Michael Hodder and Q. David Bowers
August 30, 1954
Dear Ambassador and Mrs. Norweb:
I arrived back last Thursday [from the ANA Convention in Cleveland] after a brief visit to Chicago. I'm awfully sorry but this is my first opportunity to thank both of you for your wonderful hospitality. I really had a very good time during Our four days together, and consider the little work involved as pure pleasure, rather than labor. My only regret is that the time passed all too quickly.
It is unfortunate that once the convention started, I had little time to talk to you.
(1) I would appreciate your getting to me at your convenience, the annotated Charlton and Standard Catalogue, the last listing what you need in United States copper and silver.
(2) Enclosed you will find my receipt for the fakes and copiesso generously given to me. I found the Dickeson Fugio dollar a duplicate, and added it to the New Netherlands stock as a salable item at $2. We will apply the $2 at an opportune moment against a future purchase; (we have sold struck copies, such as Bolens, et al), It will take me a little time to pick out my New Brunswick "piece de caprice:' as I put it in the bank prior to my moving.
(3) Tell the Ambassador that his concern about the 1939 "Proof" Canadian dollar was not necessary. You people already have one in your collection purchased from a Wayte Raymond list sometime ago at $20. Raymond has a quantity of these, and I do not believe they are Proofs. I discussed the whole Canadian Proof problem with Doug Ferguson while in Cleveland, which only confirmed my original suspicions. From an official viewpoint, the only true Proofs are the 1908, 1911, and 1937 sets. There are also bonafide Proofs of 1953 which were given encased to prominent Canadian officials. These of course are of excessive rarity. With the exception of a few odd pieces of various years and denominations, there were no Proofs struck from 1937 to 1953. The exceptions are those odd items made unofficially by an Ottawa Mint official no longer connected with the mint the problem is to separate these from the superb first strikes made for circulation at Ottawa, but culled by eager-beaver collectors. Under no circumstances would I recommend putting real money in these things unless carefully checked.
(4) I carried a series of photostats re the Paquet [the 1861 Philadelpia Mint Paquet $20] to Cleveland, and forgot to give them to you. Brilliant what? Our article on this piece is progressing favorably.
(5) Let me know when you want to see some coins. I know that you have been doing a lot of buying, and do not want to send anything unsolicited. When something is available, do you want us to write first or send the coins?
This should be enough for now. Again, many many thanks for a very delightful "long weekend"
Sincerely,
John J. Ford, Jr.
August 31, 1954
Dear John:
We both appreciated your chatty letter of the 30th. Your pre-convention visit was one of the high spots of the meeting.
Undoubtedly I was mistaken about Ferguson and the 1935 Proof dollar. It unquestionably was the 1939 Proof of which you remember. There is already one in the collection. My quandary on this score continues. I fully appreciate the limited issues of Canadian Proofs yet John Pittman was buying all the Proof dollars of 1947, 1949, 1950, and 1951 offered for sale at Toronto at an average cost of$15 each. When next in New York, probably 10 days hence, I would like to bring along a so-called Proof set of 1950, purchased at the Toronto sale.
As plans look at present, I shall be in New York on the 9th and 10th-and then again the week of the 20th, with Mrs. Norweb coming in for the large cent sale.
Yours very sincerely,
Hon. R. Henry Norweb
October 27, 1954
Dear Ambassador:
Enclosed you will find some information on the 1926-D double eagle.
This apparently is a very illusive [sic] coin, very few having shown up.
While I am particularly impressed with the limited number coined, an item of this sort still remains a "price" item. I have been assured that the piece in question is one of the usual "About Uncirculateds" In any event, we will advise you immediately upon receipt of the coin, stating the exact price and exact conditions.
Very best personal regards, Sincerely,
John J. Ford, Jr.
October 27, 1954
Data re the 1926-D double eagle, prepared for Hon. R.H. Norweb:
Number coined: 481,000 pieces (compared to 2,041,500 of the 1926-S).
Auction records:
(1) World's Greatest Collection, 1946, Lot 1044, $1,300.
(2) Dr. CW Green Collection, 1949, Lot 916, $2,500. We quote B. Max Mehl in his description of this lot- "The rarity of this coin may well be surmised from the fact that none of the great collections of double eagles offered on the market in the last few years had a specimen of it. Such great collections as the Bell, 'The World's Greatest' and others. THIS IS THE FIRST SPECIMEN EVER TO BE OFFERED AT AUCTION." Naturally, Mehl neglected to carefully read the World's Greatest Collection catalogue (the Boyd Collection).
(3) The Menjou Collection, 1950, Lot 1955, $2,000. We quote Kosoff in his description of this lot: "Perhaps as rare as any double eagle, if not more so:'
Summary: We can locate the above three "bonafide" sale records forthiscoin. Records exist of specimens changing hands at private sale, but these prices cannot be authenticated.
Conclusions: The very rare "D" Mint double eagles appear to be comparatively more substantial valuewise, if for no other rea-son than the much lower numbers coined. Also, within recent months, several of the rare "S" Mint doubleeagles have appeared, mainly from sources in the Far East. The "D" Mint coins have not appeared inany quantity (even in duplicate), and the solitary pieces that are found, come from Europe.
Respectfully submitted,
John J. Ford, Jr.
Note: at the time, a great interest was developing in the collecting of Saint-Gaudens double eagles by date and mintmark sequences, an interest which had its inception in the previous decade. Prior to that time, few people studied the series. It developed that a number of rarities existed, especially the branch mint issues of 1924, 1926, and 1927. Toward the end of the 1950s, later than the date of the letter just quoted, hoards of gold coins in Europe were thoroughly searched, and more specimens became available. However, in 1954 several of the issues, including the 1926-D, were considered to be extremely rare.