MORE ON THE FUGIO CENTS IN LUCITE

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V23 2020 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 23, Number 8, February 23, 2020, Article 14

MORE ON THE FUGIO CENTS IN LUCITE

Last week Roger Siboni discussed the Bank of New York Fugio Cents encased in Lucite, and requested more information: "When were these made? How many?. For how long? Did they know what they were encasing was valuable (was it then?). About how many remain? I know I tried to acquire one through BONY in the early Nineties and they told me they ran out years ago."

First to respond was Len Augsburger of the Newman Numisamtic Portal. -Editor

I note that Stack's sold one of these in 2002:
https://archive.org/details/americanacolonia2002stac/page/21/mode/2up (lot 280)

This one was engraved COMMERCIAL CREDIT COMPANY 1934-1959 / LEBARON S. WILLARD JR. while Roger's is engraved WYATT INDUSTRIES / 50th ANNIVERSARY / FEBRUARY 5, 1913 – FEBRUARY 5, 1963 / W. B. VAN WART / CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD.

I'm guessing every example was uniquely engraved.

There is also one in Stacks/Bowers 3/2011, lot 227 (realized $4,025).

I'm embarrassed to say we don't have this catalog on Newman Portal (I can tell what happened – the Stack's online archive, which we copied, has the March catalog, but it's the SB/Ponterio sale not the SB sale – for this sale we have to scan the actual hardcopy). But, I found the lot on the Stack's site –
https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-286OU/1787-fugio-copper-pointed-rays-w-6740-newman-8-b-urs-12-united-states-4-cinquefoils-ms-60-cleaned-uncertified

This one is engraved 25th Anniversary / 1933-1958 / H. A. Eddins. Google tells us Eddins was president of the Gas Association.

And so far, we can date them to the late 1950s / early 1960s.

Dave Bowers further discusses these in American Coin Treasures and Hoards (p. 29), noting that 50 or 60 were encased in lucite. This estimate probably came from Tony Terranova.

Tony Terranova of New York City writes:

"These were made for presentation purposes to important clients and long term employees of the bank. The unengraved ones were the leftovers from when the bank stopped the practice.

As of mid 1991 when I curated the leftover hoard, there were 56 of those Lucite blocks among a total of 819 in various mint state shape. Many were water damaged, from a partial flood in the basement vault where they were stored."

Thanks! -Editor

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
BANK OF NEW YORK FUGIO CENTS IN LUCITE (https://www.coinbooks.org/v23/esylum_v23n07a16.html)

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

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