Newman Portal Posts Material from Walter Breen Archives

Bruce Vogel acquired portions of the Walter Breen papers in the early 1990s and has graciously shared this material with Newman Portal. Recently added is a 14-volume work on U.S. gold coins, 1795-1933, compiled by Vogel (aka Seymour Wampum) from Breen's notes and sources. Although superseded by references such as Doug Winter's series on mintmarked gold varieties, or John Dannreuther's groundbreaking 2-volume set on proof U.S. gold coins, one still finds useful tidbits within the Breen work.

Breen includes numerous auction citations as well as references to National Archives material such as the Charlotte Mint Bullion Journal. Much of the material seems to have been left on the cutting room floor when preparing his 1988 Encyclopedia, no doubt for reasons of brevity. Breen's work here has been compiled by Vogel in scrapbook form, with entries apt to contain typed or handwritten notes, pages excerpted from auction sale catalogs, etc. Researchers or collectors looking for information on specific dates and mintmarks will do well to consult this source, in addition to more modern references such as those noted above.

Link to Breen's compiled notes on U.S. gold coins:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/archivedetail/323?Year=2021&take=50