In his book, The Rare Silver Dollars Dated 1804, Q. David Bowers describes two mysteriousowners of the 1804 silver dollar.

There is still another mystery that Bowers did not mention.

Although George Klein may have been relatively unknown in numismatic circles, he was veryprominent in the Vicksburg area. George Marion Klein was born in Vicksburg. Mississippi, onJuly 5, 1844, the son of John Alexander Klein (1812-1884) and Elizabeth Bartley Day Klein(1826-1909). The family was wealthy and socially prominent.

The father, John Alexander Klein, moved to Vicksburg in 1836. He established a jewelrybusiness there and expanded into lumber investment. Around 1840 he built a home for his familyhe named George was the first of the couple's ten children. In recent years theCedar Grove Mansion has been rehabilitated and turned into a bed and breakfast.

George took one of his servants with him as he served in the Confederacy during the Civil War.After the war he attended Heidelberg University in what is now Germany. He married LouiseHarrison Balfour (1848-1909) in 1868. They had eleven children, of which four predeceasedhim.

After the war, John expanded his investments in railroads and banking. The Mississippi Valleybank was formed in November 1868 with a capitalization of $150,000. George M. Klein wascashier at the Mississippi Valley bank with his father as president until he retired in 1881.George was later president with his brother John A. Klein, Jr. as Cashier.

In 1880 George succeeded his father as treasurer of the Church of the Holy Trinity of Vicksburg.The Mississippi Valley Bank issued bonds to finance completion of the church building.

Grain speculation by A. K. Bonham & Co, of St. Louis resulted in large losses and the bankbecame insolvent in November of 1883. The bank was unable to pay the interest on the churchbonds and George was replaced as church treasurer. This was just one of many unpaid creditors.

The Mississippi Valley Bank was the largest bank in Vicksburg at the time and its failure causedgreat distress in the community. The church was scheduled to be sold at auction in 1887 to payoff the debts but was saved by a presale settlement. Klein vowed to make up all the losses andconsigned his coin collection to pay off debts.

He died at Vicksburg on December 22, 1923, and is buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Vicksburgwith his parents, spouse and children. Another section of the cemetery is forthousands of Confederate troops who died in the siege of Vicksburg.

Klein acquired the Davis 1804 dollar for $1200 from John Hazeltine in 1883. It was sold as partof the Vicksburg Collection by W. Elliott Woodward on March 21-25, 1888. With fourWoodward sales, the Klein collection was dispersed.

James H. T. McConnell, father and son, were named for an ancestor, former Virginia Governor,James Hoge Tyler (1846-1925). The father, McConnell Sr. (1914-1989) was married to JeanEllen Dupont, daughter of William DuPont and brother of John DuPont.

James H. T. McConnell. Jr. was born on September 1, 1949. He graduated from the University ofVirginia; was married to anthropologist Mary Carter McConnell and divorced. His interestsinclude investment management, horse breeding and philanthropy.

He acquired the Davis 1804 dollar through Stack's on November 21, 1971, when he was 22years old. It was previously owned by Norton Simon.

While researching Purnie Moore, I came across newspaper articles about an exhibit touringthrough banks in Alabama.

The exhibit had twelve panels with coins framed under glass. These were generally shown in abank lobby for a day. They were first shown on July 25, 1953, and had been purchased theprevious winter. Another article stated that they were purchased from the family of RaymondBirchett of Jackson, Mississippi.

By 1969, the display had grown to fourteen panels. Museum Director Dr. Walter B. Jonesarranged for funds to acquire additional small collections to add to the Museum's collectionaround 1982.

Raymond Chandler Birchett was a prominent architect. He was born in Vicksburg. Mississippi,and lived in Jackson, Mississippi in 1953.

The family trees for George Klein and Raymond Birchett are well documented. George MarionKlein (1844-1923) had a sister, Clara Estelle Klein (1848-1932). She married Dr. Theophilus G,Birchett (1835-1904). They had a son Dr. John Alexander Birchett, Sr. (1867-1938) who was thefather of Raymond Chandler Birchett (1902-1974). Thus, George Klein was the great-uncle ofRaymond Birchett.

The Alabama Banker's Association coin collection was shown at the Alabama NumismaticSociety convention in 1976, promoted by Purnie Moore. It was a newspaper article about thatevent that brought the collection to my attention.

Mystery #1: What happened to the collection? I did not find any mention of it on the AlabamaMuseum of Natural History website. My email request for information received no response.

Mystery #2: Why would it be given to a natural history museum when it is not natural history?

Mystery #3: If the Klein (Vicksburg) collection was sold at auction in the 1880's, how could thesame collection be passed through the family estate and still be one of the finest in the country in1952?

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
PURNIE MOORE (1907-2008)(https://www.coinbooks.org/v25/esylum_v25n45a16.html)