Great Sale of Coins
The Barre Patriot (3/21/1851)
Book Content
[The Barre Patriot
Whole No. 348. Vol. 7. – No. 36.
Barre, Mass., Friday Morning, March 21, 1851]
GREAT SALE OF COINS. Messrs M. Thomas & Sons commenced last evening the sale of the collection of coins, medals, and autograph of the late Dr. Lewis Rober, deceased, of this city. It is in the United States, and the announcement of its sale created quite a stir among our virtuosi. The sales last evening were confined to American coins and medals; the bidding was very spirited, and some of the price pad were extremely high. A half dollar, with the head of Washington, dated 1762, brought the enormous price of $18. - Two Washington cents, dated 1791, brought respectively $1.62 and $1.75, and one of 1792 brought $2,121.2. Four other Washington cents were sold for $2.20. An American silver dollar of 1838, with the flying eagle, brought the extravagant price of $5, and a half dollar of the same coinage, $7,25! Two-dollar pieces of 1836, brought $3.25; one 1739, $1.75; while another half dollar of 1839 sold for $2.10. Four old Massachusetts shillings brought $3.60, and a three penny Massachusetts piece sold for $5. A “half dime” of 1792 brought $2; two old Annapolis shilling, $1,75; a half cent of 1792, $2.40; a gold dollar of 1836, $2,37; two old cents and eight half cents, $2,50; and a three-cent silver piece, 90 cents. The actual value in metal, of the lot of American coins scarcely exceeded $10, and yet they brought about $66.
Among the medals sold was a gold one issued on the storming of Stony Point valued at $30.- It sold for $38. Two silver medals of Washington, $3,24; a silver medal of George II, $1; a copper medals, (Kittaning destroyed by Colonel Armstrong, September 8, 1756,) $1; Libertas Americana $2,12; copper medals of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe, $1,75 each; do of J. Q. Adams, $2,50; gilt medals of J. Q. Adams, $1, and 62 -2 cents respectively; 62 1-2 cents and $1,12 were paid for copper medals of Martin an Baren, and 50 cents and $1 similar medals of John Tyler. Sie transit Gloria mundi! A copper medal of Com. John Paul Jones sold for $2,12; one of Commodore Decatur, $2,12; one Commodore Hull, $2, and a number of other naval medals, at prices ranging from 50 cents to $1,50. A gold locket, with the head of Washing ruled on glass, was struck off at $2; a fragment of old Independence bell at 50 cents.
The great mass of the collection remains unsold, and the sale will be continue this evening- Among them are several hundred ancient Roman and Greek coins, of gold, silver, and copper; Italian, Papal, and Episcopal coins; English coins from the time of Canute to Victoria; French coins from Charlemagne to Napoleon, and other coins of all the European nations, besides numerous medals of great historical interest. There is also a collection of numismatic work, and numerous rare and valuable autograph. – Philadelphia Bulletin, 21st.
