On Thursday, June 3, Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers held the second sale of the Stack Family Numismatic Library, featuring many important and useful works on U.S., foreign and ancient numismatics. Nearly 200 bidders participated in the sale, including bidders from Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas. The sale brought over $140,000, slightly over the pre-­-sale estimated value.

Some highlights include:

• Lot 390, the Coin Galleries set of Stack’s catalogues, brought $21,000 on a $10,000 estimate

• Lot 517, a nearly complete set of Numismatic Notes and Monographs, brought $4500 on a $4000 estimate

• Lot 399, the Stack’s office copy of the Brobston fixed price list of United States half cents, identifying many purchasers from this important list, brought $3200 on a $1000 estimate

• Lot 389, a daybook and ledger used by the Stack Family to record the sales from their early years, including their first auction, brought $3000 on a $2500 estimate

• Lot 266, a bound volume of rare George A. Leavitt sales, brought $2700 on a $500 estimate

• Lot 642, a beautifully bound first edition copy of Dalton and Hamer’s important work on Conder tokens, brought $1750 on a $1000 estimate.

The catalogue and prices realized list for this sale can be found on the Kolbe & Fanning website at www.numislit.com.

This was the first sale conducted by the new joint venture between George F. Kolbe and David F. Fanning, who combined their respective numismatic literature businesses earlier this year. The firm’s next auctions will be the September 12 sale of select antiquarian items from the Anders Frösell library and the September 16 sale of the library devoted to ancient coins, art and antiquities formed by Robert J. Myers.

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George Frederick Kolbe and David F. Fanning are pleased to announce that they have combined their numismatic literature firms to expand business opportunities and to better serve their joint clientele. The new entity will operate as Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers and will have an office in Gahanna, Ohio, just outside Columbus. Both Kolbe and Fanning will be actively involved in the business.

Established in 1967, George Frederick Kolbe Fine Numismatic Books is the largest and longest currently active rare numismatic literature auction firm in the world. George Kolbe has been selling important numismatic books at auction since 1976 and David F. Fanning entered the numismatic literature field in 2003. The two have conducted 115 auctions featuring well over 100,000 lots selling for many millions of dollars. Dozens of fixed price lists offering important numismatic works have also been issued over the years and that aspect of the firm’s business will be enhanced by more frequent lists, both in print and online at the Kolbe & Fanning website.

In addition to conducting regular auctions, Kolbe & Fanning are always eager to purchase important numismatic books and libraries for cash; in complete confidentiality if so desired. Over the years, the firm has packed libraries and arranged for shipments on three continents and are willing to travel anywhere in the world to do so. Written appraisals are also available as well as advice concerning the value and salability of rare numismatic works. There is no charge for this latter service.

By joining forces, Kolbe and Fanning believe they will be able to ensure that the business will continue to operate for many years, as they assist collectors, dealers, and researchers in developing their libraries and discovering new avenues for numismatic study. The firm’s first auction will be the second part of the Stack Family Library, which will close on June 3, 2010. A printed catalogue may be obtained by sending $10.00 and the catalogue is available online at no cost. Two auctions are planned for September 2010 (details to be announced soon) and a major public auction has been scheduled on January 8, 2011 in conjunction with the New York International Numismatic Convention at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Manhattan. Consignments of outstanding numismatic books, sale catalogues, periodicals, manuscripts and correspondence archives covering the numismatic spectrum are currently being accepted for the January 2011 public auction sale at NYINC.

The firm’s website can be found at www.numislit.com. Additional information for the firm and its principals will be added to the website as it becomes available over the following weeks. (more…)

David F. Fanning Numismatic Literature will hold their third mail-bid auction of numismatic literature, closing on Thursday, December 3. The auction features a wide variety of material from around the world, including works from the libraries of John J. Ford, Jr. and Douglas Ball. Some highlights of the nearly 700 lots include:

F.C.C. Boyd Inventories of His Connecticut and New Jersey Coppers, with Additional Notes Pertaining to Continental Currency Dollars and Immune Columbia Pieces

1836 Manuscript Court Records of a Counterfeiting Case with the Bad Bill in Question Attached

Correspondence from John J. Ford and Paul Franklin

1795 Supplementary Mint Act Signed in Ink by Secretary of State Edmund Randolph, Establishing Position of Melter and Refiner, Authorizing Reduction in Weight of Cents and Half Cents, and Providing for Their Distribution

Third and Fifth Edition Red Books Inscribed by Yeoman to Contributor Hubert Polzer

John J. Ford, Jr.’s Set of Inscribed Red Books

The Very Scarce 1917 ANA Sale, Signed by Cataloguer Wayte Raymond

A Complete Set of Hardcover Ford Catalogues (Stack’s)

ANS Library Catalogue, Complete in 11 Volumes, Including the Rare Third Supplement

The First 40 Volumes of the Canadian Numismatic Journal

A Substantial Run of Spink’s Numismatic Circular

Quarto Charpentier on the Medals of Louis XIV (more…)