Spink Acquires Smythe, New York’s oldest dealer and Auctioneer in coins, paper money, Antique stocks and bonds and autographs

   Buys  

London, England – March 7, 2008 – Spink, the world’s leading auctioneers of Coins, Stamps, Medals and Banknotes, Bonds and Share Certificates, based in London and established 1666, has acquired R.M. Smythe & Company, specialists in Antique Stocks and Bonds, Banknotes, Coins, and Autographs, based in New York City and established in 1880. Both Spink and Smythe are known around the globe for their illustrious histories, impeccable reputations and unparalleled expertise. The merging of these two companies is the next logical step in line with Spink’s strategy for the future and will create the first truly global, fully integrated, collectables house.

Spink is pleased to announce that John Herzog, owner of R.M. Smythe & Company since 1967, has become a shareholder in Spink. Mr. Herzog will act as Chairman Emeritus of Spink USA and will participate in the development of the combined entity which is valued in excess of $100million by this deal. Mr. Herzog stated, “I could not think of a better company to acquire Smythe. My wife, Diana, and I have been at Smythe’s helm for 40 years, and have tremendously enjoyed building the business and working with clients and collectors. I look ahead with great excitement to the opportunities presented by this joining of forces.”

Since their founding in 1880, R.M.. Smythe and Company has developed into one of the world’s premier auction houses, specializing in Antique Stocks and Bonds, Banknotes, Coins, Autographs and Photographs. In 2007 Smythe hosted six major auctions setting record prices for historical autographs, currency, coins, stocks, bonds and antiques.

To Spink this deal brings with it an even more prominent position in the American market following the recent acquisition of Shreves Philatelic Galleries. In America, as is already the case in Europe, Spink will continue to operate as a strong competitor in the world of collectables with a “boutique” approach to the business. In 2007 Spink was already number one globally for stamp auctions. In 2008, Spink USA will strive for the same prestigious position in all categories in which they deal and auction. The acquisition of Smythe brings them closer to realizing this goal.

Olivier D. Stocker, Chairman and CEO of Spink, stated “This acquisition is really a powerful match. It instantly creates a leadership position for Spink in Banknotes, Bonds and Shares and Worldwide Coins. We believe it is the perfect strategic move to better service our clients and continue to obtain the best results for them.”

About Spink

Spink is the world’s leading auctioneer of coins, stamps, medals and banknotes with offices in London, Singapore, New York and Dallas.  Since its foundation in 1666, the Spink name has become synonymous with tradition, experience and integrity. Holders of three royal warrants and numerous records for prices achieved at auction, Spink offers an unparalleled range of services to collectors worldwide.

Visit www.spink.com today to register for Spink Live and enjoy the freedom of bidding from virtually anywhere!

About Smythe

Roland M. Smythe established R.M. Smythe & Company in 1880 for the purpose of providing the financial community, and private individuals, with accurate information concerning obsolete securities and banknotes. Over the years, they have established an outstanding reputation for their high standards of customer service and the quality of their merchandise.

February 6-7, R.M Smythe & Co. sale of 1310 stock and bond lots at their Manhattan office, will include a visually stunning certificate from “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” show.
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Manhattan, New York – January 29, 2008 – The R.M. Smythe & Company winter auction on February 6-7, 2008 will offer 1310 lots of stock and bond certificates at their Manhattan office. One of the more interesting lots being offered is a truly spectacular example of a certificate for “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” show. This certificate is beautifully illustrated with a portrait of Buffalo Bill featured at the top center of the certificate flanked by an Indian on horseback and Buffalo Bill on horseback. Other illustrations on the certificate include Indians hunting bison, a log cabin, a woodsman chopping a tree and cattle. In 1883 Buffalo Bill and Nate Sanders teamed up to form Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. The show was inaugurated in 1883 in Omaha and entertained audiences across the country and the world until 1913, when Buffalo Bill sold the production. This certificate is signed by Nate Salbury as treasurer.

Other noteworthy scripophily lots being offered at the Smythe’s winter sale include:

Lot # 1099 – Edison Phonograph Works (NJ) 1888 [Estimate $2500 - $3500]. #24. 80 600/1000 shs. Brown. Small eagle, bottom. Issued to and twice signed by Thomas Edison. Signed by him as president, and signed a second time by him on the back. The signature as president is lightly cancelled, the other signature is bold and uncancelled. EF.
While Thomas Edison was not considered a profound scientific genius, he had a tremendous talent for applying scientific principles to practical applications. In 1876, while experimenting with a needle attached to a telephone receiver, Edison discovered a method that reproduced sounds on a wax cylinder, and the recording industry was born. Edison’s invention relied on mechanical amplification, but by the 1920s his competitors were manufacturing electrically amplified, higher fidelity phonographs. Edison was hard of hearing and could not appreciate the difference in sound quality. He refused to allow his sons to waste time and money to develop an improved electrically amplified phonograph, a decision that would have dire consequences for the Edison Phonograph Works.

Lot # 1198 – Boston, Massachusetts Feb. 22, 1787 [Estimate $2000 - $4000]. One Hundred Pounds. Mostly typeset receipt on laid paper. Issued to Elias Hasket Derby, Esquire. Signed “Edwin Payne & Son “. One -inch round glue mounting remnant on back only, else VF+.
After the Revolution, there was an economic depression throughout New England. Small property holders who could not pay their taxes faced imprisonment. Town meetings talked of tax relief, and the issuance of paper money, but these issues were opposed by the legislators. Daniel Shay emerged as the leader of a localized rebellion which tried to close the courts in order to prevent action against debtors. Neither the Federal government, nor the state, would supply money for the militia to put the rebellion down, but some $20,000 was borrowed from “private sources”, probably through a subscription campaign. On January 25, 1787, Shay and his supporters attacked a Confederation arsenal in Springfield, but they were repulsed by General Lincoln. Shay escaped to Vermont, and was eventually pardoned. This note is a receipt given to Elias Hasket Derby for paying in the one hundred pounds subscribed by him to the “…Loan for procuring Provisions and Necessaries for the Militia ordered to Worcester…”  A similar item, dated three months later than this one, brought over $4,000 in our September 2003 auction.

Lot # 1220 – Potomac Company 1786 [Estimate $7500 - $12500] . #43. 25.3.3 Pounds. Receipt. Handwritten document. Receipt signed 11/17/1786 by Richardson Stuart for payment of 25.3.3 Pounds by Potomack Navigation. Three of the directors have signed on the reverse: George Washington, John Fitzgerald and George Gilpin. EF.*
Stuart was the manager of the construction operations of the firm. In September 1784, Washington joined with others, then chiefly Virginians, to form the Potomac Company, whose purpose was to remove the impediments of the navigation of the river past the falls and so clear the way to the development of the lands beyond, all the way to the Ohio. Washington, in common with others, held substantial lands in the Trans-Alleghany region, and these men combined to induce the legislatures of Maryland and Virginia to charter a canal company for that purpose. The Potomac Company was only the second such corporation in America, the Susquehanna Canal Company having been founded in the preceding year. The Potomac Company started with a capital of 250 shares with a par value of only $100. The shares were to be evenly divided between the citizens of Maryland and Virginia, with Washington getting fifty shares that were given to him gratis by the Commonwealth of Virginia. By May 1784, 403 shares had been sold and Washington was elected President with John Fitzgerald and George Gilpin among the four other directors. Initially, the directors wanted to build the canal and clear the river of obstructions only with free white labor. But despite liberal cash salaries and distributions of liquor, the work went slowly. As a result, Washington arranged for the purchase of 60 slaves and the hiring of 100 freedmen, who could be better controlled. By 1786, a number of snags and other obstacles had been removed, and work was in progress at Shenandoah Falls, Harpers Ferry, Seneca Falls and Great Falls. In each of these places actual canals were being built, but the wooden locks rotted and had to be replaced with stone. From 1785 to 1789 and again from 1797 to 1799, before and after his presidency, Washington was active in the management of this firm. Progress was slow, the amount of capital needed proving to be much larger than expected, reaching $500,000 in 1815. Robert Morris and John Nicholson bought large numbers of shares as part of their plans to develop their properties in the District of Columbia. Since the canal paid only one dividend for $5.50 in 1802, despite having opened 338 miles to navigation, ownership of the canal was not profitable. The company languished until the chartering of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company, which took over the Potomac Company’s works.

Lot # 1302 – Standard Oil [Estimate $7500 - $12500] (OH) 1877. #122. 25 shs. Black. Capitol Building. Liberty with flag and sword (“The Standard Bearer”). The original Standard Oil founded by John D. Rockefeller and signed by him three times, once as president, again on the transfer stub, and again on the reverse. Also signed by Henry Morrison Flagler as secretary. Lightly cancelled in red pen through the vignette and the officers’ signatures, hardly distracting. An extremely important piece of American financial history representing the early days of one of America’s most significant industries.
When it was first incorporated in 1870, shares in the original Standard Oil were very tightly held. There were only five shareholders at its inception, and ten years later there were only forty-one. Standard Oil was the world’s largest oil refiner, controlling 90% of the U.S. Oil business at that time.
John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937) was the dominant figure in the oil industry until his retirement in 1911. He started his business career as a bookkeeper, and by age 19 was a partner in a produce business. He began operating a small refinery with his partners, and quickly became alerted to the growing investment possibilities in what was then a fairly new industry. In 1870, he organized the Standard Oil Company of Ohio and proceeded to achieve control over 90% of the oil refineries in the country. Rockefeller had little interest in discovering oil; he left that to wildcatters and other speculators. He concentrated on the transportation, distribution and sale of petroleum products, building a fortune estimated at over a billion dollars.
Henry Morrison Flagler (1830-1913) with J.D. Rockefeller organized the Florida East Coast Railway (1886) and built great hotel resorts in St. Augustine and Miami (1892-1896).

Lot # 1396 – Accessory Transit (of Nicaragua) (NY) 1856 [Estimate $15000 - $25000]. #12. $5000. Bearer Bond. Auxilliary ocean going steamship. Signed twice by Cornelius Vanderbilt as president, and on the reverse. Not cancelled. John W. Amerman. NY. VF.*
Cornelius “The Commodore” Vanderbilt (1794-1877) was an American financier and founder of his family’s fortune. At the age of 16 he bought a boat and ferried passangers and goods between Staten Island and Manhatten. He later made a fortune in the steamship business, earning himself the nickname “Commodore.” In 1862 he sold his ships and turned to financing railroads, where he amassed a greater fortune estimated at $100,000,000 making him one of the richest men of his time. Accessory Transit was organized by Vanderbilt to move passangers and freight to the West Coast through Nicaragua. Vanderbilt hired C.K. Garrison as his agent through San Fransisco, and Charles Morgan as his agent in New York. Shortly after this bond was issued came the “war of the three commodores,” between Charles Morgan, Cornelius Vanderbilt and George Law. Accessory Transit competed openly with the Law-Aspinwall mail subsidy line. Morgan and Garrison, on the other hand, manipulated the Transit’s stock in such a way that they profited while Vanderbilt lost heavily. Vanderbilt is said to have stormed at them, “I will not sue you because the law takes too long. I will ruin you.” Vanderbilt did manage to unseat Morgan and Hoyt from the board of directors, but another headache immediately developed in the form of William Walker, who invaded Nicaragua with the support of Morgan and his Associate! William Walker made himself President of Nicaragua. In order to get the money needed to keep a 1200 man army together, he took sides in the in-fighting within Accessory Transit Company. Foolishly backing those who had double crossed Commodore Vanderbilt, Walker confiscated the company assets and handed them over to the insurgent faction. Vanderbilt retaliated with a blockade, cutting Walker off from reinforcements while inciting the neighboring states. Vanderbilt sent mercenaries to Costa Rica, where they obtained a small force of native troops to attack Walker. As a result Walker suffered defeat and had to flee in May 1857. Vanderbilt was then back in business with Nicaragua. The first Accessory Transit Certificate signed by Cornelius Vanderbilt that we have sold in over a decade. A museum quality certificate that may not be obtainable again in a lifetime of collecting.

“We are seeing some very strong pre-sale interest in many of the featured lots being offered in our winter sale.” said Mary Herzog, Vice President of R. M. Smythe & Co.”If a collector is interested in a particular lot, I would encourage them to use our Web site to place a bid now, because we are expecting heavy bidding activity during the sale.”

Lots will be available for viewing at Smythe’s offices at 2 Rector Street, in New York City, by appointment only. To arrange for an appointment call R. M.Smythe & Co. at 800-622-1880. For updates on this auction check Smythe’s website at smytheonline.com. This auction will be conducted with eBay Live/LiveAuctioneers. A complete catalog of all 1310 lots including photos and estimates can be viewed online at: http://static.smytheonline.com/ . Select “Current Auctions” in the left column.

About R. M. Smythe & Co.
R. M. Smythe and Co., established in 1880, buys, sells, and auctions coins, paper money, stocks and bonds and autographs at their corporate headquarters at 2 Rector Street in the heart of the Financial District in New York City. To order a catalog, to contact any of the firm’s specialists, or to make general inquiries, call 212-943-1880 or 800-622-1880, or visit the firm’s website at: http://www.smytheonline.com.

Manhattan, New York – January 24, 2008 – New York auction house RM Smythe & Co, Inc held one of the most successful autograph auctions in its 125-year history on Thursday, January 17, 2008.  The sale, featuring the collection of Steven Lee Carson, saw an unprecedented 77 percent of offered lots sell.  Although the auction suffered a few delays due to technical problems with E-bay Live Auctions, in the end bidders on the floor, on the phone, and at their computers were able to take home a remarkable variety of historical autographs and Americana.

Not surprisingly, the highest hammer price was won by a letter written by President Abraham Lincoln, asking Secretary of War Edwin Stanton to approve the resignation of a cavalry captain at the request of the officer’s wife.  Lincoln, typically a “soft touch” in such cases, makes the argument that “we are rapidly getting an over-proportion of officers.”  The letter sold for $14,500, not counting a buyer’s premium.  The Great Emancipator wasn’t the only family member bringing high prices.  A pair of 1869 letters (one incomplete) from his widow, in which she refers to him as having been “from my eighteenth year – Always – lover – husband – father and all, all to me – truly my all,” brought nearly as much, $13,000.

One of the most exciting possibilities at any auction is watching a lot begin at a modest opening price only to rise and rise.  That is just what happened with an extremely rare autograph note signed by beloved artist Norman Rockwell that had on it an original concept sketch for one of his covers for the Saturday Evening Post.  A typical autograph note by the author might bring about $200-300, and the lot had been given a modest estimate of $650.  Due to mail bids received before the auction, the lot opened at $2000; furious bidding drove it to a final price of $5500.  Another high climber was a fascinating typewritten letter signed by Theodore Roosevelt as president during his negotiation of the treaty ending the Russo-Japanese War, complaining about the stubbornness of both sides.  Estimated at $2500, it sold for $8500.  Also shooting well beyond its estimate was a signed copy of Woodrow Wilson’s book Why We Are at War, which was estimated at $700 and sold for $3000, a record price.  According to American Book Prices Current, it was the first copy to sell at auction in thirty years.

When asked why these lots were estimated so low, Smythe’s Bob Litzenberger explained that in some cases, there were no recent sales results to use as a reliable guide.  He added that there are strategic advantages to setting conservative estimates, too.  “High estimates, even if you’re confident a lot can reach them, discourage bidding.  When an item opens low, more bidders get involved, and even if it goes so high that only those with deep pockets can stay in the game, it makes the auction more fun for everyone.  If you know you can get in on the action, you’re going to come back, and you’re going to also bid on other items and win them.  Consignors, too, are much happier when something sells much higher than its estimate than they are when it sells for even a little less.  They also know we aren’t going to give them false expectations just to get hold of their material.”

As usual, early presidents and first ladies were a hot item, with a very unusual letter by Abigail Adams in which she commiserates with a friend whose son died in battle bringing $7000.  A great document signed by her husband, authorizing a letter of marque for the Quasi-War with France, sold for $6000.  An autograph letter of recommendation signed by the ever-popular Thomas Jefferson while vice president brought $10,000.

Highlights from other collecting areas included an outstanding content typed letter signed by novelist Henry James in 1914, with his views on wartime topics ($850 – a record for him in that format); a delightful original drawing of the Grinch signed by animator Chuck Jones, who directed the television version of Dr. Seuss’s book ($700); an autograph letter signed by beloved “Peter Rabbit” author Beatrix Potter ($850); and a scarce program for a 1942 German marksmanship competition signed by notorious dictator Adolf Hitler ($2050).

Along with great autographs, Smythe offered collectible Americana, books, prints, and photographs in a mail bid and online sale following the public auction.  Here, too, there were valuable rarities.  A most unusual hand-drawn map of the area around Vicksburg, MS, used by soldiers under Gen. W.T. Sherman during the Union siege of that city, sold for $2100.  A large tapestry celebrating the Declaration of Independence went for $1900.  A letter from a girl who had witnessed the horror of the Great Chicago Fire reached $600, while a wonderful diary along with a few letters of a Civil War soldier, telling of his participation in the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg, went all the way to $3250.

This is just a fraction of the sale’s results.  Prices realized for the entire sale can be found at the firm’s web site, www.smytheonline.com.

Smythe is already accepting consignments for its next auction of autographs and Americana, scheduled for spring 2008.  Interested parties can contact the company at 1-800-622-1880 for more details.

About R. M. Smythe & Co.
R. M. Smythe and Co., established in 1880, buys, sells, and auctions coins, paper money, stocks and bonds and autographs at their corporate headquarters at 2 Rector Street in the heart of the Financial District in New York City. To order a catalog, to contact any of the firm’s specialists, or to make general inquiries, call 212-943-1880 or 800-622-1880, or visit the firm’s website at: http://www.smytheonline.com.

Jason W. Bradford Named Executive Vice President of Smythe Auctions

New York, NY – January 7, 2008 – R.M. Smythe & Co. and Jason W. Bradford jointly announced today that effective January 21, 2008, Mr. Bradford will be joining forces with R.M. Smythe, in the capacity of Executive Vice President – Auctions. In this capacity, Mr. Bradford will bring his significant expertise in U.S. paper money, coins and auction management to the Smythe family of auction clienteles.

Commenting, Mr. Bradford stated “Having spent my entire working career in numismatics, I am delighted to bring a wide spectrum of experiences to bear on the opportunity that a full service, multi-collectible auction and retail house represents. Smythe’s long-standing reputation for integrity, their wide variety of clienteles, and the collectible fields represented in-house all combine to provide a delightful opportunity for future growth in their auction activities.  I am excited about the multiple possibilities that lie ahead.”
Mr. Bradford, a career numismatist, began collecting coins and currency at the age of 8 and started in the field as an independent coin dealer at the age of 15.  He joined the Heritage organization in 2000 as a coin cataloger, and was later asked to head up Heritage’s Internet currency auctions.  Under his direction, the weekly Internet Currency auctions at Heritage grew from $250,000 in sales in 2000 to more than $2.7 million in sales in 2004.  He played a crucial role in the integration of Currency Auctions of America into the Heritage organization when they were acquired in 2001. In January, 2005, he was asked to begin PCGS’s currency grading division, and has since built PCGS Currency into its current status as a pre-eminent player in the highly competitive grading services field.

Mr. Bradford is a member of numerous hobby and professional organizations, incuding the Professional Currency Dealers Association, SPMC, FUN, CSNS, ANA, and is a lifetime member of the Tennessee Numismatic Association.  He is an avid collector of Arkansas National Bank Notes, and brings his hobby enthusiasm to the business side of the hobby.  He is a 1998 graduate of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, with a B.A. degree in Economics, and was awarded a Masters in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, in 2003.

John Herzog, Chairman of Smythe, stated, “We could not be happier to make this announcement today. As our discussions with Jason have proceeded, we have come to see our alliance with him as the perfect next step in further developing Smythe’s numismatic activities and overall auction presence. The firm has a long history of outstanding auctions in the paper collectibles field, such as U.S. and world banknotes and antique stocks and bonds, and we are now looking forward to continuing to grow that business and developing additional market share in other important numismatic fields.”

Smythe and Co., established in 1880, buys, sells and auctions coins, paper money, stocks and bonds and autographs at their corporate headquarters at 2 Rector Street in the heart of the Financial District in New York City.

To contact any of the firm’s specialists, to subscribe, or to make general inquiries, contact the firm at 212.943.1880 or at 800.622.1880, or visit the firm’s website at www.smytheonline.com.

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Smythe Autograph Auction Offers History, More

On Thursday, January 17, auctioneers RM Smythe & Co, Inc, will hold its live Winter Autograph Auction, presenting collectors and dealers with one of the most interesting selections of historic autographs in recent memory.  The sale, which begins at 11 am, features the collection of Steven Lee Carson, the fruits of fifty years of collection, with particular strength in presidential and related autographs.  Following the public auction, Smythe will hold a mail bid and internet-only auction of Americana, autographs, books, photographs, philatelic items and more, beginning at 2 pm.

One of the most unusual items in the auction is an autograph book from the Carson collection containing the rare signature of James A. Garfield as President.  It also contains remarkable combinations of autographs together on the same page, such as Presidents Hayes, Ford, and Carter; another page gathers together Supreme Court Justices Burger, Rehnquist, Blackmun, Brennan, Breyer, Ginsburg, Kennedy, O’Connor, Powell, Scalia, Souter, Stevens, Thomas, and White; while another sports authors and playwrights Edward Albee, EL Doctorow, Norman Mailer, Neil Simon, Salman Rushdie, Gore Vidal, and others.  Another unusual combination being offered is a photograph of Richard Nixon being sworn in by Chief Justice Warren Burger that is signed by Nixon and Burger, but also by Henry Kissinger and President Jimmy Carter.  Yet another is signed by both Franklin D. Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, a naval appointment during the latter’s administration, with FDR signing as Acting Secretary of the Navy.  Also from the Carson collection come rarities like a statement from New York Mayor Opdyke in response to the Draft Riots in 1863, and a choice content typed letter signed by Martin Luther King, Jr., explaining that “the temper of events” in the South prevents him from accepting speaking engagements too far in advance.  Among Carson’s lasting interests is the life of Abraham Lincoln.  Accordingly, his collection features an autograph letter signed in which the President asks Secretary of War Edwin Stanton to approve an army officer’s request to resign.   A moving autograph letter signed by his widow, Mary Lincoln, is written two weeks after the death of her son, Tad, and pleads with a friend to “come, come to me” to comfort her in her “fearful sorrow.”

Modern presidents and first ladies are also present, including a choice group of ten autograph letters signed by Nancy Reagan, one of them concerning her husband’s ongoing recovery from the 1981 attempt on his life!  In a stunning pair of letters, each offered separately, Theodore Roosevelt writes about his struggle to negotiate the end of the Russo-Japanese War (for which he would win the Nobel Peace Prize), complaining that the English have been “foolishly reluctant to advise Japan to be reasonable;” and admits months after leaving office that he is disappointed in President Taft, his chosen successor, adding that he has not promised never to try again for the White House!   A great item from the World War I era is a page signed by principals in the negotiation of the Treaty of Versailles: Woodrow Wilson, David Lloyd George, Ferdinand Foch, and Ignace J. Paderewski, among others.  In another unusual combination, the men who began and ended World War II in the Pacific, Japanese pilot Mitsuo Fuchida, who led the bombing attack on Pearl Harbor and US pilot Paul W. Tibbets, who dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, sign a First Day Cover commemorating the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Other treasures abound in the Steven Lee Carson collection, but one more deserves special notice.  Smythe will offer an autograph letter signed by physicist Albert Einstein in which he colludes with a dean at New York University to elude US State Department regulations and help a colleague escape from Nazi Germany!

Following the Carson collection, Smythe will continue with a characteristic selection of important and valuable autographs.  In a scarce document signed as President, John Adams approves a letter of marque for a private armed US ship during the “Quasi-War” with France!  A highly interesting autograph letter signed by his First Lady, Abigail Adams, sends condolences to a friend who has lost a son in service of his country in 1812.  Other founders in the auction include Thomas Jefferson, in the form of an autograph letter signed as President, a letter of introduction for the son of the Secretary of the Navy; James Madison, in documents signed (one with James Monroe); and Signers Robert Morris and Thomas McKean.  Two other lots from the founding era, though more modest, are of great interest: a letter from Deputy Quartermaster John Keese from 1781 about an escort for “His Excellency General Washington’s Lady [and] Colo. Hamilton’s Lady,” and a series of three fine content letters from exiled royalist Peter Van Schaack to John Jay while the latter was completing negotiations for the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

However, the sale isn’t all founders and presidents!  There are world leaders, such as Winston Churchill (in a signed photograph) and Adolf Hitler (signed program); beloved names from entertainment like John Lennon (a signature with a self-portrait sketch), Laurel and Hardy (a photograph signed by both), and Boris Karloff (an autograph note signed); authors including Agatha Christie, Beatrix Potter, and HG Wells (each in autograph letters signed); scientists and inventors Thomas A. Edison (in several forms, including a letter predicting that radio will kill the record business!), Alexander Fleming, and Richard J. Gatling (asking Colt to build him a model gun); composers such as Giacomo Puccini (autograph letter signed); and popular artists like cartoonist Charles Schulz (a pencil drawing of Snoopy) and Norman Rockwell (an incredible concept sketch for one of his Post covers)!  This is just a fraction of what will be offered, and anyone interested in the finest autographs should view the catalog at www.smytheonline.com, or call 800-622-1880 to order a hard copy (available for $25).

As noted, after the public autograph auction, Smythe will begin the mail bid and internet-only portion of its sale, with hundreds of lots of Americana, rare and collectible books, photographs, autographs, and ephemera.  Among the standouts from that section are rare tapestries commemorating the Declaration of Independence, a scarce copy of President Madison’s message to Congress with dispatches from the negotiation of the Treaty of Ghent, soldiers’ Civil War letters, and unique photographs by a GI of Marilyn Monroe’s visit to US troops in Korea in 1953!

The public portion of this auction will be held at RM Smythe’s headquarters at 2 Rector Street in the heart of the Financial District in New York City.  Both the public and the mail and internet portions of the auction will run simultaneously on eBay Live Auctions.  For information on lot viewing and on bidding in person, by phone, by mail, or online, call 212-913-1880 or 800-622-1880, or visit Smythe’s web site at www.smytheonline.com.

R. M. Smythe & Company to offer Part 13 of the Schingoethe Obsolete Currency Collection, December 12-13, 2007

Manhattan, New York – December 4, 2007 – R. M. Smythe & Company (http://www.Smytheonline.com) to offer Part 13 of the Schingoethe obsolete currency collection December 12-13, 2007. The sale will contain 1162 lots of obsolete notes to be auctioned over 2 days.

When it came to coins and paper money Herb Schingoethe collected almost everything, but it was obsolete currency that his wife Martha liked to collect most of all. She fell in love with the incredible diversity of issuers, and with the artistic quality of the vignettes on the notes. She enjoyed meeting and dealing with the people who bought and and sold obsolete currency. She had the skills and the energy required to organize and maintain everything they acquired. Her husband Herb had the passion to collect on a grand scale. Together they created what is now known as the Schingoethe collection.

From December 12-13, 2007 R. M. Smythe & Co. will be offering part 13 of this groundbreaking collection, with exceptional rarities and choice notes from many diverse series’. This sale features a section of Illinois notes from Herb’s core Illinois collection that were treasured by Herb and Martha. This sale also contains notes from the North, South and Midwest, including many pieces from Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin. Many well vignetted and choice proof notes that Herb and Martha prized are also featured.

Some of the more interesting notes being offered at this sale include:

Lot # 426 MA. Lynn, Nantucket, Newburyport, Pittsfield, Plymouth, Roxbury, Salem, S. Boston, S. Reading, Stockbridge, Uxbridge, Ware, Westfield, Worcester. Assortment of notes, most G-Fine. At least one altered, and many with color and nice vignettes. Some missing corners, tears, repairs, red, green overprints, Denominations: $1 – $5 & a $10. [19] Estimate $1000 – $1500

Lot # 436 MI. Brest. Monroe & Ypsilanti Railroad Co. $1. Nov. 1, 1838. (L-BRE-2-1 (Lee Plate Note); Haxby MI-90 G2; Bowen 1). Black. Train at wharf, center; statue of Washington at left, 1 below; Justice seated at right. The only denomination of this series not plated in either Haxby or Bowen, this $1 rarity will not go unnoticed by Michigan specialists. This example is from the collection of Dr. Wallace Lee, who was known for assembling rarity and quality. The fact that this note grades on the low end is a testament to its rarity. Follow the example of Dr. Lee and don’t let grade stand in the way of acquiring what is perhaps the only note available. Fair, numerous taped splits. Estimate $1000 – $1200

Lot # 491 MI. Saranac. A Pair of G. A. Cotton Scrip. 1) 10¢. Oct. 27, 1862. (L-SAR-1-1 Lee Plate Note; Bowen 1). Green. Fine, with some age toning, trimmed close at sides. 2) 25¢. Oct. 27, 1862. (L-SAR-1-2 (Lee Plate Note); Bowen 2). Green. Blue on white. Typeset; both of similar design, with location and date at the center, flanked by denomination in bold font. An extraordinary pair of Michigan scrip, these two notes represent all the listed numbers in Bowen. Both are properly issued, signed by Gilbert A. Cotton, owner of a general store in Saranac in Ionia County. Cotton was likely also the postmaster of this location as both pieces bear a Post Office CDS (Circular Date Stamp) on the verso, with the same date as printed on the face of the notes. From the Dr. Lee Collection, these pieces virtually scream of their utter rarity. Estimate  $1,000-1,500

Lot # 502 MN. Shakopee. Farmers Bank. $1. Sept. 1, 1864. (MN-175 G2; Rockholt 1). Unissued remainder. Young farm woman feeding chickens, center; eagle with outstretched wings, top right; farmer carrying corn, lower right. On this bank, we can only remember handling a low grade $2 note. Machine No.2333/A. This is one serial number off the Rockholt Plate Note. There were a few sheets at one time, but the census reflects just over twenty notes on the bank. Great style with the title at the left end. ABN. Extremely Fine, spurious signatures in black pen. Estimate $1000 – $2000

Lot # 106 IL. Griggsville. Bank of Pike County. $5. 1850s. (IL-355 G8a). Red 5. Proof on India paper. Haxby Plate Note. Indian chief. State arms. Cherubs hoist wheat into the clouds. DW. AU, two hinges on back. Estimate $500 – $1000

Lot # 155 IL. New Market. New Market Bank. $5. Ca. 1859-61. (IL-600 G2). Proof on India paper. Haxby Plate Note. Man with rifle, horse, cow, sheep and boy climbing over fence, center; state die, lower left; train in oval, lower right. Lovely geometric lathework dies with 5, upper right and left corners. ABN. Uncirculated. Estimate $500 – $1000

Lot# 173 IL. Quincy. Farmers and Merchants Exchange Co. Collection. 1) $1. April 1, 1857. (IL-665 Unlisted). Justice and Industry seated, Washington. About Good, damage to edges, body hole, soiled and stained. 2) $2. 1855. (IL-665 G4). Allegorical female seated with frame. Good, body hole, pinholes, ragged edges, soiled. 3) $5. June 1, 1852. (IL-665 G8). Horse. Good, thins, stained, red ink smear. 4) Farmers & Merchants Exchange Co. $3. june 15, 1857. (Similar to IL-665 G6). Allegorical figures, top; Fulton, right. Appears to be an altered note. Fine, pinholes, tear at left. 5) Farmers & Merchants Exchange Co. $20. April 1, 1851. Hebe / Venus gives water to an eagle. Fine, folds. [5]. Estimate $600 – $1200

Lot# 181 IL. Shawnee Town. Bank of Illinois Note Group. 1) $1. June 1, 1858. Farmer and woman with dog and wheat sheaves. DTL. VF, pinholes. 2) $2. June 20, 1838. Washington flanked by eagles. VG, soiled, body holes, glassine tape repairs on verso. 3) $3. Nov. 13, 1839. Fulton flanked by eagles. Toppan. Good, wrinkled, left edge crumpled. 4) $5. Jan. 4, 1839. Steamboat, top; train, left; farm woman carries sheaves, right. Good, bottom edge crumpled, pinholes. 5) $10. 1838. Allegorical female with shield with eagle. Good, soiled, stained, piece out at bottom, edges crumpled and damaged, backed. 6) $20. Jan. 4, 1834. Steamboat, top; young woman, left. VF, toned. [6]. Estimate $600 – $1000

Lot # 183 IL. Shawneetown. State Bank of Illinois Group. 1) $1. 1857. Man shoes horse. TCC. VG, soiled and stained, pinholes. 2) $2. 1850s. Two men discuss cattle. Blue ink stamped ad on back in oval. Good,$3. May 31, 1856. Red THREE overprint. Cattle resting at river. Fine, toned, pinholes. 4) $5. Sept. 18, 1853. Red FIVE overprint. Men discussing horses. Good,$10. 1859. Men on horseback, sheep and dog. TC. Fine, toned. [5]. Estimate $600 – $1200

Lot # 784 Jackson, Tennessee Scrip Assortment, All April 1862. 1) W.H. Stephens. 10¢. (G-1242). Green paper. EF. 2) Jno A.Talliaferro. 25¢. (G-1244). Blue paper. VF. 3) Taliaferro & Mason. $1. (G-1244). White paper. Fine. 4) Robt. Merton. $2. (G-1243). Blue paper. EF, hinges. 5) Robt. Merton. $2. (G-1243). Green paper. EF. 6) Robt. Merton. $2. (G-1243). White paper. VF-EF. 7) Taliaferro & Mason. $2. (G-1244). White paper. About Fine. Taliaferro & Mason. $3. (G-1244). White paper. About Fine. [8]. Estimate $750 – $1250

Lot # 833 TN. Morgan County. Emory Manufacturing Company Collection. April 1, 1863. 1) 10¢. Red 10. Unissued remainder. Dog guards safe. VF. 2) 15¢. Red 15. Train. EF. 3) 25¢. Red 25. Leaping stag. EF, light staining. 4) 50¢. Red 50. Dog guards safe. EF. 5) 75¢. (Red 75). Train. Ex. Abner Reed. NASCA 1983. VF-EF. 6) $1. Red One 1. Train rounds bend. EF. [6]. Estimate $750 – $1500

Lot # 992 VT. Vermont Scrip Note Group. 1) Barre. Leonard Keith. 50¢. Nov. 1, 1862. Red. Tree, cow and motto “Freedom and Unity”. VF, pinholes, slightly stained at left. 2) Bradford. R. J. Bert. 25¢. Green. Styled as a Fractional Currency note. Ferd. Mayer. Unc, wide bottom margin. 3) Burlington. C. O. French. 10¢. December 15, 1862. Green. Eagle, book and quill pen in ink bottle. VF,Chester. P. H. Robbins. 5¢. Nov. 1, 1862. Blue 5 . Fine, missing upper left corner, cracking, splits and tears. 5) Lyndon. G. H. & J. M. Weeks. 10¢. Nov. 1, 1862. Man working in field. T. Groom. VG, soiled, stained, body hole, creased. 6) Ludlow. Bank of Black River. 10¢. Nov. 1862. Red 10 overprint and yellow 10. Ceres and Indian maiden. Unc. 7) Waterbury. I. C. S. Brown. 25¢. Nov. 7, 1862. Red. Tree, cow and motto. Fine, light toning, wrinkling. West Northfield. Merchants Scrip. $2. January 1, 1862. Sailor, water nymph, dog’s head, and Liberty seated. AU. trimmed close at sides, internal fold split. [2]. Estimate $1000 – $1500

“For collectors of obsolete notes, this is a sale that can’t be missed.“  said Mary Herzog, Vice President of R. M. Smythe & Co. “This portion of the Schingoethe collection contains some very rare and desirable notes. Collectors should expect some stiff competition and bid accordingly.”

Lots will be available for viewing at Smythe’s offices at 2 Rector Street, in New York City, by appointment only. To arrange for an appointment call R. M. Smythe & Co. at 800-622-1880. For updates on this auction check Smythe’s website at smytheonline.com. This auction will be conducted with eBay Live/LiveAuctioneers. A complete catalog of all 1162 lots including photos and estimates can be viewed online at: http://static.smytheonline.com/ . Select “Current Auctions” in the left column.

Accredited media interested in scheduling an interview to discuss this release or past & upcoming auctions are encouraged to contact Mary Herzog at 212-943-1880. High resolution photos are also available upon request.

About R. M. Smythe & Co.
R. M. Smythe and Co., established in 1880, buys, sells, and auctions coins, paper money, stocks and bonds and autographs at their corporate headquarters at 2 Rector Street in the heart of the Financial District in New York City. To order a catalog, to contact any of the firm’s specialists, or to make general inquiries, call 212-943-1880 or 800-622-1880, or visit the firm’s website at: http://www.smytheonline.com/.