Auction Details
<b>Letter from Greg Rohan
President, Heritage Numismatic Auctions, Inc.</b>
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Dear Bidders,
Welcome to Heritage's September 2003 Long Beach Signature Sales. Together with our Heritage World Coins Auctions catalog, we are offering more than six thousand interesting and important lots across the range of numismatics. This is Heritage's 39th major sale as the official auctioneer of the Long Beach Coin Expo. We held our first Long Beach Signature Sale in 1985, and sale after sale, year after year, this productive relationship has delivered the finest in coins and currency to the fine numismatists gathering in Southern California - and participating around the world through the Internet. Our September Long Beach auctions contain more than $10 million of fresh and exciting coins for your consideration.
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<b>The Davis Collection
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The Davis Collection of American gold coins is one of the more exciting offerings to come on the market in some time. Containing more than 110 pieces, it is especially strong in Indian $10s and Double Eagles. Most of the coins are Mint States, and many of those in high grade. This is the first of two multi-generation collections being offered in this catalog, and provides a wonderful example of an enriching and satisfying hobby that can truly be shared across generational lines.
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<b>The Jones Beach Estate, Part I
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The Jones Beach Estate is really the story of two generations of numismatists, father and son. While the Father was quietly purchasing superb proof type coins, he was also assigning the task of looking through bank rolls to his teenage son. Rather than simply pass along a superb collection, without knowledge or training, the Father taught his son about the thrill of the discovery, grading, mintmarks, and better-dates the old-fashioned way - by looking through roll after roll of bank coins. Even more than the knowledge this direct experience generated, this process exhibited a Father's affection for his Son and his hobby.
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Unfortunately, the latest generation of children didn't learned to share in their Dad's hobby, and like many a collector, he made the decision to liquidate some of his numismatic inheritance to provide for the university education of his three children. An optimist, he is setting aside enough coins to permit another numismatic inheritance if future events warrant. The collection is named in honor of the consignor's Father.
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<b>The McCormick Ranch Collection, Part II
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The McCormick Ranch Collection was started in the early 1990s. While especially strong in Indian Quarter Eagles and Liberty Double Eagles, it also includes an interesting selection of other numismatic items. Part I of this impressive collection was offered in our July Baltimore Signature Sale. Part II is strong in Mint State Indian Quarter Eagles, Liberty Double Eagles, and additional pieces of Territorial Gold.
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<b>The V. Michael Collection, Part I
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Mr. Michael started collecting rare coins more than 50 years ago, and he has been an avid hobbyist ever since. Buffalo Nickels were his first area of concentration, but his interests grew along with his collecting activities. Mr. Michael would typically specialize in one series at a time, and then move on to the next - but he would "buy anything really interesting" that he found along the way while perusing multitudes of retail catalogs and inventory lists. His two favorite series now are Half Dimes and Large Cents, both of which he still finds most intriguing. Mr. Michael graduated from Purdue University, and worked as an independent Mechanical Engineering until he retired 12 years ago. In Part I, we offer an eclectic mix of better-date and type coins.
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<b>The Dr. Douglas Roane Collection
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Dr. Roane started collecting rare coins in 1961, but following a robbery in 1965, he "got angry and quit." He started collecting again in 1980, but with a very unusual focus: he pursued type sets by Breen numbers, in silver, copper, and gold. His purchased depended entirely upon what pieces would show up in the marketplace. He most actively pursued coins in high-circulated grades, typically uncertified, but he would purchase rarity when encountered. Dr. Roane retired from Dentistry in 1990, after opening Antique Scientific Instruments, purveying microscopes, telescopes, and early American surveying instruments since 1985. He is still working on a complete type set of classic commems in MS64, quite a departure from his previous goals. He hopes the purchasers of his coins enjoy them as much as he did.
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<b>The Wesley Van Olden Collection of Colonial Coinage, Part I
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While many old-timers still think of New York City as one of the capitals of American coin collecting, Northern New Jersey has also produced many coin collectors - and like their brethren in NYC, Colonial coinages seem to be a favorite specialty. The late Wesley Van Olden was a dedicated collector for more than four decades, and while his range of collecting interests included Ancients through modern proofs, his first love remained these wonderful pieces of our colonial heritage. According to his son, Mr. Van Olden started collecting with the intention of assembling a type set of 13 Colonies coins and currency. It wasn't long before he became hooked on the incredibly complex and fascinating coins of his native New Jersey, and from there his interests migrated North and South. Future parts of the Van Olden Collection will be offered in future auctions.
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In our May Long Beach catalog, we thanked the 80,000+ registered bidder/members on our award-winning website, HeritageCoin.com. Four months later, we now count over 90,000 bidder/members, a period of simply phenomenal growth. HeritageCoin.com was recognized in July as the NLG's Best Commercial Website, and there is no question that the quality of the site itself attracts new members - but we believe that it is sales like this one that keeps our clients returning, bidding, and buying.
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We welcome your participation via the Internet, U.S. mail, telephone, TeleBid, or in person. Good luck with your bidding!
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Sincerely,
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Greg Rohan
President