In 1976 Stack’s had conducted very successful auctions, led by our ANA Convention sale, but also featuring other fine collections. Even with the number and size of the sales in 1976, Stack’s was unable to schedule a number of smaller but still outstanding collections. This meant that 1977 would also be packed with public auctions, again seven different sales. In February we offered an extensive collection of U.S. coins formed by T. Henry Allen. The scope of the collection was large, and many attended the sale.
For our March sale, we were given a superb collection formed by Reed Hawn, whom we had worked with since the early 1950s when he and his father first visited Stack’s. At first Reed Hawn dedicated himself to United States quarters, but his interests soon grew to other denominations. Stack’s was fortunate to be able to serve such a dedicated collector for over 20 years.
Our sale of The Reed Hawn Collection of Quarters 1796 to 1976 was a highlight of 1977. It was one of the finest collections of the series and relatively complete, with many of the highlights in Proof or Mint State condition. For early dates it featured 1796, 1804, 1815, 1819, 1823/2, 1827 Original and 1827 Restrike. There were Mint State examples dated 1831-1852, virtually all the Proofs from 1853 to 1891, and Mint State specimens of the mintmarked issues. The Barber and Standing Liberty quarter series were complete in Proof and Mint State. This sale would become an important pedigree in future collections of United States quarters. Reed Hawn would take the funds from this sale and go on to build collections in other series with the same enthusiasm with which he built this one. Stack’s was privileged to offer other sales of the Reed Hawn Collection later in the century.
Our next sale presented more from the estate of T. Henry Allen, together with the collections of William A. Fenn and Harry Prock. These were complementary cabinets and offered general collectors choice and rare coins in various grades. Our June Public Auction featured colonial coins through $20 double eagles, as well as an interesting offering of world gold and silver.
In September, we featured the Donald J. Davenport Collection of U.S. Coins. Mr. Davenport had started collecting American coins but later focused on dollars of the world, a subject on which he wrote several reference books. His sale of the U.S. coins helped him to finance his new collection of world coins. Then in October, we offered a truly outstanding collection of Hungarian and Transylvania coins in silver and gold formed by Charles Z. Mihaili. It was known as one of the most complete cabinets of its type formed in the United States and the catalog is still used as a reference today.
We closed out the year with our December sale, for which we gathered together items from a series of small consignors to produce a sale that offered many collectors the chance to add high grade circulated condition or Mint State pieces to the collections they were building.
As was evident from Stack’s public auction schedule for 1977, our firm served many different collectors with many different interests. We were able to appeal to those seeking high value coins as well as beginners and those on limited budgets. From the very earliest days we took pride in the fact that Stack’s was never too large to serve the beginning collector and we were never too small to fulfill the most advanced collector’s needs as well.
