I was interested to see the Bashlow Confederate Cent Restrikes surface once again as a topic in The E-Sylum. It is a favorite subject and I am always interested in news about them.

About ten or twelve years ago I tried to assemble a collection of the three standard metal versions through on-line auctions, and I was able to get a few copies of the bronze and one of the Goldine. I never was able to outbid anyone on the silver. The prices for these restrikes seem to have risen steadily over the past several years, perhaps partly due to NGC's willingness to slab them. I imagine that at some point I will have to pay �real� money to get a silver version and complete the set.

About ten years ago, when I was actively scouring eBay for the Bashlow Confederate Cents, I ran across a tin example in its original Capitol three-layer Plexiglas holder. Somehow I managed to come out on top at around $35. I recall having lingering doubts about whether or not I might have slightly overpaid for that one, but based on where prices have gone for even the common restrikes I guess it was money well spent.

Incidentally, when I was a kid in the 1970s I recall Littleton Coin Company selling these restrikes in their original manila envelopes. I am sure their price seemed exorbitant at the time, but I sure wish I had built a set of them back then.

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:GOLD CONFEDERATE CENT RESTRIKES(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v13n19a10.html)
QUERY: CONFEDERATE CENT RESTRIKES IN OTHER METALS SOUGHT(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v13n19a11.html)