Lot 6. Gobrecht Journal #121, Fall 2014, Small format.
This is a rare "transitional"issue of the Gobrecht Journal, sandwiched in between the black &whitesmall format editions (ending with issue #120) and full color, largeformat (beginning with issue #121). For a short period of time, a fullcolor, small format version was envisioned, and Editor Bill Bugertproduced this copy as a sample. Full color printing in the numismaticworld is becoming the standard as printing costs decrease and the useof color facilitates technical evaluation and variety attribution. Thisis especially important for silver coinage as toning has become a moreimportant consideration with respect to overall eye appeal. Bowers& Merena issued the first full color auction at the Baltimore ANA in2003 and the world of numismatic publishing has never looked back.

Lot 7. Gobrecht Journal #121, Fall 2014, Large format draft.
Prior to the publication of GJ #121, Editor Bill Bugertproduced this draft copy of the Journal as a sample to show fellowmembers. It contains most of the same content, but ads are notpresent. The word "draft" is diagonally featured on the front coverin a light gray font. The large format expanded layout possibilities,and offered advertisers the opportunity to easily reuse contentsubmitted to other large format publications.

Lot 8. A Register of Liberty Seated Half Dollar Varieties,Volume IV, New Orleans Branch Mint, 1853-O WA to 1861-O.Deluxe Leather-bound edition, copy #10 of 10 bound.

Bill Bugert continueshis masterful analysis of Liberty Seated half dollar die varieties in this, the fourthvolume of the series. The books issued to date are volume I (Carson City piecesfrom 1870 to 1878), volume II (San Francisco half dollars from 1855 to 1878),volume III (New Orleans halves from 1840 to 1853 NA), and volume IV,covering the remainder of the New Orleans issues from 1853 WA to 1861.Work on the Philadelphia volumes continues apace as the "Liberty Seated HalfDollar Summit" meets periodically. This cadre of Liberty Seated half dollarvariety experts has been meeting once or so per year, and, over a week longperiod, will studiously examine hundreds of examples. Bill Bugert acts as"Documenter-in-Chief" and has been publishing these authoritative referencessince 2009.

This is a leather-bound copy, copy #10 of ten produced. Bill has generously donatedprevious leather-bound volumes to LSCC auctions. Previous prices realized: Carson City ($1000),San Francisco ($425), and New Orleans (volume III in the series, $650).

Lot 9. The Gardner Collection: Liberty Seated Half Dimes.

The Gene Gardnercollection of Liberty Seated coinage is wellknown, appearing in a series of Heritagesales beginning in 2013. The first three salesrealized over $47 million, and a final sale isscheduled for this fall. Gardner's setsrepresent the all-time finest for overallquality.

While the Eliasberg collectionincluded certain ultra-rarities not presenthere (1884 and 1885 trade dollars, the 1873-CC No Arrows dime, the 1853-O NoArrows and Ray half), Gardner's collectionwas clearly superior in the area ofuncirculated branch mint pieces.

Furthermore, while Eliasberg mixed proof and circulation strike pieces in his frontline collection,Gardner made a discipline of collecting both types, and, as a result, achieved "definitive" statusfor both proof and uncirculated formats.

Gardner has been a long time friend to the LSCC andhas regularly attended club meetings at major shows. Gardner has generously supported theLSCC collective volumes project, and was elected to the LSCC Hall of Fame in 2014.

Several years ago, Gardner began documenting his frontline collections in a series ofphoto books. These hardbound books feature full color photography on thick paper. Print runswere limited, typically ten or twenty copies of each volume. These books were distributed tofamily and friends of Gardner and were never commercially offered.

Gardner personallydescribes each coin with observations on technical quality, provenance, and die varieties. Thesebooks are the definitive record of the definitive collection. Eleven volumes were produced forLiberty Seated coinage as follows:

Half Dimes: Two volumes, one for uncirculated pieces and one for proofs

Dimes: Three volumes, two for uncirculated pieces and one for proofs

Quarters: Three volumes, two for uncirculated pieces and one for proofs

Half Dollars: Three volumes, two for uncirculated pieces and one for proofs

Len adds:

For more information about the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, see:
www.lsccweb.org