Sold
$325
Est.
$300
Live Auction
2022 Summer Americana Sale
Live bidding began
Aug 27, 2022 at 12 PM EDT
Description
Elder, Thomas L. CATALOGUE OF THE TWENTY-FIRST SALE. MAGNIFICENT RARE COIN COLLECTION OF THE LATE JAMES B. WILSON, ESQ., OF NEW YORK CITY. New York: Daniel R. Kennedy, October 5-7, 1908. 8vo, somewhat later blue cloth, gilt. 72, (8) pages; 1409 lots; 28 fine photographic plates; original printed prices realized list bound in. Near fine. Adams 21, with plates. Rated A+ overall and A in large cents, proofs, early and late silver, and private gold in particular. A plated example of this notable catalogue. The Wilson sale is important in several areas, most especially for U.S. large cents. At the head of that section, Elder terms it "the finest collection ever sold at auction" and notes that "Most of these choice pieces were purchased by Mr. Wilson at the Frothingham sale in May, 1883. Several are from the Parmelee collection." Two paragraphs in the preface are devoted to the private gold collection, "one of the best that has ever been offered." Eight of the plates illustrate large cents; three plates depict United States gold coins; there are four plates of silver dollars, two of halves and one each of quarters and dimes; two plates depict pattern silver dollars and ten early half dimes; three plates illustrate ancient, medieval and modern foreign coins; and four plates depict pioneer gold rarities. Elder boasts in his introduction that the plated edition contains more plates than any other previous numismatic sale, which appears to be the case. Davis 350. Fanning, Ancient Coins in Early American Auctions, 27. Ex Money Tree Sale 26, lot 248); ex Kolbe Sale 99, lot 388; ex Cardinal Collection Library.