Colonel Green (Edward H.r. Green) Coin Collection Inventory

Most definitely a story worth following. Thank you for sharing this with the Community.

Conder101 Yes, as a result of this posting I have received many contacts regarding the documents and I now have a copy of the Catalog that documents that sale thanks to one of those contacts. Many of the documents in the Perkins Library have close counterparts in the Ford Library.

Several dealers have already contacted me regarding consigning the material, but I am being cautious. I know this material is rare and I want it to be preserved.

Regarding Mr. Perkins and his colonials collection. I am definitely getting to know how well respected his collection was. I also have his foil impressions of some of his coins and 8 loose-leaf note books with notes on his coins themselves. The level of documentation is unbelievable - he even saved all of the original envelopes his coins came in and stapled them to the back of the pages.

Many thanks to all of the members who have made the referrals.

morgans dad Actually one of the contacts is a Museum. They bought a portion of the Library that was "sold" just before the widow's death from a local antiques dealer who was appraising the estate for legal purposes. That dealer "purchased" some of the better material from the old lady for literally NOTHING. He apparently sold a few of the letters he "bought" for pennies each to the museum for nearly $10k but his greed in "buying" low and selling high got his access to the estate cut-off. That was the reason I was called in - to prevent a dealer from repeating that process.

I hesitate to call the fellow a thief but anyone who buys a $2000 plus book from a 93 year old widow for $20 should be shot at sunrise. I used to collect books and the titles he got for under $20 each makes me very upset. I am uncertain if he had access to the Coin Library as well but I suspect that is where the early Red books went along with other recognizable books which are missing from the collection but should be there based on the extent of the Library.

I suspect the Library was picked over before I got there but to his untrained eye - the rest was of lesser value. Good thing for both me and the estate that he was no "coin person".

I am making contact with the Museum anyway BUT I am getting three independent appraisals of any documents BEFORE I entertain a sale. (in fact, while I was writing this I was interrupted by an I'm from a friend who has contact with the Museum and they are "desperate" to speak to me before I sell anything. He indicated they have an unrestricted gift that they are looking to use to buy the rest of the collection).

This is getting to be more fun than a barrel of monkeys on crack!

I also feel it is best to keep the collection dispersed so that no harm can come to the collection in its entirety. To that end I have begun dividing it to store it with trusted associates as it is cataloged. I am also selling off all of the lower end material ASAP.

The bullion US went to the heirs directly and I sold the foreign odds and ends already so along with gold scrap I have taken in over $5k and none of the good material has been touched.

Anyone want rolls of AU Indian pennies?

YES!

PM sent!

This isn't surprising. Among collectors of the early Federal and pre-Federal Coinage, especially those that collect by die variety pedigree of the coins is very important and we will often keep all of the envelopes of the previous owners of the coins. For a coin that has been through several hands you may find half a dozen envelopes as each new owner reholders the coin but keeps the pedigree chain of previous owners envelopes. This is one of the greatest frustrations when a major collection is disbursed by one of the larger auction houses now. The coin tends to get sent out for slabbing and the pedigree chain of envelopes is thrown into the trash. I have seen pieces that could be traced back over a hundred and fifty years where I know the previous owner had all the old envelopes and it is now in a slab and the history is gone. At one time I had a contact at one of the major houses who was able to supply me with some of these items and I would get packages of documentation for important coins that still had post-it notes from the consignor on them saying "Please make sure the new owner gets these!" Instead I got them as material rescued from the trash.

Incredible story! Just WOW!

Sounds like you have it under control. Good luck with your task.

Much luck in your endeavor. PM sent.