New-found Peace medal in Hartzog sale Nov. 7
A previously unknown example of the Thomas Jefferson hollow silver shell Peace medal prepared by the U.S. Mint, and the balance of Dr. Gregory Brunk
A previously unknown example of the Thomas Jefferson hollow silver shell Indian Peace medal prepared by the U.S. Mint, and the stunning balance of Dr. Gregory Brunk?s counterstamped coin collection are combined in Rich Hartzog?s 2,800-lot token and medal mail-bid sale Nov. 7.
In the photo: Recently excavated on private property and never before offered to collectors is this 55mm, 39.56-gram silver shell Indian Peace medal of Thomas Jefferson, probably one of the medals presented by the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1803-1804. It is known the expedition carried 15 or 16 of this size medal, plus three of the largest and 13 of a middle size. The medal is hollow, both shells joined at the edge as the U.S. Mint had no equipment to strike solid large medals at that time. This lot, number 576, is estimated to bring $45,000 or more.
Brunk, author of all the recent authoritative books on American and foreign merchant counterstamps and governmental countermarks on circulating coins, amassed the largest holding ever of such pieces, consigning it to Hartzog to be sold over a period of years. This is the final, and largest segment of his lifetime accumulation. Each piece is researched and written up sufficiently to please even the most demanding buyer.
The mail-bid sale offers Early American and Hard Times-era counterstamps, some uncataloged, some others unique.
In the photo: This unique (one only known) Hard Times-era counterstamped Spanish-American 1789-Mo-FM silver two reales, issued by gunsmiths A. Henshaw and Orra Bennett about 1837 in Newark and Lyons, N.Y., is being offered publicly for the first time. This lot, number 149, Rulau number HT B218, is ex Maurice Gould, Ralph Goldstone and J.W. ?Doc? Carberry collections, estimated to bring upwards of $2,550.
Five additional silver Indian Peace medals, three rare Charleston slave tags, the rare Schiller Louisiana Civil War token, an unlisted Wealth of the South Civil War piece, British and other world countermarks on Spanish silver coins join tokens, medals and badges of the Grand Army of the Republic and other veteran organizations in the massive sale.
The ever-popular copper slave tags offered, with estimated prices, are: 1838 Servant, Fine, $2,500; 1848 Servant, near Very Fine, $3,000; 1855 Porter, about Fine, $2,500 (Lots 2751-2753). Each is guaranteed genuine by Numismatic Conservation Services.
The full sale with color photos of most lots is online at www.exonumia.com and Hartzog will send selected listings to interested parties who let him know their needs at hartzog@exonumia.com
The full printed catalog with color cover is available for $15 postpaid to worldwide addresses from Rich Hartzog, P.O. Box 4143-CRL, Rockford, IL 61110.
This includes $15 off any purchase of $50 or more.
In the course of my 67-year association with numismatics as collector, editor, broker, author and free-lance writer, no collection ever offered quite matches this one. Even the Stack?s John Ford sales contained fewer rare, elusive counterstamps. A good number of modern tokens, counters, ribbons, elongateds, etc., leavens the sale for a wide audience. Some three years preparation was necessary to provide the written research for every item offered.
