f you’ve been a friend or client of Stack’s Bowers Galleries for more than a month or two, you probably know about Melissa. Multi-talented, she is often at the podium in our rare coin sales—where you can see her if you attend in person or you can watch her in real time on the Internet.
Among unusual accomplishments in this venue, it was Melissa who was auctioneer when we sold the Cardinal Collection 1794 silver dollar, the ultra-gem coin that brought $10,015,875 in January 2013—an all-time high world’s record price for any coin, with no close challengers! In our recent Pogue Collection Sale Part IV she was at the podium at Sotheby’s International Headquarters in New York City. It may be that she is the only non-Sotheby’s staff rare coin auctioneer in that firm’s illustrious history dating back to the 1700s. I should mention that she has been an auctioneer in our sales in Hong Kong. She tells me that Chinese bidders who pack the room there have different bidding techniques and requirements than do bidders here in America. She has also traveled to Europe on multiple occasions.
Melissa, who married a couple years ago and officially is Melissa Karstedt Kalled (her husband Ryan is an aircraft pilot), grew up in coins. I first met Melissa around 1980 when she and my son Andrew (now manager of Stack’s Bowers Galleries store at 123 West 57th Street, New York City), both attended the Wolfeboro Nursery School here in New Hampshire. Her mother Chris became interested in Bowers and Merena Galleries, and came aboard as a staff member. You probably know the rest of that story.
Melissa along with Andrew attended many of our auctions in New York City, California, and elsewhere, literally growing up with numismatics. Both went to and graduated from the University of New Hampshire, after which they joined the company full-time.
Melissa over the years became one of the sharpest-eyed coin buyers I have ever known. A few years ago I commissioned her to build for me a collection of certified 1921 to 1935 Peace silver dollars, all MS-64. Not just any MS-64 coins, but ones that were “high end,” some of which were better than MS-65s. The 1927-S was a particular challenge. The MS-64 price then and also today was multiples of the MS-63 price. I asked her to take her time and find me an MS-63 at an MS-63 price that had the apparent grade of an MS-64 and also had a nice planchet (some 1927-S dollars are not fully struck up and have nicks from the original planchet visible on the eagle’s shoulder), and a coin that also had great eye appeal.
As you probably know, 95% (or some high percentage) of coin buyers just look at the labels on holders. Anyone satisfied with just doing that can, on the Internet, probably complete a set of Peace dollars in an afternoon. However, the quality will be all over the map. It took Melissa two years!
As I write these words I am thinking of having her assemble for me a 144-piece set of MS-65 silver commemoratives of the 1892 to 1954. I have written about these endlessly in the past, so perhaps it is time to own a set—especially as they are much cheaper than they were 27 years ago in 1989.
Melissa is a lady of many talents, as I mentioned. She likes coins, coin activities, and coin people. If you plan to attend the Whitman Coins & Collectibles Expo in Baltimore in early November, you’ll see here there. Elsewhere, you will find her in print and on screen on our website. She joins the rest of us at Stack’s Bowers Galleries in being a part of the wonderful world of rare coins. How lucky we all are!
