Commems Collection Classic: The Peter L. Shaffer Collection

There are many ways to collect US commemorative coins: Classic vs. Modern, Silver vs. Gold, Complete Date and Mint vs. Type vs. Topical. In a Superior Galleries auction in September 1988, the impressive collection of Peter L. Shaffer was offered - it featured a complete date and mint set of the coins of the classic silver series (plus some duplicates), and included a robust collection of commemorative ephemera.

The auction was titled: "The Lee and Shaffer Collections Sale" and was held September 25-27, 1988 at the Superior Galleries office in Beverly Hills, CA. The Lee Collection consisted of California Gold (First Session; September 25, 1988) and the Peter L. Shaffer Collection of classic-era silver US commemorative coins (Second Session; September 25, 1988). In addition to the named collections, the auction also included several thousand lots of various US coins, World coins, paper currency, tokens and medals.

The Lee and Shaffer Collections Auction - Catalog Cover


Per the auction catalog:

"As an adult, Peter Shaffer became even further consumed by his love for coins. The turning point of his collecting years, however, was when he was shown a Gem Panama-Pacific Exposition Half Dpllar. This piece, which he remembered as displaying wonderful jade toning atop its lustrous surfaces, set him on a course which would ultimately lead him to complete a 144-piece set of Commemoratives grading Mint State 65 or better.

"During his years of collecting, Shaffer became an expert on the subject of Commemorative Half Dollars. He learned, for example, that original matched P, D, S sets were extremely scarce in Gem condition. Interestingly, his passion for original P, D, S sets mandated that it was occasionally necessary to acquire four coins if an original set contained one piece which graded below MS-65.

The majority of the coins in the Shaffer Collection appear to have been purchased "raw" and then later graded by NGC. Based on the grades of the coins in the auction - mostly MS-65s and MS-66s), Shaffer appears to have had a good eye when making his original purchases; Shaffer did purchase some coins that were already graded.

The Superior Galleries catalog included only black-and-white images, but many of the lot descriptions describe attractive, colorful toning - it would have been nice to see true-color images of some of the more spectacular coins.

Here's a "taste" of what Shaffer assembled:

- 1893 World's Columbian Exposition - Queen Isabella Quarter: NGC MS-66 (Winning Bid, with Buyer's Premium - $10,450)
- 1893 World's Columbian Exposition - Columbus Half Dollar: NGC MS-66 ($9,350)
- 1900 Lafayette Memorial Dollar: NGC MS-65 ($25,300)
- 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition Half Dollar: NGC MS-66 ($10,450)
- 1921 Alabama Statehood Centennial Half Dollar - Plain: NGC MS-66 ($8,140)
- 1921 Alabama Statehood Centennial Half Dollar - 2x2: NGC MS-65 ($7,700)
- 1921 Missouri Statehood Centennial Half Dollar - Plain: NGC MS-656($35,200)
- 1921 Missouri Statehood Centennial Half Dollar - 2*4: PCGS MS-65 ($15,400)
- 1922 Grant Centenary Half Dollar - w/ Star: NGC MS-65 ($35,750)
- 1924 Huguenot-Walloon Tercentenary: NGC MS-66 ($8,800)
- 1925 Fort Vancouver Centennial Half Dollar: NGC MS-66 ($7,700)
- 1926 American Independence Sesquicentennial Half Dollar: NGC MS-65 ($9,460)
- 1928 Hawaiian (European) Discovery Sesquicentennial Half Dollar: NGC MS-65 ($9.075)
- 1934 Province of Maryland 300th Anniversary Half Dollar: NGC MS-66 ($6,050)
- 1935 Hudson, NY Sesquicentennial: NGC MS-65 ($6,325)
- 1936 Albany, NY Charter 250th Anniversary Half Dollar: NGC MS-66 ($4,180)

(Note: The Shaffer auction took place at a time when the market had driven most, if not all, classic US commemorative coin prices to all-time highs.)

While not a collection littered with MS-67 and MS-68 coins, I find the assembly of a complete 144-piece set in MS-65 and MS-66 to be a noteworthy accomplishment - especially when it is considered that many of the coins were purchased "raw."

In addition to his enthusiasm for Gem coins, Shaffer also appreciated the ephemera related to the coins; his collection included many of the coin holders/mailers that I have presented here on CCF over the years.

I did not become aware of this collection and/or auction catalog until well after I began working on my own cabinet. I remember the first time I looked at Shaffer's collection (in the auction catalog) and thinking "Now here's a kindred spirit!"


For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more What If? and What If? Phantom stories, see: Commems Collection.