Stacks Is Auctioning Dr William Sheldon's 66 Piece Copper Color Set Owned By Dan Holmes

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numismatic student Bedrock of the Community United States 11880 Posts	Posted 08/17/2023 8:06 pm The Set spans from a 1773 Colonial Virginia penny to an 1840 Large Cent and includes an S-1 1793 Chain Cent. https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/l...-large-cents Lot Description The Unique Sheldon-Holmes Color Set of Early Copper Dr. William H. Sheldon's 66-Piece Color Set of Colonial Coinage and Large Cents. This unique set was assembled by Dr. Sheldon to display a variety of colors and grades found on Early American copper coins. Most of the pieces show some measure of corrosion or other environmental damage, which oxidation has resulted in the variety of mostly natural colors depicted in this set. (For accuracy, we note that a couple of coins appear to have been recolored at some point.) A few examples, however, are well preserved with smooth surfaces and attractive, original color. We note a wide range of colors throughout the set, from dark shades of olive, chocolate and steel-brown to lighter browns and tans, as well as various reds and greens. The set is housed in a flat leather case, purple plush interior lid, each coin in its own individual pill box arranged in six horizontal rows of 11 boxes that fit perfectly into the case. Included are, in the order as presented in the set and with their net EAC grades as provided on the accompanying Dan Holmes inventory listing that compensate for the aforementioned environmental damage: Colonials: 1773 Virginia Halfpenny, VG7; 1785 Nova Constellatio copper, Crosby 2-A, VG10; 1787 Fugio cent, Newman 9-P, VG8; 1787 Fugio cent, Newman 7-T, F12; 1787 Nova Eborac copper, Seated Figure Left, G5; 1788 Massachusetts cent, Ryder 12-M, AG3; Large Cents: 1793 Chain Reverse, S-1, AMERI., Fair-2+; 1793 Liberty Cap, S-14, AG3; 1794 S-65, G4+; 1794 S-71, VG10; 1794 S-32, VF20; 1794 S-25, G5; 1794 S-22, Doubled Edge Lettering, VF35; 1794 S-41, Blundered Edge Lettering, VG8; 1794 S-41, F12; 1795 S-78, VF30; 1795 S-78, VG7; 1796 Liberty Cap, S-81, G4; 1796 Liberty Cap, S-89, VG8; 1796 Draped Bust, S-115, VG7; 1797 S-138, G5; 1797 S-120A, Gripped Edge, VG7; 1798 S-167, VG7; 1798/7 S-151, G6; 1798 S-187, F12; 1798 S-147, G6; 1800 S-194, 80/79, VG7; 1800 S-207, VG8; 1800 S-212, VG8; 1800 S-212, VG10; 1801 S-220, Fraction 1/000, VG8; 1801 S-216, G6; 1801 S-222, VG8; 1802 S-239, Late Die State, F12; 1803 S-249, 1/100 Over 1/000, VG10; 1805 S-269, VG8; 1806 S-270, VG8; 1807 S-274, F15; 1807 S-271, "Comet" Variety, VG7; 1808 S-277, Late Die State, VG8; 1810/09 S-281, VG8; 1812 S-289, VG8; 1812 S-291, VG10; 1817 N-3, VG8; 1817 N-13, VF20; 1818 N-5, VG10; 1819 N-10, VG10; 1820/19 N-1, G5; 1821 N-1, VG10; 1821 N-2, G5; 1822 N-1, F12; 1822 N-4, F12; 1823 N-2, VG8; 1824/2 N-1, VG10; 1835 N-3, F15; 1825 N-8, F15; 1825 N-7, F12; 1826/5 N-8, F15; 1827 N-11, VG8; 1829 N-6, VG8; 1830 N-5, VF20; 1830 N-2, VF25; 1832 N-3, F15; 1832 N-3, F12; 1834 N-2, F12; and 1840 Small Date, G6. Also included in this lot are: the aforementioned Dan Holmes' inventory sheet for the set, signed and dated 6/28/02, which includes attributions and net EAC grades for each coin; a print out titled "The Unique Sheldon-Holmes Color Set" with color images of the obverse of each coin; and a foil pressing of each coin in the display, which are housed in a separate double row coin stock box which also includes paper envelopes pertaining to each of the coins. An exciting offering that is sure to see spirited bidding among EAC enthusiasts. (Total: 66 coins; 66 foil impressions; supporting materials)Due to the size and nature of this lot, additional shipping charges apply. Provenance: Ex Dr. William H. Sheldon, March 31, 1976; Dan Holmes; Ira & Larry Goldberg's sale of the Dan Holmes Collection, Part I, September 2009 Pre-Long Beach Auction, lot 571. IN NECESSARIIS UNITAS - IN DUBIIS LIBERTAS - IN OMNIBUS CARITAS THE MAN IN THE ARENA, Theodore Roosevelt at the Sorbonne Paris on April 23, 1910: "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." My coin website:https://fairfaxcoins.com Report this Post to the Staff

numismatic student Bedrock of the Community United States 11880 Posts	Posted 08/18/2023 6:28 pm Looks like someone picked it up for $24K or ~$364/coin. IN NECESSARIIS UNITAS - IN DUBIIS LIBERTAS - IN OMNIBUS CARITAS THE MAN IN THE ARENA, Theodore Roosevelt at the Sorbonne Paris on April 23, 1910: "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." My coin website:https://fairfaxcoins.com Report this Post to the Staff
nickelsearcher Moderator United States 15403 Posts	Posted 08/18/2023 6:35 pm Please help put that into context for us NumisStudent - is that a good deal for anyone or simply the expected price for this historic albeit not high grade cabinet of coins? I would appreciate hearing your views on the topic. Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.art Report this Post to the Staff
numismatic student Bedrock of the Community United States 11880 Posts	Posted 08/18/2023 7:03 pm I think this is a specialty item for someone who is interested in the history of how our hobby unfolded, especially within the early copper crowd. Sheldon is a giant in our field, having given us the modern grading system and a catalog of early cent varieties. As we collect coins, some people grow fond of sales catalogues, or reference books, or the albums and tools we use to apply our hobby. I guess it's not for everyone as most folks tend to focus on the coin itself, but others pine for the Wayte Raymond boards that predated the Whitman folders as childhood memories draw us back to our past. Dan Holmes is another giant who really devoted his life to acquiring the most extensive variety set of early coppers. Over time Holmes may not be remembered but Sheldon will live on for all early copper collectors who are likely to use his ubiquitous cent cataloguing system. It wasn't my cup of tea because I didn't find the coins particularly attractive either but can see that someone would see value in the provenance and the person who put the set together. The set does have an attribute missing in a lot of coin collecting in that the set is unique and highly personal in its composition. IN NECESSARIIS UNITAS - IN DUBIIS LIBERTAS - IN OMNIBUS CARITAS THE MAN IN THE ARENA, Theodore Roosevelt at the Sorbonne Paris on April 23, 1910: "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." My coin website:https://fairfaxcoins.com Report this Post to the Staff
nickelsearcher Moderator United States 15403 Posts	Posted 08/19/2023 04:00 am Appreciate very much the follow-up commentary. Your views resonate with me and I can understand how a very dedicated collector could appreciate the historical provenance of this set. Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.art Report this Post to the Staff
TimNH Valued Member United States 416 Posts	Posted 08/19/2023 11:24 am What an unusual lot that was. I watched this go by and pondered bidding based on the value of the actual coins themselves. The 1793 cents alone would be worth many thousands if in good condition. But the pics show only 1 side of the whole lot, and only 2 closeups of individual coins - one the reverse of the chain cent, the other is I assume the obverse of the liberty cap (?) .. immediately it becomes obvious that the "color set" is the point here, in connection with the Sheldon name, not the individual coins. Very interesting set but needless to say I passed. Report this Post to the Staff
kbbpll Pillar of the Community United States 4233 Posts	Posted 08/19/2023 12:27 pm I was also wondering if they're really worth $364 per coin, and why Stacks chose to emphasize an unrecognizable corroded coin with a closeup and none of the others. That's the other side of the 1793 chain cent, right? The most valuable one of the bunch? Report this Post to the Staff
Conder101 Bedrock of the Community United States 17884 Posts	Posted 09/02/2023 05:48 am The color set was a special set created by Sheldon to emphasize the wide range of color that can be found on copper coins with each coin being a different color. I've seen the set twice and it is probably just me but I was never impressed by the range of colors it contained. Whoever the seller was they lost money on the set. In the Dan Holmes Sale in 2009 it went for $37,950. Report this Post to the Staff
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