W. David Perkins writes:

The recent November 1, 2007 George Kolbe Numismatic Literature Sale 104 offered the John J. Pittman numismatic literature collection. Included in this sale was Lot 117, a signed copy of the First Edition of The United States Early Silver Dollars From 1794 To 1803 by M. H. Bolender. I placed a bid on this lot but was not the winner. I also cannot say I was the underbidder, despite what I thought was a strong bid. This lot realized $325, which may be a record price for a copy of the Bolender book. Prices in this Kolbe sale were very strong indeed!

What was of primary interest to me as a researcher was not the book (I have multiple copies of the book, including one signed by Bolender) but a letter that was included with the book. The letter was dated January 1, 1954 and was from early dollar specialist Frank M. Stirling to John J. Pittman. Stirling stated that the early dollar varieties were a favorite of his, “especially the 1795s.” Stirling noted that he had located four 1795 B-13 Dollars (Stirling owned the finest known (to me) 1795 B-13 Dollar, ex. Atwater and the plate coin on page 211 in the Bowers silver dollar book) and that he had not found a specimen of 1795 B-17. Stirling asked, “Do you have any information on this one?” [To my knowledge, no examples of 1795 B-17 have been confirmed.]

I have a large volume of Frank Stirling’s correspondence, including a letter from Pittman to Stirling dated May 20, 1957. Interestingly, Pittman states in this 1957 letter that he owned a brilliant proof 1803 Dollar. Pittman wrote, “I purchased the 1803 restrike silver dollar to display at meetings and conventions so as to point out to collectors that it and the 1804 Dollar are all restrikes made at a later date. They are all extremely rare, but none were made in the year they were dated, and undoubtedly no 1804s were made in that year.” Imagine buying a rare 1803 Dollar, “just to display…” [Are there any "old time" dealers or collectors out there who recall this 1803 Dollar being displayed?] Note also that this letter was written prior to the Newman-Bressett Fantastic 1804 Dollar book (which was published in 1962).

I wonder what happened to this specimen of the 1803 Proof Dollar. It was not offered in the May 20-21, 1998 David Akers sale of The John Jay Pittman Collection, Part Two? Furthermore, a quick perusal of the Bowers book on the 1803 Proof Novodel Dollar, pages 462-464 does not turn up Pittman’s name as part of the provenance of the known specimens listed in the book. Perhaps Pittman owned the “Milas Specimen” at one time? Or is this specimen “still out there” somewhere….

Pittman also wrote in this letter, “I do not collect early silver dollar varieties. I have at the present time 1795-1803 in uncirculated condition, but have never actually checked them for varieties, although I do have Bolender’s book. Quite a number of my pieces were purchased in England many years ago….” I also wonder what happened to the early dollars in this collection. The May 1998 Pittman sale offered only a handful of early dollars.

I am very interested to learn if any JR News readers can shed light on any of these questions.

A lifelong collector, Rochette has devoted nearly all his adult life to ANA service.  Joining the Association’s staff as editor of the ANA’s magazine in 1966, he spent most of his first 20 years as executive vice president. He retired from his staff position, and in 1987 was elected to the ANA Board of Governors, serving as vice president from 1989 to 1991 and president from 1991 to 1993.

In 1998, at the recommendation of the ANA President’s Advisory Council and with the approval of the Board of Governors, Rochette returned to the ANA staff as interim executive director. A year later, he was asked to take the position permanently, and in 2001 his contracted was extended two years.

He stepped aside from the day to-day operations of the Association on January 1, 2003, taking on the role of senior advisor responsible for fund-raising until his retirement on July 31.

During his second tenure as executive director, Rochette oversaw the complete remodeling and expansion of the ANA’s Money Museum and Library; creation of the Harry W. Bass Jr. Gallery of United States gold coins by the Bass foundation; and the make-over of the Association’s Numismatist magazine, now in its 116th year of publication.

As a member of the ANA staff and Board of Governors, Rochette was instrumental in the recovery of some of numismatics’ greatest rarities, including an 1804 Draped Bust silver dollar belonging to Willis du Pont. The coin now resides in the Smithsonian Institution National Numismatic Collection.

Thirty-five years ago, Rochette launched the week-long ANA Summer Seminar in Colorado Springs with 17 students and instructors. The two-week Summer Seminar now attracts 500 students and instructors.

A native of Worcester, Massachusetts, Rochette served in the United States Navy during World War II, and attended Washington University in St. Louis, and Clark University in Worcester.

A prolific writer, he has authored several numismatic books, including The Romance of Coin Collecting, Medallic Portraits of John F. Kennedy and Making Money: Rogues and Rascals Who’ve Made Their Own.  For many years, he wrote a weekly coin column nationally syndicated by the Los Angeles Times and a monthly column for COINage magazine, and he continues to pen his monthly column The Other Side of the Coin for the ANA’s Numismatist magazine. 

Before joining the ANA staff, Rochette was executive editor of Numismatic News, where he remained a regular contributor until he returned to the ANA staff.

Rochette is a recipient of the ANA’s Glenn Smedley Memorial and Lifetime Achievement Awards, Medal of Merit, and the Association’s highest honor, the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award for Distinguished Service. He also is a Numismatic Hall of Fame inductee.

Rochette served on the United States Assay Commission, was named a Numismatic Ambassador by Numismatic News, and has received the Numismatic Literary Guild’s coveted Clemy Award and Sandra Rae Mishler gold medal for original research.

After leaving the Board of Governors in 1993, Rochette was instrumental in developing the numismatic exhibit at the International Olympic Committee’s at its museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, and has served as a numismatic consultant to the United States Olympic Committee and the United States Air Force Academy.

An active collector and quintessential philanthropist, Harry W. Bass Jr. was a life member of the ANA for more than 30 years. He was awarded the Medal of Merit in 1989 and was inducted into the Association’s Numismatic Hall of Fame in 1998.

Bass’ interest in numismatics began in the mid 1960s. He joined the ANA in 1966 and spent a year studying the subject before he actively began collecting.

Soon after entering the field, he defined his goal – to collect United States-issue gold coins from 1795 to 1933 by date and mintmark, with special attention to die varieties of early U.S. gold.

He made many important numismatic discoveries while creating the most complete collection ever assembled, including many one-of-a-kind specimens.

Of paramount importance in the collection is a set of virtually all known die varieties of early (1795 to 1834) United States gold coin denominations, in the finest condition.

Also included in the Bass holdings are:

• The only complete collection of $3 gold pieces, including the unique 1870-S
• A complete collection of U.S. gold coin types of all periods and designs from 1834 to 1933
• A spectacular grouping of rare U.S. pattern coins
• The foremost collection of 1896 silver certificates, among them the “Educational Series” of U.S. paper money ($1 through the proposed $50 denominations) that includes vignettes, progress and trial proofs, as well as the uncut first sheets of the actual $1, $2 and $5 notes.

In 2000, the ANA was honored to have its museum selected by the Harry W. Bass Jr. Research Foundation as the perfect new home for this incredible collection.

Bass encouraged, promoted and participated in the exchange of information among dealers and collectors, setting up his foundation for charitable and educational endeavors, numismatic research and community development. Among other projects, the foundation developed and funded the Numismatic Indexes Project (NIP)-a computer-based, searchable index of a variety of numismatic publications, including The Numismatist, accessible from the ANA’s web site.