GEORGE FREDERICK KOLBE
FINE NUMISMATIC
BOOKS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 2007
On June 7, 2007 George Frederick Kolbe/Fine Numismatic Books conducted their 103rd auction of rare and out of print numismatic literature, featuring the second part of the Alan M. Meghrig Library and a large selection of classic 19th and early 20th century American coin auction catalogues, many from the library of John J. Ford, Jr. 85% of the 770 lots in the sale were sold, bringing a total of nearly $76,000. A few printed catalogues are still available and can be ordered by sending $15.00 to Kolbe at P. O. Drawer 3100, Crestline, CA 92325.
Some of the sale highlights included: one of only six sets of
superb color photographs depicting the magnificent Clifford-Kagin
collection of Pioneer & Territorial Gold Coins, which sold
for $8,625 on a $6,500 estimate (all sale prices cited include
the 15% buyer premium); an annotated copy of Miller & Ryder’s
1920 “State Coinages of New England,” which included
correspondence between Howard Kurth and John Richardson, was hotly
sought after, eventually bringing $2,070 on a $500 estimate; original
1875 and 1878 editions of Crosby’s “Early Coins of America”
sold for $920 and $1,265 respectively; F. C. C. Boyd’s annotated
copies of four of Barney Bluestone’s Grinnell paper money
sales received multiple bids over their individual estimates of
$100 to $150, and each sold for $475; the first thirteen hard-bound
George Frederick Kolbe auction sale catalogues generally sold
well, with the first February 28, 1976 sale bringing $1,265; a
unique working copy of Walter Breen’s “Encyclopedia
of United States Half Cents,” heavily annotated in ink, realized
$3,737; a complete, very fine set of Wayte Raymond’s “Coin
Collector’s Journal” sold for $1,610; runs of Chapman
brother, Barney Bluestone, Thomas Elder, Ed. Frossard, and M.
H. Bolender auction sales generally brought good prices, and an
extensive run of Lyman Low auction sale catalogues were hotly
contested for, some bringing multiples of estimate.