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EARLY AMERICAN HISTORY JUNE 8, 2024 SALEHere are several selections from the upcoming Early American History Auctions sale. Some very nice colonial-era material. -Editor Early American History Auctions, Inc. Announces A New Online Only Auction of 287 Lots Closing: Saturday June 8th, 2024
Featuring A Wide Array of Historic Americana is Offered
Lot 13: General "G. A. Custer" Signed Vignette Promissory Note One of Only Two Known Existent Being Signed by Custer
GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER (1839-1876). Historic Civil War Union Brigadier General at age 23, he fought in nearly every battle of the Army of the Potomac, including Gettysburg, later to be killed and his troops annihilated by Sioux and Cheyenne warriors led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse during the Battle of Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876.
This exceedingly rare Promissory Note is check size, measuring about 8.1 long x 3.35 tall (20.5 x 8.5 cm), printed on light blue bond period paper, at left displaying a vignette of a Seated Female representing Signed, "G. A. Custer" on the signature line at lower right, in fully readable light blue ink. The signature is machine cut-cancelled as shown, the debt having been fully repaid by Custer. Custer's blue ink signature is clear and penned distinctly in his well known style. The Fourth line explains the terms, reading: "Four Hundred Dollars with interest at 10 per Cent / Value received (and noting), "This note is secured a Mortgage legally stamped." Below, in the bottom margin is written, (Number) "3664". The blank reverse is endorsed (as received) by John C. Howard, with oval blue ink "PAID" stamp. Overall, this Promissory Note is attractive having very light vertical quarter folds, some trivial edge tone and wear on the extremities. Only Two Examples are Known of this extreme George Armstrong Custer financial rarity. Ex. Spink/Smythe's Collector's Series Sale 316, May 22-23, 2013, lot 1124 (as displayed on the front cover of the auction catalog); From, "George Armstrong Custer Shoe Box Collection"; by descent via family friends and heirs; the niece of Margaret Flood; Margaret and Patrick Flood, who were caretakers for Libby Custer until her death in 1933 (age 91); to Elizabeth "Libby" Bacon Custer; our Current Consignor.
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Lot 111: (1789) George Washington Inaugural Button Eagle and Star Major Type With Original Shank
(1789) Federal Period, George Washington Inaugural Button,
17.7 mm. An exceedingly rare, exceptional quality Smaller The face surface is superb, and this was clearly never worn stored shortly after it was issued. It was also reported that collector B.G. Johnson had discovered a dozen from being attached to an original pair of breeches, as first published in 1961. This example, being so superb in appearance is certainly likely to have possibly come from that set, which was broken up. Collector Harold Cobb did not own an example of this button!
As of 1968, Cobb had confirmed the location of only one example, presumably the button plated by Albert in his reference work, and this button is not the same as Albert illustrated. In any event, a stunningly beautiful
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June 22, 1775-Dated, Partially-Printed Document Signed,
June 22, 1775-Dated, Partially-Printed Document Signed,
CAPTAIN JOSEPH LEE (1744-1831) was a member of the Sons of Liberty and an active
Rated as Rarity-6 (Very Rare 21-30 known) in the Anderson reference. This large format Engraved Printed Document is Signed, A highly important piece of American Revolutionary War finance, as being the very first type of interest bearing Bond issued to finance the War with Britain which began on April 19th, 1775 at Lexington & Concord. This historic American Bond was printed off a Copper Plate which Paul Revere was commissioned to engrave for the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay. Paul Revere's payment for engraving this Copper-Plate is recorded as being 50 Pounds. This current example is among the finest quality known to us, with most examples locked away in museum and institutional collections, unavailable to collectors forever.
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Lot 271: (c. 1694) London Elephant Token
Undated (c. 1694) London Elephant Token. Hodder 2-B, W-12040. 212.5 grains. Rarity-2. A beautiful satiny (too conservatively graded) example of this standard Thick Planchet London Elephant Token major type. It displays highly lustrous flashy even medium brown surfaces with attractive glossiness and has an especially frosty reverse. Nicely centered on both sides, free of problems other than the usual trivial planchet chips so common to this issue. Overall, a well struck immaculately preserved coin with outstanding eye-appeal, worthy of a premium, and meant for a quality conscious collector's cabinet. From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex the Lawrence R. Stack Collection, November 2006.
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Lot 273: UNIQUE Kentucky Token the Lettered Edge Variant
PAYABLE AT BEDWORTH NUNEATON OR HINKLEY 
Undated (c. 1793-1795) Kentucky Token. W-8815. Hi Rarity-8+ (Unique). Struck in Copper.
146.5 grains. Hi Rarity-8+ (Unique). A remarkable Unique Rarity, Ex: Sydney F. Martin Collection and is an incredible rarity for Kentucky token or rare Colonial Coin variety specialists. This is the Only Example Known with the Edge Lettering: PAYABLE AT BEDWORTH NUNEATON OR HINKLEY. This Variety was known to Crosby, and was Listed in his reference: From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex New Netherlands Coin Co. (privately), April 23, 1955; our (Bowers and Merena's) sale of the Norweb Collection, Part I, October 1987, lot 1390; John Agre (Coin Rarities Online), May 2015.
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Lot 277: John Adams Indian Peace Medal Julian IP-1
(1797-Dated), John Adams Indian Peace Medal, Smallest & Rarest Size, 51.1 mm, Second Reverse Type, Struck at the United States Mint in Red-Bronze, Julian IP-1, NGC certified Mint State-64 Brown.
Julian IP-1. A beautiful example of the Julian reference Indian Peace Medal #1, having very choice eye appeal and housed in its white NGC certification holder, ready to display. This historic John Adams Indian Peace medal has a beautiful natural reddish-brown color with hard satiny surfaces and fully sharp striking details. The original dies for this issue were cut by sculptors Moritz Furst and John Reich, though neither die was signed by them, the obverse is believed to be the only die made by Furst that he did not sign. This current example was struck by the United States Mint after 1878, using the replacement reverse die that is believed to have been made about that same time. It can be distinguished by the closer proximity of the pipe to the
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Building on the success of Early American History Auctions recent March 30 sale, this follow-up Online Only sale is currently available. Please know that in addition to our in-house auction platform, this auction is posted for potential bidding from 3rd-Party auction sites: Invaluable and Liveauctioneers. Note that the 3rd Party sites charge an additional 5% Buyer's Fee, above Early American's, to successful bidders through their sites.
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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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