Michael Hodder and Q. David Bowers
On March 2, 1936 the Norwebs bought their first coin from B. Max Mehl, a 1935-S San Diego commemorative half dollar for $1.50. This was the first commemorative coin added to the collection since Albert Holden bought a pair of 1892 and 1893 Columbian Exposition pieces before 1912. By the end of 1936 the Norweb Collection contained one example of each commemorative half dollar minted up until then. Most were bought from Mehl, although some were purchased from Bolender and from Stack's, the New York City coin dealers.
Business dealings with B. Max Mehl proceeded smoothly and amicably, and a feeling of trust grew up between the Norwebs and Mehl, who was fast becoming their favorite source for U.S. coins. Mehl had obtained on consignment the famous Waldo C. Newcomer Collection in the early 1930s directly from its owner, later agreeing to buy it in installments from Newcomer, finally paying close to a quarter of a million dollars for the whole. Mehl also had access to coins from the Virgil M. Brand estate, probably through Virgil's brother Horace L.P. Brand, who was distributing coins through B.G. Johnson, among others at the time. Consequently, Mehl had some outstanding coins to offer the Norwebs. Interestingly, although Mehl was actively promoting certain rarities to John Work Garrett at the same time the Norwebs began buying from him, there seems to have been no competition between Garrett and the Norwebs for the same coins. Presumably, Mehl was too good a businessman to force his two best clients to compete for the same property, unless it was through a mail bid sale, of which he conducted over 100 before his death in 1957.
On January 2, 1937 the Norwebs bought six important coins from Mehl. As far as we can tell from their inventory records, these were the first non-commemorative issues they purchased from the Fort Worth dealer, and these included four half cents and two half dollars. The Norweb inventory ledger lists them as follows (the number preceding the listing is the inventory number itself):
4. Half cent, 1797. Plain edge. Struck over planchet of large cent. Condition, very fine. $7.50.
3. Half cent, 1797. Lettered edge. Good. Bought from Mehl at private sale, Jan.2, 1937 for $12.50. Scott lists coin "good" at $15.00 but gives no other price. Mehl claims "This coin is seldom found better!' Wt: 4.65.
4. Half cent, 1802. VF-20 [Entered in a later style of hand-writing. The original grade was given as Very good.] Bought for $4.50. Mehl claims "very good, can be classed as 'fine' for coin!'
5. Half cent, 1841. Re-strike, small berries. Proof. Bought for $65.00.
6. Half dollar, 1796. Sixteen stars. Very fine. Bought for $210.00.
7. Half dollar, 1796. Fifteen stars. Fine. Bought for $160.00. Mehl claims "very fine for coin!'
Mehl did not provide the Norwebs with any pedigree notes on these coins, so none was included with their listings in the inventory ledgers. The total spent on this occasion was $459.50.
Nine days later, on January 11, the Norwebs made what was the largest single coin purchase in the history of the collection until then. The transaction, totalling nearly $8,000, is outlined separately from this text. A quick glance through its contents will turn up some outstanding rarities, the purchase of anyone of which would make numismatic history today. Many traced their pedigrees back through Virgil Brand to Lorin G. Parmelee's collection, which was sold in 1890 by the New York Coin & Stamp Company.
Mrs. Norweb recorded some of B. Max Mehl's comments about these coins. Apparently, he attached a short description of each piece, with some of its history, and added notes about the pedigree as well as his professional opinion about the coin's conditionand rarity. These make interesting reading today. We have included several below; the number that precedes the description is the Norweb inventory number given to the coin. Comments are the Norwebs, primarily Mrs. Norweb's, and in some cases the nomenclature used for particular varieties does not exactly correspond with today's terminology. Nevertheless, the entries are easily understood so we have not changed or added to them.
31. XII Massachusetts Col. Very Good. Bought for $25. Came with a lot of coins from the Brand collection. Mehl writes, "A curious and very old piece, but of course not struck in 1665 [1652 altered to 1665]. Dr. Hall says he bought it at an auction in Maine. The first and only specimen I have ever seen!' [This coin wassold to New Netherlands Coin Co. on August 16, 1954.]
32. Immune Columbia Cent 1785. Nova Constellatio. Fine, probably very fine for this coin. Bought for $350.00. Came with coins from the Brand collection. Mehl says, "Crosby III of 1788 and I of 1785. This is the Parmelee specimen. This coin was unknown to Crosby, but according to Dr. Hall, the elder Garrett had one. One of the rarest of Colonial coins!' [T. Harrison Garrett's specimen of the Immune Columbia/Nova Constellatio with blunt rays mule was bought from the Dr. Edward Maris collection. Only two specimens are known.]
33. Immune Columbia cent 1785. Nova Constellatio. Fine rays. Very fine. Bought for $400.00. Came with coins from the Brand collection. Mehl says "Crosby no.2, Plate VII-30!'
37. Silver Center cent 1792, no plug. Very fine. Bought for $400.00. Mehl states "much rarer variety without the silver center. Excessively rare. This is the original specimen from the great Parmelee sale held in 1890!' Came with the Brand collection.
38. New Hampshire cent 1776, large tree. Fine. Bought for $150.00. Came with coins from the Brand collection. Mehl states, "Fine for coin. Extremely rare. Seldom found better!' [This piece was later donated to the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.]
39.New Hampshire cent 1776, small harp. Good. Bought for $175.00. Came with coins from the Brand collection. Crosby 28-B. Mehl states, "obverse apparently re-engraved. Excessively rare." Do not believe it is re-engraved.
40. Fugio cent 1787, silver. Stars within each link of chain. Good. Bought for $800.00. Came with Brand collection. Mehl states, "This is the identical coin illustrated in Crosby" [Crosby Plate VII, no.1.]
41. Fugio cent 1787. Very good. Crosby 3-A, plate VIII-2 [sic, really VII-2]. Bought for $450.00. Came with coins from Brand collection. Mehl states, "this is the identical coin illustrated in the great Parmelee Collection. Excessively rare."
56. New Yorke in America Token in brass (1700). Fine. Bought for $135.00. Mehl claims, "Crosby, on page 345, states that at that time, 1875, but one specimen was known and that was owned by Mr. Parmelee. However, since then, another specimen was discovered which was in the Charles Morris Collection, and later in the Jenks sale. It is claimed by some that this coin contained the [sic] earlier display of the American eagle. It is one of the most interesting of the early American coins. When the specimen I offered in the Ten Eyck Collection appeared, it was only the second to have been offered for sale in thirty years. This coin is probably finest specimen known" [This piece was later donated to the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution.]