Al Overton died from influenza at age 65, February 11, 1972. This lot includes copies of 18 items of correspondence to, from and about Al Overton, written during the period January 1966 through January 1972. The correspondents, all notable collectors, dealers and numismatic publishers of the era, include the following: Charlton E. Meyer, Jr., Charles “Buddy” Byers, Paul Munson, Curt Biebel, Irv Kalter, Art and Paul Kagin, Raymond Merena, Russell Rulau, Floyd Farley and Stewart P. Witham. Overton’s last letter, dated January 29, 1972, just 13 days before his death, was to Richard S. Yeoman, editor of the Red Book; he enclosed price recommendations for the 1973 Red Book. The earliest letter, dated January 11, 1966 (on Whitman Publ. Co. stationery), is from Yeoman to Ralph Cleaver of the ANA Board of Governors regarding Overton’s nomination for the 1966 “Medal of Merit” award. Overton’s June 1967 handwritten memos to Stew Witham concern Overton’s 1st edition, which he expected to be published in August that year.
In January 1986 Clifford Mishler, publisher of Krause Publications, wrote a 2-page letter to Canzada Overton, Overton’s widow, asking whether she would be “open to consideration of … an arrangement … for the presentation of a revised reprint of the Overton Book.” It appears that nothing came of the proposal. Mishler’s letter is included in this lot.
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$200
$200
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Sheridan Downey, Numismatist 4400 Keller Ave.,
Suite 140, PMB 398 Oakland, California 94605 sdowney3@aol.com (510) 479-1585
