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…)

The Complete Guide to Certified Barber Coinage is added to the Stella Coin News Site.

Virginia Beach, VA – Stella Coin News (SCN) is very pleased to announce their latest online reference book, The Complete Guide to Certified Barber Coinage, written in 1999 by John and David Feigenbaum. A fine reference for collectors of Barber coins with historical background information on the Barber series now available to all collectors free of charge for their personal use.

A date and mintmark analyzes includes population reports and estimated values for grades AU55 and higher for Barber dimes, quarters and halves, as well as Proof coins. We encourage SCN users to add comments and updated information.

The Complete Guide to Certified Barber Coinage is the 12th addition to the SCN library along with
the following reference materials:

• Tales from the Bourse by David Lawrence Feigenbaum
• Hobo Nickel Book by Joyce Ann Romines
• The Complete Guide to Buffalo Nickels, 3rd edition by David Lange
• The Complete Guide to Mercury Dimes, by David Lange
• The Complete Guide to Washington Quarters, by John Feigenbaum
• The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dollars, by Randy Wiley and Bill Bugert
• The Complete Guide to Walking Liberty Half Dollars, by Bruce Fox
• The Complete Guide to Franklin Half Dollars, by Rick Tomaska
• The Complete Guide to Barber Dimes, by David Lawrence
• The Complete Guide to Barber Quarters, by David Lawrence
• The Complete Guide to Barber Halves, by David Lawrence

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By Dean Albanese – Albanese Rare Coins

The 1804 Plain- gold Eagle is without a doubt the most remarkable coin ever minted by the U.S. Min; it is indeed, the “King of Eagles.”

Only four specimens of this quintessentially rare coin were minted – but not in 1804, as the date on the obverse suggests. Instead, these near-priceless coins were minted by special order of President Andrew Jackson during the period 1834 – 1835 as diplomatic gifts to a king, two emperors, and a sultan.

The story begins in 1832, when Edmund Roberts sailed aboard the U.S.S. Peacock on a diplomatic mission to establish trade relations with Muscat (modern-day Oman), Siam (modern-day Thailand), Cochin China (modern-day Vietnam), and Japan. He succeeded with Muscat and Siam and returned to the United States, where complete sets of new gold, silver, and copper coins, neatly arranged in a morocco case, were made as princely gifts. These sets included the 1804 silver Dollar and the much rarer 1804 Plain-4 gold Eagle.

The return trip to the Far East was an adventure that has been the subject of many books, the sort of tale that can arouse one’s imagination and inspire movies. Men may fantasize and dream about high adventure, but the King of Eagles is a true story that is more exciting than any fantasy could be. It is a story about politics, greed, and courage that includes attacks by pirates, a shipwreck on a desert island, daring rescues, strange-but-true encounters with exotic natives, and, finally, tragedy.

Today the saga is told as never before, and the King of Eagles continues to be the ultimate prize for collectors of American coins and for history enthusiast.
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