Newcomb, Howard
Born in Detroit, Michigan. Served in the navy during the Spanish-American War. Married to Mabel Ruth with two children. Managed Newcomb, Endicott & Co. Retired in 1927.
He joined the ANA in 1893 and attended their conventions as early as 1894. Although his fame would come from his interest in cents, he made extensive studies of other series as well. He contributed articles to The Numismatist on die varieties of silver dollars. When the ANA held their convention in Detroit in 1913, Newcomb was host. He exhibited his collection of cents and half cents but also many other series including 117 varieties of quarter eagles. In 1914 he exhibited a full set of 3 cent silver, half dimes of 1794 to 1873 including all mints, extensive dimes, Quarter dollars 1796 to 1840 all in proof. In 1914 he exhibited half dimes and dimes at the ANS.
Author of The United States Cents of the Years 1801-1802-1803 in 1925. One hundred copies were printed and sold for $7.50. He wrote the standard reference for large cents, United States Copper Cents 1816-1857. It was ready for publication in 1938 but was delayed because of the war until 1944. The standard edition sold for $5.00. A deluxe limited edition sold for $15.00. The book has been reprinted in 1956, 1963 and 1981. Newcomb had been collaborating with George Clapp. This book, The United States Cents of the Years 1795-1796-1797-1800 was published in 1947 after Newcomb's death. The Newcomb collection of half cents was sold to B. Max Mehl in 1935. The 1796 variety with pole was described at the time as proof.
He was a member of the Masons and a Shriner. He died at home in Los Angeles. At the time of his death his collection of large cents was believed to be the most complete and finest known. It was sold in two auctions February 7-8, 1945, and May 16, 1945. The 487 lots in the first sale realized $21,704.50. The second sale was conducted with bidding on individual lots. Then $500 was added and the collection was offered as a group. Floyd Starr bought the group for $5,350.
Newcomb appears on a medal struck for the California Coin Club on their first anniversary in 1929. It was struck to honor his work on the cents of 1801-1802- 1803. In 1974 he was elected to the ANA Numismatic Hall of Fame.
bio: NUM/NIN 12/94. E-Sylum 2/27/22 obit: NUM 58 Feb 1945 p. 139-140
5 entries found
Displaying records 1 — 5
1925The United States cents of the years 1801-1802-1803
The annual ANA convention is always a good platform for a book launch, and so Newcomb debuted this effort at the 1925 event in Detroit. The Numismatist took care to point out that halftones were eschewed in favor of photographic plates, and that Newcomb had identified thirty per cent more varieties than were previously known for these three dates. The work was further characterized as a labor of love and a “loss leader,” the author losing money on every copy sold. While a valiant effort, Newcomb stopped short. “If sufficient interest is shown… he may be induced to take up the die varieties of other dates in the cent series,” wrote The Numismatist, and so the crown of the early large cent kingdom was left upon the shelf for Mr. Sheldon to claim some years later.
1925The United States Cents Of The Years 1801–1802–1803
Newcomb, Howard R. THE UNITED STATES CENTS OF THE YEARS 1801–1802–1803. Detroit: Liberty Printing Co., 1925. 4to [31 by 24 cm], modern full reddish-brown morocco, bordered on both sides and on the turn-ins with double gilt fillets; title in gilt on the upper cover; four raised spine bands with double gilt rules on either side; marbled endpapers; cardboard-tipped green silk marker. 85, (1) pages; 5 fine photographic plates with tissue guards [plates included in pagination]; erratum slip tipped in on page 73. Loosely laid in are photographic facsimiles of three supplemental plates: the July 1931 supplemental plate depicting both 1801 new varieties; and both varieties of the 1803, No. 24 supplemental photographic plate dated January 1928. Loosely laid in are several other items, including photocopies of Howard Newcomb's handwritten three-page list of "Owners of the coins photographed on the plates of 1801-02-03." Also included is an undated handwritten letter from Raymond Williamson to Warren Lapp, concerning possible publication in Penny-Wise of a Williamson "item on 'United States Cents of the years 1801-1802-1803.'" Housed in a matching full morocco slipcase, lettered in gilt on the upper side. Fine. A remarkable copy bound in exceptionally fine goatskin, in a slipcase constructed of the same material, all in the style of the Deluxe Leatherbound Edition (of which only ten copies were issued). Concerning Newcomb and this work, Dr. Sheldon wrote: "during the first quarter of the twentieth century and until his death in 1945, Howard R. Newcomb was so closely identified with the big cents that to mention cents was to mention Newcomb... The United States Cents of the Years 1801–1802–1803... marks a milestone in the cent literature. Approaching a field which had been left almost in chaos by the Doughty book, Newcomb assembled a vast quantity of numismatic material, ordered and reordered it, finally set up a new classificational system and a list which seemed adequate; and after testing the new list for upwards of a decade, published. The verdict of time on this work has been favorable." Ex Twinleaf Library (Kolbe Sale 107), lot 70; ex Cardinal Collection Library.
1944United States copper cents 1816-1857.
284 p. : 31 cm. American Numismatic Society rare book room copy.
1944United States copper cents, 1816-1857
The standard guide to United States large cent varieties for the years covered.
1947The United States cents of the years 1795, 1796, 1797 and 1800
Clapp and Newcomb's thorough study on large cent varieties of the years 1795, 1796, 1797, and 1800 (Clapp's work on the 1798 and 1799 cents had appeared in 1931).
