Early American History Auctions, Inc. Announces A New Online Only Auction of 287 Lots Closing: Saturday June 8th, 2024

Featuring A Wide Array of Historic Americana is Offered Including: Autographs, Documents, Colonial Coinage & Currency, Medals; U.S. Navy, George Washington, Historical Liverpool Creamware; Political & Decorative Americana & Abraham Lincoln and More!

GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER (1839-1876). Historic Civil War Union Brigadier General at age 23, he fought in nearly every battle of the Army of the Potomac, including Gettysburg, later to be killed and his troops annihilated by Sioux and Cheyenne warriors led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse during the Battle of Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876.

This exceedingly rare Promissory Note is check size, measuring about 8.1 long x 3.35 tall (20.5 x 8.5 cm), printed on light blue bond period paper, at left displaying a vignette of a Seated Female representing with an American Flag and holding a Liberty Cap on a pole. The Note is fully completed, the handwritten portions are easily readable brown ink. It is made for "$400.00" being issued at "Topeka, Kansas" and dated "Nov 1, 1870" across the top line.

Signed, "G. A. Custer" on the signature line at lower right, in fully readable light blue ink. The signature is machine cut-cancelled as shown, the debt having been fully repaid by Custer. Custer's blue ink signature is clear and penned distinctly in his well known style. The Fourth line explains the terms, reading: "Four Hundred Dollars with interest at 10 per Cent / Value received (and noting), "This note is secured a Mortgage legally stamped." Below, in the bottom margin is written, (Number) "3664". The blank reverse is endorsed (as received) by John C. Howard, with oval blue ink "PAID" stamp. Overall, this Promissory Note is attractive having very light vertical quarter folds, some trivial edge tone and wear on the extremities.

Only Two Examples are Known of this extreme George Armstrong Custer financial rarity.

Ex. Spink/Smythe's Collector's Series Sale 316, May 22-23, 2013, lot 1124 (as displayed on the front cover of the auction catalog); From, "George Armstrong Custer Shoe Box Collection"; by descent via family friends and heirs; the niece of Margaret Flood; Margaret and Patrick Flood, who were caretakers for Libby Custer until her death in 1933 (age 91); to Elizabeth "Libby" Bacon Custer; our Current Consignor.

To read the complete lot description, see:
General "G. A. Custer" Signed Vignette Promissory Note One of Only Two Known Existent Being Signed by Custer(https://www.earlyamerican.com/Auctions/ClientPages/lots.item.php?auction=6&lot=13&imagesize=G)

(1789) Federal Period, George Washington Inaugural Button, Major Design Type, Cobb-17, Albert WI-12F, DeWitt-Unlisted, Baker-Unlisted, Brass, with Original Shank, Choice About Uncirculated.

17.7 mm. An exceedingly rare, exceptional quality Smaller or Size button, worn as part of ceremonial dress. Its Original Shank is Perfectly Straight and Fully Intact. Superb golden-brass with semi-reflective glossy surfaces, having traces of luster in the recesses and one of the finest existent, as shown. Sharply impressed designs with crisp distinct details and exceptional in overall eye appeal.

The face surface is superb, and this was clearly never worn stored shortly after it was issued. It was also reported that collector B.G. Johnson had discovered a dozen from being attached to an original pair of breeches, as first published in 1961. This example, being so superb in appearance is certainly likely to have possibly come from that set, which was broken up. Collector Harold Cobb did not own an example of this button!

As of 1968, Cobb had confirmed the location of only one example, presumably the button plated by Albert in his reference work, and this button is not the same as Albert illustrated. In any event, a stunningly beautiful button that would prove a key highlight to any Presidential, Political or Historical American Button collection.

To read the complete lot description, see:
(1789) George Washington Inaugural Button Eagle and Star Major Type Cobb-17, Albert WI-12F with its Original Shank(https://www.earlyamerican.com/Auctions/ClientPages/lots.item.php?auction=6&lot=111&imagesize=G)

June 22, 1775-Dated, Partially-Printed Document Signed, authentic First Interest Bearing Financial Bond of the American Revolutionary War, a Uniface Copper-Plate Engraved and Printed Bond by the noted Patriot and Silversmith, Paul Revere, Jr., Anderson MA-1, Extremely Fine.

June 22, 1775-Dated, Partially-Printed Document Signed, endorsed on the reverse, an authentic First Interest Bearing financial Bond of the American Revolutionary War. Issued by the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, this Copper-Plate Engraved Bond was Printed by the noted Patriot and Silversmith, Paul Revere, Jr. It contains the vignette of Native American Indian Chief as displayed within the left Indent Border design. This Treasury Loan Certificate being for 5 at 6% Interest, it is Anderson reference listed as type MA-1, he First Massachusetts Revolutionary War Bond issue.

CAPTAIN JOSEPH LEE (1744-1831) was a member of the Sons of Liberty and an active participant. Lee was a Revolutionary War American Patriot, by trade a Naval Architect and Shipbuilder. He was a Sea Captain, Harvard graduate, a prosperous merchant located on the historic Long Wharf in Boston. In Salem, Massachusetts, during the Revolutionary War, Lee built a fleet of Privateer Ships. Lee was the first to receive an official Massachusetts-Bay Council Privateer Commission from Beverly, Mass., and he achieved the rank of Captain in the Revolutionary War. Member of the Massachusetts Lodge of Freemasons, Director of various banks and insurance companies, he designed (for free) the and donated $20,000 to the Massachusetts General Hospital in 1830.

Rated as Rarity-6 (Very Rare 21-30 known) in the Anderson reference. This large format Engraved Printed Document is Signed, (as Treasurer) with cross cancel of his name, measuring about 7.5 x 7.0 having exceptional centering within four fully wide margins. Silversmith Paul Revere's hand-engraved workmanship is impressively displayed.

A highly important piece of American Revolutionary War finance, as being the very first type of interest bearing Bond issued to finance the War with Britain which began on April 19th, 1775 at Lexington & Concord. This historic American Bond was printed off a Copper Plate which Paul Revere was commissioned to engrave for the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay. Paul Revere's payment for engraving this Copper-Plate is recorded as being 50 Pounds. This current example is among the finest quality known to us, with most examples locked away in museum and institutional collections, unavailable to collectors forever.

To read the complete lot description, see:
1775 Paul Revere Engraved Bond to Captain Boston, a Tea Party Participant & Privateer who Signed this First American Revolutionary War Massachusetts Bond Listed in by Anderson as (https://www.earlyamerican.com/Auctions/ClientPages/lots.item.php?auction=6&lot=77)

Undated (c. 1694) London Elephant Token. Hodder 2-B, W-12040. Legend. Thick Planchet. PCGS graded Mint State-62 Brown.

212.5 grains. Rarity-2. A beautiful satiny (too conservatively graded) example of this standard Thick Planchet London Elephant Token major type. It displays highly lustrous flashy even medium brown surfaces with attractive glossiness and has an especially frosty reverse. Nicely centered on both sides, free of problems other than the usual trivial planchet chips so common to this issue. Overall, a well struck immaculately preserved coin with outstanding eye-appeal, worthy of a premium, and meant for a quality conscious collector's cabinet.

From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex the Lawrence R. Stack Collection, November 2006.

To read the complete lot description, see:
(c. 1694) London Elephant Token PCGS Mint State-62 BN(https://www.earlyamerican.com/Auctions/ClientPages/lots.item.php?auction=6&lot=271&imagesize=P)

Undated (c. 1793-1795) Kentucky Token. W-8815. Hi Rarity-8+ (Unique). Struck in Copper. Lettered Edge. PCGS graded About Uncirculated-58.

146.5 grains. Hi Rarity-8+ (Unique). A remarkable Unique Rarity, Ex: Sydney F. Martin Collection and is an incredible rarity for Kentucky token or rare Colonial Coin variety specialists. This is the Only Example Known with the Edge Lettering: PAYABLE AT BEDWORTH NUNEATON OR HINKLEY. This Variety was known to Crosby, and was Listed in his reference: as there was one example described having this unique edge lettering he located, listed in Strobridge's December 1871 Sale of the Lot 298. To this very day, No Other Example has been Reported, it seems clear and extremely probable that the specimen is the exact coin offered here. An attractive and very sharply struck, near Mint State coin with slightly lustrous surfaces and even copper-brown natural color. An exciting and important opportunity to obtain a Unique, Red Book-Listed (page 73) extraordinary Colonial Coin.

From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex New Netherlands Coin Co. (privately), April 23, 1955; our (Bowers and Merena's) sale of the Norweb Collection, Part I, October 1987, lot 1390; John Agre (Coin Rarities Online), May 2015.

To read the complete lot description, see:
UNIQUE Kentucky Token the Lettered Edge Variant PCGS Certified About Uncirculated-58(https://www.earlyamerican.com/Auctions/ClientPages/lots.item.php?auction=6&lot=273&imagesize=P)

(1797-Dated), John Adams Indian Peace Medal, Smallest & Rarest Size, 51.1 mm, Second Reverse Type, Struck at the United States Mint in Red-Bronze, Julian IP-1, NGC certified Mint State-64 Brown.

Julian IP-1. A beautiful example of the Julian reference Indian Peace Medal #1, having very choice eye appeal and housed in its white NGC certification holder, ready to display. This historic John Adams Indian Peace medal has a beautiful natural reddish-brown color with hard satiny surfaces and fully sharp striking details. The original dies for this issue were cut by sculptors Moritz Furst and John Reich, though neither die was signed by them, the obverse is believed to be the only die made by Furst that he did not sign. This current example was struck by the United States Mint after 1878, using the replacement reverse die that is believed to have been made about that same time. It can be distinguished by the closer proximity of the pipe to the of .

To read the complete lot description, see:
Choice Certified John Adams Indian Peace Medal Julian IP-1(https://www.earlyamerican.com/Auctions/ClientPages/lots.item.php?auction=6&lot=277&imagesize=P)

Building on the success of Early American History Auctions recent March 30 sale, this follow-up Online Only sale is currently available. Please know that in addition to our in-house auction platform, this auction is posted for potential bidding from 3rd-Party auction sites: Invaluable and Liveauctioneers. Note that the 3rd Party sites charge an additional 5% Buyer's Fee, above Early American's, to successful bidders through their sites.

To view all the lots in this auction, see:
https://www.earlyamerican.com/Auctions/ClientPages/lots.outline.php