THE OSBORNE COINAGE COMPANY

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V28 2025 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 28, Number 1, , Article 12

E-Sylum Feature Writer and American Numismatic Biographies author Pete Smith submitted this article on the Osborne Coinage Company. Thanks! -Editor

Osborne Coinage Company
First of a series of articles on private mints

On December 15, 2024, Wayne Homren wrote to suggest I might write about the various private mints that struck medals. Shortly after that I got the TAMS publication Encased Coin Production Records of the Osborne Coinage Company. After months without Coin World, I got the December issue with an ad for the Osborne Mint, "The Oldest Privately Held Mint in the USA." Then the December 29 issue of The E-Sylum had an announcement of the TAMS book. I decided to write my first article on Osborne.

The company traces its origin back to 1835 and Z. Bisbee Co. a/k/a Bisbee Stamp Cutting Shop in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Cincinnati city directory for 1849-1850 lists the location on the south side of Canal Street between Race and Elm in Cincinnati. This was not a private mint.

Ziba Bisbee was born on March 17, 1792, in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, the son of John Bisbee (1747-1817) and Mary Edson (1772-1833). He was married to Serena Lincoln (1797- 1860) on April 9, 1814. For the 1820 census, he was still living in Bridgewater. In 1827, he was making cast steel shovels in East Bridgewater. By the 1850 Census, taken July 16, 1850, he was a stamp cutter in Cincinnati. On August 28, 1862, he married Sarah A. Thatcher in Lyndon, Wisconsin. He died on February 22, 1865, in Juneau, Wisconsin, and is buried at Lake Delton Cemetery.

Ira Bisbee, son of Ziba, took over the company, Z. Bisbee & Son, in 1848. He was located at 112 Fifth Street between Pine and Race Streets.

Ira Bisbee was born in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, on July 31, 1831, the son of Ziba and Serena Bisbee. He was married to Sarah Ann Denny (1837-1891) in Ohio on December 31, 1851. By the 1860 Census, he was living in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, He died on August 22, 1892, in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and is buried at Evergreen Cemetery.

Ira joined John Stanton to create Bisbee & Stanton in 1851, located at 249 West Fifth Street.

John Stanton was born in Orange County, New York, on March 9, 1829, and moved to Cincinnati in 1851. He worked for Ira Bisbee and bought the company in 1853. He was married to Katherine F. Carr (1842-1929). He died in Cincinnati on September 10, 1921, and is buried at Spring Grove Cemetery.

John Stanton was independent from 1853 until 1864 and employed William W. Spencer and James Murdock, Jr. In 1864 he sold out to his employees to form Murdock & Spencer, located at 139 West Fifth Street in Cincinnati. Stanton continued to work at the new firm until at least 1876. The combined efforts of Stanton, Murdock and Spencer produced many Civil War tokens.

William W. Spencer was born in Cork, Ireland, on December 30, 1839, and moved to Cincinnati in 1849. He was married to Mary Anna Coates (1842-1904). He died in Cincinnati on May 20, 1910, and is buried at Spring Grove Cemetery.

James Murdock, Jr. was independent from 1869 until 1920. From 1875 to 1887, he was located at 165 Race Street. The James Murdock Jr. Company dates to 1906. He retired in 1911 and passed the company on to his son, Winslow. The W. James Murdock Co., was at 116 Opera Place.

James Murdock, Jr. was born in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on November 15, 1839. His family came to America about 1850 and settled in Cincinnati. He served as a musician during the Civil War. He was married in 1903 to Susan Foster Phelps (1848-1920). He died in Price Hill. Ohio, on December 22, 1924, and is buried at Spring Grove Cemetery.

Winslow James Murdock was born in Cincinnati on September 7, 1872, son of James. He was married to Anna Hecker Murdock (1879-1958). He died on February 19, 1956, and is buried at Spring Grove Cemetery.

Wiley W. Osborne was born in Wise, Virginia, on November 11, 1890. He was married on November 6, 1915, and divorced in 1933. He worked as an engineer for the Consolidated Coal Company in Jenkins, Kentucky. There he developed the idea for the Osborne Register Company. After leaving Consolidated, he joined his brothers in a coal mining company. He created the Osborne Register Company in Cincinnati in 1920. They merged with other companies and expanded into other product lines. He was married to Mary (1907-1984). He died on April 5, 1981, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and is buried at Lauderdale Memorial Park.

In 1944, the company was sold to Dayton Acme Company. In 1945 they were at 2346 Gilbert Avenue. In 1947 the name was changed to the Osborne Coinage Company. They were located at 2851 Massachusetts Avenue in Camp Washington, Ohio. By 1950, Dayton Acme and Osborne Register became bankrupt.

In 1947, The Osborne Coinage Company was incorporated with 500 shares of stock issued to Clifford F. Stegman, Duane T. Winter and Fred D. Orelup, formerly working at Dayton Acme. Winter died in 1969 and Orelup died in 1966.

Clifford Fred Stegman, Sr, was born in Cincinnati on July 18, 1902. He was the son of Edward Henry Stegman (1868-195) and Minnie Bartling Stegman (1878-1955). He was married in 1928 to Marguerite Alice Miller. He retired in 1972, passing control to his son Clifford. He died in Cincinnati on August 30, 1981, and is buried at Spring Grove Cemetery.

Clifford Fred Stegman, Jr. was born in Cincinnati on July 6, 1929. He was married to Bertie Mae Cuthbert. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering in 1952. He started working at Osborne in 1962. He left the Osborne Coinage Co. in 1986 to start a software firm, Exodus Software. Control of the firm passed to his brother Thomas. He died at home in Finneytown on December 11, 1994, and is buried at Arlington Memorial Gardens at Mount Healthy., Ohio.

Thomas E. Stegman was born in 1930 and had a degree in physics from Cincinnati University. He began working at Osborne in 1965. He took control of the company in 1986. He passed control to his sons Jeffrey and Todd. Some sources continue to list him as president. He was last reported living in Cincinnati.

Jeffrey James Stegman was born in 1956, the son of Thomas. He graduated from the University of Michigan. He may have been married more than once or may be confused with another Jeffrey Stegman.

Todd R. Stegman was born in 1958, son of Thomas, He graduated from Cornell University. He was married in 1983 to Cathy Cromer. Todd is described as co-owner and COO of Osborne.

The Royal United Mint acquired the company on April 3. 2023. In turn, the Royal United Mint was acquired by The Heimerle + Meule Group, a German company, on January 25, 2024. The Osborne website does not mention this.