to J. M. Patton  One page letter on Mint of the United States Stationary. Director of the Mint James Snowden acknowledges the admirable job that Patton had done the last seven years. (He had been replaced by a President Lincoln friend.) Also says will take him up on staying with Patton if he ever gets down that direction. Snowden goes on to heap praises on Patton for the job he did. Snowden signs the letter, "your friend and obedient servant". This is a must for any Dahlonega or Patton collector! Some rips at fold edges. Accompanied by a 1963 letter to Blaise F Dantone, the legendary owner of Peachtree Coin Shop about this 1860 letter. Patton brought a new level of professionalism to the Dahlonega Branch Mint. Patton found that the gold coins issued at the Branch Mint were too high in silver, and had uneven planchet weights. He discovered that the rolls used to make the planchets from the Georgia gold were worn out, and the thickness, and therefore the weight, varied upt o 3/16 of an inch, as noted by Head and Etheridge in The Neighborhood Mint. (2000). The high silver also caused the coins to wear far too quickly, which is quite obvious to collectors today. The sale is replete with archival material as well, such as this great letter from Mint Director Snowden. -Editor
To read the complete lot description, see: Amador Canal & Mining Company $5 Gold Note  Dated Nov. 3, 1874, serial number 55. An extremely rare California scrip item which is as close to a true obsolete note as exists from California. This note is payable for water used by the bearer and is "an equivalent for a Five Dollar Gold Note," a clear reference to the then current National Gold Bank. Signed by the President, J. S. Emery, and Secretary, A. M. Brown. A vignette at left shows a miner operating a water canon in a hydraulic mining scene with another two miners below working near a tunnel. On the right is a second vignette of Mercury standing with an open safe with piles and sacks of coins and ingots. The back is in ornate gold-orange I color and features a portrait of Neptune, appropriately god of the sea. Printed by Britton, Rey Co., S. F. Extremely Rare; not in the John J. Ford collection. A few specimens of a $1 dollar note are known by the same company and one.is listed in the Holabird Kagin Gold Rush catalog Summer 2008 (item #72) at a price was $12,500. Only one unissued $5 note is known in much less condition than the item listed here. (From the Horwedel Collection, item # 15431 in the Heritage Auction No. 354 on Sept. 8th, 2004.) Great item, and indeed quite rare. I've never seen one of these. -Editor
To read the complete lot description, see: Carson City Mint Photo  Original mammoth photo print of the US Mint in Carson City, NV. Drawing by A. B. Mullett. A duo of oxen attached to a cart are laying down in front of the mint while 2 men on horses are approaching from the left. A man is sitting on the mint steps. This is quite a contrast to this surviving building in Carson City today which is in the center of town and now part of the Nevada State Museum. 20th century frame. Frame 20" x 23", photo 8.5" x 12". Wow! Great item - perfect for a numismatist's office or library. -Editor
To read the complete lot description, see: William Windom $2 Silver Certificate  Friedberg #246. Bust of William Windom, Secretary of the Treasury March to November 1881 and 1889-1891. Signed Tillman/Morgan. Uncertified, VF-EF condition. This type lasted through only two signature combinations, and appearances of high-end examples are seldom seen for sale. To read the complete lot description, see:  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@gmail.com To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum All Rights Reserved. NBS Home Page Contact the NBS webmaster 
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