1942 1C Cent, Judd-2079, Pollock-2076, R.8, PR66 PCGS. Regular die trial issue but struck in aluminum with a plain edge. Struck on a planchet that is almost twice as thick as a regular cent, although this is not evident in the PCGS encasement.

The pattern cents from 1942 are divided into two groups, those of the regular issue design as this piece and those modeled after the Colombian two centavo. The regular design patterns are far rarer as a group but limited to only three compositions: aluminum, zinc-coated steel, and white metal. Those modeled after the two centavo are far more available as a group and seen in a wide variety of compositions, but some are equally as rare as the regular issue die trials.

The Judd book (10th edition) makes an interesting comment about these pieces: “Regular 1942 Lincoln cent dies are said to have been used to strike coins in pure zinc, copper and zinc, zinc-coated steel, aluminum, copperweld, antimony, white metal, and lead, among other materials.” If this is accurate, then there are many other experimental alloy cents that remain to be discovered, as only three alloys are known today.

An interesting story is related in Andrew Pollock’s pattern reference on page 390: “2076. Aluminum. Plain Edge. Rarity-8. Reportedly, an example was received in change by an ice dealer in the Annapolis, Maryland area, presumably in the 1940s.” We cannot say for certain if this is that particular experimental striking, but we doubt it since the surfaces of this piece are so free from problems or contact marks. (more…)

Extremely Rare, One of Only Three Known, The Farouk-Baldenhofer Specimen

1836 P$1 Name Below Base, Judd-63 Restrike, Pollock-63, R.8, PR62 NGC. Silver. Plain Edge. Die Alignment III (the center of Liberty’s head is opposite the right edge of the N in ONE). This extremely rare muling combines the Name Below Base, Starless Obverse dated 1836 with the Starless Reverse of 1838. Only three such pieces are known.

These rarities obviously have their story intertwined with that of the Name Below Base Judd-58 dollars. Much recent research has been conducted on those pieces, and it is now generally accepted that none were struck in 1836. No Die Alignment I pieces are known, and no records exist of these coins until the late 1850s. This would be the earliest date the Judd-63 dollars could have been struck, and it is generally believed that they were actually produced sometime between 1867 and 1878, a time period that would correspond with one of the tenures of Henry Linderman as Mint director.

An interesting recent discovery by John Dannreuther further underscores the late striking period for the Name Below Base dollars. These coins all show effacement of C. GOBRECHT F. from the base of the rock–a move that was clearly done so that it could be added again below the base.

The Judd-63 dollars were obviously produced for sale to collectors as there was no obvious need for a starless obverse and reverse combination. All known examples show the same diagnostics. The reverse shows die cracks through the tops of MERI, the base of LAR in DOLLAR, and the top of TE in UNITED. All examples also show a raised die spur on the right side of the D in UNITED. (more…)

DALLAS, TX – Heritage Auction Galleries, the World’s Leading Auctioneer of Rare Coins, has announced that noted numismatist Win Callender has joined the company as a Professional Numismatist and Consignment Director at its Uptown Dallas headquarters.

“I’ve always been fascinated with coins,” said Win, “and I’m happy to be bringing my broad range of experience to my duties at Heritage.”

A lifelong numismatist – he found a 1770 Russian 5 Kopek, when he was just five himself, and the journey began – he parlayed his hobby into a fulltime business when he was in his mid-30s, starting his own business in Broken Arrow, OK in 1993. In 1997 he went to work with Carter Numismatics and worked his way up to Vice President. From there, in 2000, he joined David Lawrence Rare Coins and worked for nine years, serving as Vice President for most of his tenure. The result is that Win is equally well known in both wholesale and retail numismatic circles.

“Needless to say, we’re thrilled to have a numismatist of Win’s caliber and reputation on staff at Heritage,” said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auction Galleries. “He brings another level of depth to a rare coins staff that is already they very best in the business. We look forward to having Win here for the foreseeable future.”

“Heritage is the perfect place for me to put my experience to its optimal use,” said Win. “Whether it’s about buying or selling, I’m looking forward to working with Heritage customers and meeting their numismatic needs.”

For more information, call 800-872-6467,ext. 1415 or email WinC@HA.com.