The ANA selected Al Overton to conduct its 1963 Denver and 1965 Houston summer Convention Auctions. This lot consists of the catalogs for those two years. Each catalog is pristine, as new, with Prices Realized tipped in. The 1963 catalog has a nice run of early half-dollars, including the 1796 15 and 16 star varieties and a 1797, each with Beistle attributions. The coins are plated in black and white. Overton graded them Fine and Very Fine. They brought from $2,300 to $2,600. There are several Capped Bust Half-Dollars graded “Brilliant Uncirculated.” It cost $150 to acquire a BU 1807 50/20.
The 1965 catalog is notable because all lots were donated to the ANA for inclusion in the sale. Overton labeled it the American Numismatic Association National Home and Headquarters Donation Auction Sale. There are fewer important coins than those consigned in 1963 and only a modest group of early halves. The list of Donors is extensive, occupying 3 double-row pages of the catalog. If you are of my vintage (I finished college in 1963) many names are familiar. Try B. Max Mehl (who died in 1957 but his company survived until the mid-1960s). Or Lester Merkin, Abe Kosoff, Art and Paul Kagin, Dean Oaks and Leo Young. There are notable omissions as well, including John Ford, Walter Breen and Don Taxay, Overton’s “unholy trio.” (See Lot 103.) Here is a nice trip down memory lane, in both coin prices and numismatic personae.
Auction Ended
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$14
Reserve met
$16
$15
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Sheridan Downey, Numismatist 4400 Keller Ave.,
Suite 140, PMB 398 Oakland, California 94605 sdowney3@aol.com (510) 479-1585