Kolbe & Fanning
Auction 164 27 Aug 2022
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Rare 1925 W.W.C. Wilson Sale with Photographic Plates
Raymond, Wayte. THE IMPORTANT NUMISMATIC COLLECTION FORMED BY THE LATE W.W.C. WILSON, MONTREAL, CANADA. UNITED STATES & CANADIAN COINS, EARLY AMERICAN & CANADIAN HISTORICAL MEDALS, MEDALS PRESENTED TO NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN CHIEFS, FOREIGN COINS & MEDALS. New York: Anderson Galleries, Sale Number 1996, November 16-18, 1925. 4to, original green cloth, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt. 92, (2) pages; (4) pages; 1260 lots; frontispiece portrait of Wilson; text illustrations; 2 halftone plates of Franco-American jetons; 1 halftone plate of Montreal Side View tokens; 45 very fine full page photographic plates of coins, medals and tokens, numbered as follows: 1-11, 11A, 11B, 12-39, 40/41 (both on one plate), 42-44, plate and lot numbers hand-lettered in white ink; prices realized list tipped in. Binding very worn, with spine frayed, hinges cracked, and most plates loose. Could be restored to very good, but currently just good. Adams 9, with plates. Rated A+ overall: "One of the great collections. Superb Canadian: 1670 15 sols, Beaver Club medal, near complete jetons, tokens, etc. Definitive for historical medals, both Canadian and U.S.: Tuesday Club, Erie Canal Gold, 'Happy While United,' oval Washington, etc." A landmark rarity and one of the most important sales of Americana in the twentieth century. William W.C. Wilson was born in 1869 and began collecting coins at an early age. His collection of Canadian coins, medals, and tokens was the finest ever assembled at the time of his death in 1924. It also contained an impressive array of American rarities. The 46 (on 45) plates depict rare United States, Canadian and foreign coins and medals, as follows: 2 plates of colonials; 1 plate of large cents; 1 plate of pattern dollars; 9 plates of Canadian tokens, military medals and coins; 7 plates of historical medals; 3 plates of Washingtonia; 1 plate of Lincoln medals; 1 plate of decorations; 13 plates of Indian Peace medals; 7 plates of foreign coins and medals. The whereabouts of only a dozen or so copies with the full complement of photographic plates is known at the present time. Special editions were apparently guarded closely. Even Henry Chapman had to pay $15.00 for one. The sale represents Raymond's finest effort as a cataloguer and a plated copy is one of the most coveted rarities of American numismatic literature. John Adams considers it "easily one of the half dozen most important sales in the entire American series." The historical significance of the sale is well stated by Raymond in his foreword: "The late W.W.C. Wilson of Montreal, who formed the splendid collection of Canadian and American coins and medals described in this catalogue, was one of the most discriminating and enthusiastic collectors of recent years. Mr. Wilson's first and most natural interest was in the coins and tokens relating to his native Canada and it may be safely said that no such assemblage of numismatic material pertaining to that country has ever before been offered for sale. He bought many collections belonging to Canadian amateurs of his time, perhaps the most important being that of the late Thomas Wilson. It is not possible in the brief space allowed in an auction catalogue to enlarge upon the historical significance most of these coins and medals have, however present day Canadian collectors will no doubt be appreciative of the opportunity to acquire rarities seldom offered. Nor did Mr. Wilson neglect the coins and medals issued in the United States and in the early Colonial days, as many of the rarest items in the collection are much sought after examples of numismatic Americana. The series of Indian Peace Medals, presented by French and English Kings and the Presidents of the United States, is one of the most important ever held in a private collection. Few of these have survived and they have an historic interest, of a personal nature, representing the efforts of the early colonists and the later pioneers in the West to placate the natives of a new country." Ex American Numismatic Society Library, with their bookplate recording it as presented by Raymond; ex Cardinal Collection Library.
(Estimate: $3000)
Raymond, Wayte. THE IMPORTANT NUMISMATIC COLLECTION FORMED BY THE LATE W.W.C. WILSON, MONTREAL, CANADA. UNITED STATES & CANADIAN COINS, EARLY AMERICAN & CANADIAN HISTORICAL MEDALS, MEDALS PRESENTED TO NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN CHIEFS, FOREIGN COINS & MEDALS. New York: Anderson Galleries, Sale Number 1996, November 16-18, 1925. 4to, original green cloth, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt. 92, (2) pages; (4) pages; 1260 lots; frontispiece portrait of Wilson; text illustrations; 2 halftone plates of Franco-American jetons; 1 halftone plate of Montreal Side View tokens; 45 very fine full page photographic plates of coins, medals and tokens, numbered as follows: 1-11, 11A, 11B, 12-39, 40/41 (both on one plate), 42-44, plate and lot numbers hand-lettered in white ink; prices realized list tipped in. Binding very worn, with spine frayed, hinges cracked, and most plates loose. Could be restored to very good, but currently just good. Adams 9, with plates. Rated A+ overall: "One of the great collections. Superb Canadian: 1670 15 sols, Beaver Club medal, near complete jetons, tokens, etc. Definitive for historical medals, both Canadian and U.S.: Tuesday Club, Erie Canal Gold, 'Happy While United,' oval Washington, etc." A landmark rarity and one of the most important sales of Americana in the twentieth century. William W.C. Wilson was born in 1869 and began collecting coins at an early age. His collection of Canadian coins, medals, and tokens was the finest ever assembled at the time of his death in 1924. It also contained an impressive array of American rarities. The 46 (on 45) plates depict rare United States, Canadian and foreign coins and medals, as follows: 2 plates of colonials; 1 plate of large cents; 1 plate of pattern dollars; 9 plates of Canadian tokens, military medals and coins; 7 plates of historical medals; 3 plates of Washingtonia; 1 plate of Lincoln medals; 1 plate of decorations; 13 plates of Indian Peace medals; 7 plates of foreign coins and medals. The whereabouts of only a dozen or so copies with the full complement of photographic plates is known at the present time. Special editions were apparently guarded closely. Even Henry Chapman had to pay $15.00 for one. The sale represents Raymond's finest effort as a cataloguer and a plated copy is one of the most coveted rarities of American numismatic literature. John Adams considers it "easily one of the half dozen most important sales in the entire American series." The historical significance of the sale is well stated by Raymond in his foreword: "The late W.W.C. Wilson of Montreal, who formed the splendid collection of Canadian and American coins and medals described in this catalogue, was one of the most discriminating and enthusiastic collectors of recent years. Mr. Wilson's first and most natural interest was in the coins and tokens relating to his native Canada and it may be safely said that no such assemblage of numismatic material pertaining to that country has ever before been offered for sale. He bought many collections belonging to Canadian amateurs of his time, perhaps the most important being that of the late Thomas Wilson. It is not possible in the brief space allowed in an auction catalogue to enlarge upon the historical significance most of these coins and medals have, however present day Canadian collectors will no doubt be appreciative of the opportunity to acquire rarities seldom offered. Nor did Mr. Wilson neglect the coins and medals issued in the United States and in the early Colonial days, as many of the rarest items in the collection are much sought after examples of numismatic Americana. The series of Indian Peace Medals, presented by French and English Kings and the Presidents of the United States, is one of the most important ever held in a private collection. Few of these have survived and they have an historic interest, of a personal nature, representing the efforts of the early colonists and the later pioneers in the West to placate the natives of a new country." Ex American Numismatic Society Library, with their bookplate recording it as presented by Raymond; ex Cardinal Collection Library.
(Estimate: $3000)