Number 27 — Summer 2013 ………..
SPECIAL WHITMAN SECOND EDITION BOARD LIST
Continuing my recent theme of featuring specific publishers, the latest price list of Coin Boards for Sale #127 highlights one of the most underappreciated collecting areas. Whitman’s Second Edition titles are among the coin boards most often seen, yet they are rarely found in nice condition. It’s quite challenging to find such boards with bright and complete printing outside of the publisher’s own bound albums. One of these very rare albums is included in List #127.
There’s yet another reason to feature these boards in the current list. The table of Second Edition backing varieties that I included with the Spring newsletter brought several inquiries from collectors seeking to build their collections to include examples of all six varieties or simply the two different “c” varieties copyright dated 1937. As a result I sold quite a number of Whitman Second Edition boards, and I decided to offer the better remaining pieces in list #127. You’ll find some very choice boards, as well as some scarce printings.
MARKET ACTIVITY
The past quarter was rather quiet as far as coin board offerings. Most of the items seen online were common pieces in so-so condition. Of these, quite a few were partially filled with coins, and this always makes it difficult to determine how much value is placed on the boards alone. Typically, the seller places far too much value on anything offered as “Buy-It-Now,” with the result that such lots roll over month after month without a sale. Of the few sales in which competition determined the value of coin-free boards, prices were at or just slightly below list values. A good example was a pair of Whitman Third Edition boards for Liberty Head Quarters. In average condition, these realized $14.95 each, which is about where I would price them on my lists.
A couple of the better items seen were scarce Oberwise titles in nice condition. One of these was for Liberty Head Quarters and was purchased as a BIN sale for strong money, and the same seller also had a very rare Jefferson Nickel board that I snapped up instantly for $125. It held a nearly complete set of nickels 1938-61, but 80% of the value was in the board itself. This very clean board was a great buy that I planned to add to my own collection, but triumph quickly turned to tragedy. The seller shipped it quite carelessly without any internal reinforcement, and the board was severely damaged, compelling me to return it for a refund. I’ve attached photos of this rare board, the before photo being the seller’s, and the after taken by me.
BOOK UPDATES
You can always count on the Oberwise brand to reveal yet more minor varieties. Lincoln Cent board O1¢Bq has been divided into O1¢Bq.1 having mintages through 10 months of 1939 and O1¢Bq.2 having mintages through one month of 1940. New backing varieties have surfaced for Early Nickels, variety O5¢Ac, and Jefferson Nickels (O5¢Cx, the damaged board). Two new backing varieties of Liberty Head Quarter boards are also now known—O25¢Af and O25¢Bc.
ALMOST FAMOUS
My website coincollectingboards.net was featured in Barbara J. Gregory’s “Online” column in the June issue of The Numismatist. I’m used to writing for this publication, not being written about in it.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
I’ll be at the Whitman Baltimore Expo June 20-23, the Summer FUN Show July 11-13, the ANA World’s Fair of Money in Rosemont, Illinois August 13-17 and the Whitman Philadelphia Expo September 19-21. If you’re attending any of these shows, please stop by the NGC booth to say hello.
Dave
David W. Lange POB 110022 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34211 941-586-8670 www.coincollectingboards.net
