Class News

Ed Price '64 ― Coin Collector Par Excellence

The following article was on the website of the Heritage Auction Galleries, the self-described "world's largest numismatic dealer and auctioneer."

The Ed Price Collection of Early Dimes and Quarter Eagles

The Ed Price Collection, an incomparable variety collection of early Dimes and Quarter Eagles, valued over $4 million, will be auctioned at our Official Auction of the Baltimore ANA, July 30-Aug. 2, 2008. Only one complete collection of draped bust dimes by variety had previously been assembled (Allen F. Lovejoy's, sold in 1990), and only one complete collection of early quarter eagles (1796-1807) by variety had previously been assembled (by Harry Bass - now on display at ANA Museum). Heritage is proud to present the Ed Price Collection, a complete collection by variety of both the early dimes and quarter eagles, featuring the common reverse dies, such as has never before been assembled.

Ed Price has collected coins since about 1950, when he was eight years old, and like most young collectors, he focused on circulating modern series. After graduation from Yale in 1964, he began to pursue more important coins, and by 1970 he started collecting U.S. type coins. Mr. Price sold most of his type collection in 1988 and began focusing on early Federal coinage. After a decade long search, he had assembled and sold a complete collection of half dime varieties from 1794 through 1805 (and discovered the new variety, 1800 LM-4, in the process). Mr. Price's 1796 JR-7 and 1803 JR-5 dimes are also discovery coins.

Mr. Price's interest in early dimes continued. At the 1990 Lovejoy sale, he bought his 1802 JR-1, still the only known example. Later he purchased the Draped Bust Dime Collection of noted numismatic author Bill Subjack intact. He continued to upgrade his coins with the help of dealer Stu Levine, and ultimately discovered the new variety 1803 JR-5. Almost all of the dimes are in the Condition Census and many are the finest known. Inspired by Subjack and intrigued by the common reverse dies, he simultaneously pursued and completed a collection of early quarter eagles.

Some of the highlights of the Ed Price Collection are:

1792 Dime, Judd-10, High R.6, PR62 Brown NGC. Ex: Judd.
1796 Dime, JR-1, R.3, MS64 NGC.
1796 Dime, JR-2, R.4, MS64 NGC.
1796 Dime, JR-4, R.4, MS67 NGC. Ex: Stack.
1796 Dime, JR-6, R.3, MS64 Prooflike NGC. Ex: Whitney, Bareford.
1796 Dime, JR-7, R.8, Fair Details NCS. Discovery Coin.
1797 Dime, 13 Stars, JR-2, R.4, MS65 NGC. Ex: Bolen, Lovejoy, Atwater.
1798/7 Dime, 16 Stars Reverse, JR-1, R.3, MS65 NGC.
1798/97 Dime, 13 Stars Reverse, JR-2, R.6, MS63 PCGS.
1798 Dime, Small 8, JR-3, R.5, MS66 NGC. Ex: Eliasberg.
1800 Dime, JR-2, R.5, MS65 NGC.
1801 Dime, JR-1, R.4, MS63 NGC. Ex: Bolen, Atwater.
1802 Dime, JR-1, R.8, AU Details NCS. Ex: Munoz.
1802 Dime, JR-3, R.6, AU58 NGC.
1802 Dime, JR-4, R.4, MS62 NGC. Ex: Lovejoy, Bareford, Menjou.
1803 Dime, JR-1, R.7, XF40 PCGS.
1803 Dime, JR-2, R.6, AU58 NGC. Ex: Pittman.
1803 Dime, JR-3, R.4, MS64 NGC. Ex: Lovejoy, Parmelee.
1803 Dime, JR-5, R.8, XF Details NCS. Discovery Coin.
1804 Dime, 13 Stars, JR-1, R.5, AU55 NGC. Ex: Pittman.
1804 Dime, 14 Stars, JR-2, R.5, AU58 NGC. Ex: Eliasberg.
1807 Dime, JR-1, R.2, Curved Clip, MS66 PCGS.
1796 $2.50, No Stars, BD-1, High R.7, XF45 PCGS.
1796 $2.50, No Stars, B-2, R.4, MS61 PCGS.
1796 $2.50, With Stars, BD-3, High R.5, MS62 NGC. Ex: Clapp, Eliasberg.
1797 $2.50, BD-1, R.6, AU55 NGC. Ex: Fairfield, J.F. Bell.
1798 $2.50, Four Berries, BD-1, High R.5, AU55 NGC. Ex: Stack.
1798 $2.50, Five Berries, BD-2, R.5, AU58 NGC. Ex: Keston.
1802 $2.50, BD-2, High R.5, MS62 NGC.
1802 $2.50, BD-3, R.5, MS63 NGC.
1804 $2.50, 13 Stars, BD-1, High R.6, AU55 NGC. Ex: Keston.
1806/5 $2.50, 7x6 Stars, BD-2, High R.5, AU55 PCGS.

Previews of this auction are already available at www.HA.com/Coins. Watch this auction as more fascinating material is added!