Ford sale sets new record

[Robert]

That's the headline on the July 19 Coin World.

"Rare Hard Times token realizes $126,500" - this I think was a 25 cent Feuchtwanger token, dated 1837, struck in "American Silver". By the way, "American Silver" was really "German Silver" which is an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel and CONTAINS NO SILVER. In 1882, this token sold for $42. Provenance: Charles Ira Bushnell to Lyman Low (1882) to Hillyer Ryder to F.C.C. Boyd to Ford.

"The 647 lots in the Ford auction... brought slightly more than $2.03 million, including the 15 percent buyers' premium."


"Ten lots in the Ford auction topped the old record holder (which was $31,900 for a token similar to the aforementioned Feuchtwanger token)

An encased postage stamp of B.F. Miles of Peoria, Illinois brought $25,300!

So, high-end tokens are getting hot. I think it's good for the hobby in general, and I'm glad to see something other than "normal" US coins getting some attention. I've often thought that things other than Morgan dollars were underpriced (or Morgans were overpriced).

Can a spike in foreign coin interest not be far off? I can only hope.

[GarryN]

I thought there was some tin in "German Silver"

[smed]

You might be thinking of pewter. Good pewter is mostly tin.