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 Replies: 22 / Views: 4,308 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
9792 Posts |
Long time coin dealer, Julian Leidman tells an interesting story in this weeks E-Sylum newsletter; Quote:
Silver Spring, Md., dealer Julian Leidman credits his mother with cultivating his interest in coins when he was 11. His parents tried first with stamps, but that never took hold. Leidman enjoyed looking through his coins, filling holes in his Whitman coin folders, trading or selling his duplicates with friends as well as with Charles French, a local coin dealer in Troy, N.Y.
French had a national coin auction business, and he and his associate, Les Zeller, helped foster Leidman's burgeoning numismatic interests.
The Leidman family moved to the suburban Washington, D.C., area while he was in high school. In his new surroundings, he met future lifelong friend Albert L. Bonan, who had started a coin business with his father. Leidman said he eventually took over Bonanza Coins.
As he extensively traveled to coin shows and auctions, Leidman said, he developed an interest in higher graded early U.S. coins and patterns.
Along the way, he met Q. David Bowers, Jim Ruddy, Jerry Cohen, the Stacks (Harvey, Norman and Ben), and Lester Merkin.
In the early 1970s, Leidman said, he became close with Mike Brownlee, Stan Kesselman, and Harry W. Bass Jr.
In 1975, Leidman and Brownlee met with Kesselman in California to purchase a collection of Coronet and Saint-Gaudens $20 gold double eagles from noted collector R.D. "Ted" Naftzger. The collection was eventually sold to Jeff Browning, one of Brownlee's customers.
Leidman said he had been left back at the hotel while the deal was consummated, but was able to look through the coins upon Brownlee and Kesselman's return.
"When they returned to the hotel, they left the coins with me, except they took one coin and wouldn't let me see it and went and got some lunch," Leidman said. "I was looking through the coins, desperate to see the secret coin, when they came back. They had actually left the secret coin in the 1927 envelope as it was the commonest date at the time and knew I wouldn't have bothered to look at it. The secret coin was a 1933 [double eagle]. Jeff purchased the coin, as well. Unfortunately, he died at a very young age, and his collection remained unsold until 2001."
In 1976, Leidman said, he was able to purchase $1 million of the Wilkison gold patterns from A-Mark, including the six-piece 1872 Amazonian gold pattern set. Leidman said he sold the Amazonian gold pattern set in 1983 in a private transaction.
Leidman said upon Browning's death, the 1933 double eagle went to a friend of his that had a minor interest in the entire collection. "It was subsequently sold in the 1980s to the anonymous collector that now owns it," Leidman said. To read the complete article, see: United States pattern coins specialty for professional numismatist Julian Leidman www.coinworld.com/insights/j...rn-coins.html"Buy the Book Before You Buy the Coin" - Aaron R. Feldman - "And read it" - Me 2013! ANA Life Member #3288 in good standing since 1981, ANS, Early American Coppers Member (EAC), Colonial Coin Collectors Club member (C4), Conder Token Collector Club member (CTCC), Civil War Token Society (CWTS) member, Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC) & Numismatic Bibliomania Society member (NBS), USMex, Member in good standing, 2¢ variety collector. See my want page: http://goccf.com/t/140440 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7390 Posts |
Wow, I guess I messed up collecting Pog's as a kid. Good story!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1748 Posts |
IMHO, the rarest Saint isn't the 1933, it's the 1927-D. Seems like more 1933's survived that we really know about.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2589 Posts |
I would not be suprised if there are more out there. If you consider that 10 were found and destroyed by the secret service in the 1940's, 10 more were siezed from the Switt estate, and the farouk specimen a total of 21 are known to have been sourced from Switt. I expect that there were at 30 coins stolen from the mint as its easier to cook books in nice round numbers. which would mean that there are still 9 (including the coin above) more hidden from the government in secret collections.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
I would suggest that if you own a 1933 Double Eagle, that you melt it immediately, to avoid being caught ! Much less of a crime, if it is a fake. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
9792 Posts |
Quote:
IMHO, the rarest Saint isn't the 1933, it's the 1927-D. Seems like more 1933's survived that we really know about.  Back before any had actually turned up, I had heard of multiple sightings by dealers, that had no reason to lie. Coin dealers can talk when drinking in the evening at big coin shows! I have also heard tales from Denver Mint employees that there are certainly some 1964-D Peace dollars floating around, though I've not heard about any from dealer friends. Now that would be a coin I would love to see and own! "Buy the Book Before You Buy the Coin" - Aaron R. Feldman - "And read it" - Me 2013! ANA Life Member #3288 in good standing since 1981, ANS, Early American Coppers Member (EAC), Colonial Coin Collectors Club member (C4), Conder Token Collector Club member (CTCC), Civil War Token Society (CWTS) member, Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC) & Numismatic Bibliomania Society member (NBS), USMex, Member in good standing, 2¢ variety collector. See my want page: http://goccf.com/t/140440 |
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
Quote:
IMHO, the rarest Saint isn't the 1933, it's the 1927-D. Seems like more 1933's survived that we really know about.
Quite conceivable, and we already know that 1927-D's are rare enough that one was worth two million dollars to someone. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4932 Posts |
There's a large possibility that some gold coins are still stashed away in walls of old homes.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7375 Posts |
........or in cans buried in the ground in CA, #Saddle Ridge
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5828 Posts |
edweather  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4932 Posts |
I never understood that can story. How the heck, does that just happen?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
506 Posts |
CoinHuntingDrew, to my knowledge, the people walked on the same path often. As paths usually do, they wear down as more people walk over it. That can of coins was buried under the trail. When they wore the trail down, the can surfaced to where they could see and take it out of the ground. I hope I worded this story different than the others you read.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
Quote from an Associate Director, U.S. Mint:
"If you want a coin, you can own it". (my emphasis)
To me, that means that unless the U.S. Mint can prove beyond all reasonable doubt that the 1933 Double Eagle in your possession was stolen, it belongs to the current owner.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8938 Posts |
Westcoin dropped me this thread today, and I thought I might be able to add a bit to the story. I'll add that I know of at least 2 other 33 double eagles that exist, including the one mentioned in this interview, that exist in private hands. To whom I'm not sure, but I am aware that one changed hands a few years back. I estimate that there are 5 out there outside of government purview. As for how they are bought and sold I'm not sure, not legally which is obvious, but beyond that I can't say. I have not personally seen any such coins but can confirm their existence. Quote:
Coin dealers can talk when drinking in the evening at big coin shows! It's not even that, it's not exactly hush hush generally. Who they belong to is obviously not, but the fact that they exist isn't some tightly kept secret. Quote:
To me, that means that unless the U.S. Mint can prove beyond all reasonable doubt that the 1933 Double Eagle in your possession was stolen, it belongs to the current owner. This is the core issue. Of the two specimens I know of I know one was stolen the other I'm not sure of the origin. I hope this added to the story one way or another. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Back in the 1970's (this was before the Farouk coin resurfaced) the general consensus among dealers was that Swit had had 25 of them. At the time the only "officially" accounted for coins were the 9 the government had reclaimed and the missing Farouk coin. Since then the Farouk, 10 Lanbord coins, and the one voluntarily surrendered pice have been added. That brings it to 21. I suspect the 25 suggested in the 70's is probably correct and if so there are still 4 of them out there.
I don't believe the Naftzger coin mentioned in Leidman's story is the one that was voluntarily surrendered, and it is probably still in private hands. If so that would be number 22, 3 to go.
Edited by Conder101
11/06/2020 02:15 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5029 Posts |
Grape I am curious how you know this. Is your family dealers or do you work at a shop while in high school? I am simply trying to put some basis to your comments that would make sense as to how you would know these things since you just graduated. Or does Burdettes Saint book go into this? And likely you have mentioned your history in other threads prior so apologies if this is a repeat for you.
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Replies: 22 / Views: 4,308 |
Posted 04/13/2015 08:12 am
