jackpine20 的钱币相册
B-1, BB-21, 2 Leaves Variety, R.2 Curious as I was, I cracked it out! Protected now in an Air-Tite holder, I hide it away inside the bowels of my antique Victor safe. I have a private ritual. Periodically, on special holy days, I love to pull it out and hold it in my hand, to study it raw, the way Robert Scot intended. All this, while sitting at my mid-eighteenth-century figured maple writing desk, dovetailed for both strength and beauty. Amazed! I sit transfixed. Then, I put it back. Amen.
B-17, BB-101, 5 Lines, Pointed 9, R.5 EX: The Palos Verdes Collection sold via Heritage in January, 2017. This scarce variety is described on page 39 of my 1950 first edition of M. H. Bolender's book, "The United States Early Silver Dollars, From 1794 to 1803". Quoting, now: "1798 B-17 (H-17) Excessively rare. Hazeltine's was only good, the only one he ever found. The author's (Bolender) is fine, and the only one he has seen. Rarity 7." There is a chance that my example was a part of something called The Economite Hoard, due in large part to the dark toning consistent with those many tens of thousands of silver coins, mostly half dollars, in that stockpile, dated 1794 to 1836. A great portion of the cache, including early silver dollars, was sold to the prominent numismatic dealer and cataloger, Captain John W. Hazeltine soon after discovery in 1878. I like to imagine my well worn dollar was part of that Hazeltine trade, leading then, to his cataloged public auction, in 1881, of this very rare Hazeltine variety, H-17. Later, B-17, BB-101. Note: The coin’s value has doubled in the last four years.
B-2, BB-143, 13 Reverse Stars, R.4 VG Details. Study the handsome inscription on this 1799/8 Draped Bust Dollar: ( H.D. Henderickson - Presented by - Wm. Bradley - of New York ). I was the sole bidder in an eBay auction in November 2021. The raw coin was listed as engraved, not a love token, so I suspect many in that target audience were missed. I did a little genealogy search and found one William F. Bradley b.1857, d.1939 in Queens, New York, listed as Single, perhaps never married. H. D. Henderickson was harder to locate. The surname is spelled in such a way as to suggest it might be a first or second-generation Swedish immigrant. I know it's a long shot, but I found an H. Henderickson b.1858 in Sweden, who farmed in Polk County, Minnesota. ******************************* An alternate possibility may be William Bradley (1852-1924). Paraphrasing this particular fellow's 1924 obituary and other documents: "Mr. Bradley began with barely a high school education and a first job hauling dirt. Fast forward as his hard work and fame grew over time, both as a trotter-horse trader, and also as a large stockholder in a horse dealing firm that handled 50,000 to 100,000 work horses per year. In time, he succeeded as the owner of one of the largest excavation companies in New York, called Bradley Contracting Company. In New York City, Bradley built the greater part of the subways, cleared the streets of New York of snow under a favored Tammany Contract for many years, bored the Peacock Mountain tunnel for New York's water supply, built the Homestead tunnel for the Pennsylvania Railroad, kept 8000 men and 2000 horses on one tunnel job for more than a year, made contracts in tens of millions and at one time made claims against the city of New York for over $6 million." [sidenote: the first subway in NYC was completed in 1904] His obituary continues, "When Bradley died, he was at the end of a long struggle over contracts that cost him millions through strikes and business troubles, rising costs due to the war, and an inability to wield his mighty political influence, that had previously enabled him to go ahead with some of the greatest contracts, gifts of New York City. In the end, Bradley faced receiverships and bankruptcies, and finally died with only a few hundred dollars to leave to his widow." **************************** It would be convenient if his widow's name were something like Helen D. Henderickson, but my genealogy search uncovered only the name Cecelia Bradley. No maiden name was given. What if the engraved initials, H. D. were those of a young Swedish laborer born, Henry David Henderickson employed by Wm. Bradley to haul dirt?