Pete Smith writes:

25 Large Numismatic Thefts

This report does not include the theft of current coins, currency or bullion and does not includelooting during time of war. It also does not include robberies where the owner was murdered.

1. In 2019, three coins were stolen from a collection in Durango, Colorado. They includedan 1894-S barber dime, one of nine known, a 1652 Willow tree silver sixpence and a1794 flowing hair dollar. Value of the three coins was estimated at $2.1 million.

2. March 27, 2017, three thieves stole a single gold coin from the Bode Museum in Berlin.It was a one million dollar gold Canadian Maple Leaf weighing 221 pounds and valued at$4.3 million. Suspects were apprehended and three received prison sentences.

3. In 2012 thieves took five coin cases out of Julian Leidman's minivan when he stoppedfor dinner in Pine Brook, New Jersey. The loss was around $4 million in value.

4. In 2011, William Gray admitted stealing presidential coins that were missing edgelettering from the Philadelphia Mint. Estimated value was $2.4 million.

5. In 2007 an employee at the ANA Museum admitted stealing a million dollars worth ofcoins. Collections manager Wyatt Yeager was convicted and received a sentence of 27months in prison. Investigation of this theft revealed that other coins were also missingbut were not taken by Yeager.

6. In 2007 thieves took a bag of coins from a car at the valet stand of the Peabody Hotelduring the FUN show. Three thieves with knives were captured on surveillance camerabut were not caught. At last report the car they were driving has also not been found.

7. Also in 2007, a thousand coin collection was stolen from the home of Lord and LadyStewartby in Broughton, Scotland. Value was estimated at a half million pounds. Theremaining collection was donated to a museum.

8. In 1999 thieves followed Tom Reynolds home to Omaha after the Central States showand took coins out of his unlocked car. Loss was estimated at a million dollars. An arrestwas made in July. Some coins later showed up that had been consigned to an auction byStack's Bowers.

9. In December 1976, the reference collection for The Organization of InternationalNumismatists was stolen from a The Americana Hotel in New York City.

10. On December 1, 1973, a visitor used a ruse to gain entrance to the Harvard's Fogg ArtMuseum after hours. He produced a gun and restrained the guard while four menransacked the coin collection. Perhaps 5000 coins valued at $5 million were taken. At thetime this was described as the largest coin theft in history.

11. In 1967 thieves broke into the home of Willis Dupont in Coconut Grove, Florida andstole a collection of 7000 coins. Some have been recovered over a period of time.

12. Coins were stolen from Yale University on May 29, 1965. A Brasher Doubloonrecovered after the theft was later sold to raise funds for a new library.

13. In November 1962, the coin collection was stolen from the Harry S. Truman Library inIndependence, Missouri. It had been donated by John W. Snyder, Secretary of theTreasury under Truman.

14. The Nevada State Museum was robbed on August 2, 1952. Two thieves snuck in duringthe night and smashed a glass display case and stole rare coins struck at the Carson CityMint.

15. In 1930 a collection of ancient silver and gold coins was stolen from the RussianMuseum in Leningrad.

16. On January 2, 1930, an attempt was made to break into the Omaha Public Library to stealfrom the Byron Reed collection. A suspect was apprehended before the theft could becompleted.

17. In 1929 a collection was stolen in France that belonged to Ernest Gregoire. It was stolenfrom the home of his cousin after his death.

18. The Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington was robbed of a pricelesscollection of gold coins on July 29, 1926. Some of these were returned after being sold toa faultless buyer.

19. In 1920 a group of more than a hundred gold coins was stolen from the Lisbon NationalLibrary.

20. The Etruscan Museum of Corneto, Italy, lost its collection of Ancient coins, cameos andjewels to thieves in 1916.

21. In 1914, The Numismatist reported that the entire numismatic collection of the Museumof Lubeck had been stolen in Berlin.

22. Coins were stolen from the collection of Waldo Newcomer in 1913. Value of the loss was$30,000. An electrician who had recently installed a burglar alarm was charged with thetheft. When he was unable to sell all of the stolen coins, he dumped some in the Hudsonriver.

23. In 1913, The Numismatist reported on the theft of 5000 coins worth $250,000 from theGlen Island Realty and Development Company in New York.

24. In the 1880's a thief stole a collection of Greek coins from the local museum. He soldthem to Dealers Rollin & Fenardent of Paris. Having gotten a good look at theestablishment, he returned later and stole the collection again from the dealers.

25. On September 18, 1858. two visitors used a fake key to open a cabinet at the PhiladelphiaMint. About $200 in gold coins were taken that would have a high collector value today.The thieves tried to sell them to Philadelphia dealers S. H. & H. Chapman but theyrecognized that these were unusual coins and the thieves were apprehended. A unique1849 Templeton Reid $25 gold coin was never recovered.

26. On April 10, 1796, coins were stolen from the Gardner Baker collection at the TammanyMuseum. Someone wrote an article about this for The Numismatist.

To read earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
LOOSE CHANGE: FEBRUARY 14, 2021 : The 25 Greatest Art Heists of All Time(https://www.coinbooks.org/v24/esylum_v24n07a31.html)
JOHN FORD TAPE AND CHARLESTON SLAVE TAGS(https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v06n50a09.html)