NNP

The Stepney, CT hoard of approximately 200 high-grade Connecticut and Vermont coppers and British halfpence was discovered in 1950 and announced to the numismatic community by Walter Breen in the January 1952 Numismatist. Facts regarding the exact location of the find and circumstances of its discovery are scarce, leading to varying opinions – was the hoard a modern concoction, or did it represent a legitimate contemporaneous deposit? In the August 1998 Colonial Newsletter, Phil Mossman concluded that the hoard was indeed closed in 1788.

We recently received a research request for the 1951 Walter Breen manuscript on this topic. At the time, Breen worked for Stack’s, who handled the hoard. The Breen manuscript was transcribed and published by Phil Mossman in the afore mentioned Colonial Newsletter. While our researcher was aware of the transcribed copy, good research practice demands examining original documents whenever possible. After some searching, a photocopy of the Breen manuscript was located in the Walter Breen papers at the American Numismatic Society library. 

Link to Breen manuscript on the Stepney Hoard: https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/archivedetail/323
Link to Phil Mossman’s related article in the Colonial Newsletter: https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/513972

Through the efforts of Mark Schlepphorst and John Sallay, and the cooperation of Shirley Johnson, the D. Wayne Johnson artist “databank” is now available on Newman Portal. For American artists, this is the most significant contribution to the field since Leonard Forrer’s Biographical Dictionary of Medallists (1902-1930). The work covers seven volumes, nearly four thousand pages, and presents capsule biographies of American engravers along with lists of their related works. 

Many thanks to Mark, John, and Shirley for recognizing the value of this work and going above and beyond to ensure its preservation for future generations. Collectors and catalogers of American medals will do well to consult this reference frequently.

Link to D. Wayne Johnson databank on Newman Portal: https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/booksbyauthor/519080
Link to Leonard Forrer’s Biographical Dictionary on Newman Portal: https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/booksbyauthor/511633