Auction Results - Mike Ellis Collection

Lot#	Date	Grade	Description	Winning Bid
01	1786	CHBU	NJ Copper Reproduction Maris 8f obverse New Jersey Numismatic Society 700th Meeting, April 1996, Reverse! Total mintage: 100. Very scarce!	$ 40.00
02	1786	CHBU	NJ Copper Reproduction. Maris 8-f variety. Copy stamp on reverse. Total mintage: 1,917 pieces.	71.50
03	1787	CHBU	NJ Copper Reproduction. Maris 62.5 variety. Copy stamp on reverse. Total mintage: 2,222	22.00
04	1793	CHBU	Half Cent reproduction. Copy stamp on reverse. Total Mintage: 4,118	38.50
05	1796	CHBU	Half Cent No pole variety with a Cud at the right end of a die crack that runs from K-2:30 to K-9:30 (clock positions) on the obverse. Struck from the GMM's first experimental cracked die. Copy Stamp on reverse. Total Mintage: 150	35.00
06	1796	CHBU	Half Cent, with pole variety. Struck with a misaligned obverse die! The obverse looks about 5% off center while the reverse is centered normally. This is a legitimate error that occurred on 7/28/97 while Chuck Wishon and myself were discussing the various 1796 Half Cent varieties with Adam Hardcastle and Ron Landis right there! Copy stamp on reverse. Total Mintage: Approx. 5 pieces. Obverse Reverse	27.50
07	1796	CHBU	Half Cent, with pole variety. Struck on the wrong planchet. A hand full of these were struck intentionally on extra thick planchets to reproduce what really happened in 1796 as there are a few real pieces in existence. And, the difference is obvious! Like in the good old days of the U.S. Mint, probably struck on a cut down large cent planchet! Copy stamp on obverse. Total mintage: 50 pieces of which only 10 have the copy stamp on the obverse.	72.60
08	1796	BU	Half Cent, with pole variety. The obverse was struck through a 1995 $1.00 Federal Reserve Note over the Dallas Texas "K" seal. The dollar is included with this lot. But wait, there's more! All of these were struck more than once. The centering remains so you can't tell. However, this one is different. The obverse is obviously double struck. Also, there is a nice struck through and retained thread on the reverse that was not supposed to be there. It is between the "U" of "United" and the 200. Copy stamp is on reverse. Total mintage: Probably unique. Cool!	28.00
09	1793	CHBU	Wreath Cent. Very hard to come by now! Copy stamp on reverse. Total mintage: 6,000	137.50
10	1793	CHBU	Liberty Cap Cent Large head. Very cool, intentional striking error. On 7/30/96 while visiting the GMM I placed an MS63PL 1943-S Mercury dime on top of a planchet and had it struck into the surface of a Liberty Cap planchet. The results? A silver and copper bi-metal! The Mercury Dime has never been popped out but I am certain a great brockage lies underneath! The Liberty Cap dies have a nice Cud at K-1 (clock position) on the obverse and two even larger cuds at K-2 and K-4 on the reverse. Copy stamp on reverse. Total mintage of the Large Head variety: 5216. The total mintage of this type? Few only and maybe unique.	66.00
11	1793	BNUNC	Liberty Cap Cent, new style. Toned a nice chocolate brown - on purpose - at the GMM while exploring the possibility of selling tone reproductions. Pretty! Copy stamp on reverse. Total mintage new style: 2873	36.30
12	1793	BU	Liberty Cap Cent Obverse Reverse New style. Counter stamped with "Summer Conference" and a tiny rendition of Pike's Peak on obverse and "ANA 1997" and a tiny Lamp of Knowledge on reverse. These were done as a special giveaway by the GMM for the American Numismatic Association's 1997 Summer Seminar. Special dies were made for the event and were used to counterstamp many items, mostly 1997 Lincoln Cents. The dies were then destroyed. This was done because the GMM was too busy to bring the mini- mint to the Summer Seminar as they were too busy working on the dollar prototypes. Only 395 items total were counterstamped using these dies and even more significantly only 25 - 1793 Liberty Cap Cents were used! The dies were then destroyed.	45.00
13	1998	CHBU	Liberty Cap Cent 1998 over 1999 over 1796. This was a reject die for some reason or other. Ron decided to make it an overdate for a fun novelty item, and not realizing he had an "9" punch, overdated it 1999. Then, finding an "8", he overdated it 1998. Only 50 were made this way. You may never have the opportunity to own one of these again! Copy stamp on reverse.	40.00
14	1996	CHBU	Hobo Nickel Token, Hobo and Buffalo design. Struck on a BU 1995-D Jefferson Nickel for me while at the GMM on 7/29/96. Total mintage for this type: 1486 and still available in limited quantity from GMM.	----
15	1796	CHBU	Quarter Dollar with broken die strike (Cud) at K-2 on obverse. The die broke on strike number 489 for the series. Eleven more were struck for total mintage of just 12 pieces! This one was the last one struck which also happens to be strike number 500 for the whole run! The coin is a legitimate error which took place while I was watching. Much was learned about broken die strikes with this error. So much so that I wrote an article which appeared on page 26 of the 2/24/98 issue of Numismatic News. Obviously this is the plate coin for that article. You may never get an opportunity to own one of these ever again! Total mintage of this variety is only 12 pieces! Copy Stamp on reverse.	82.50
16	1796	CHBU	Quarter Dollar reproduction with very nice clashed dies! This legitimate die clash occurred on 8/9/96 and approximately 20 pieces were struck with this clash! Plus, this is on one of the very scarce and highly desirable "16 Obverse Stars" varieties which is also a legitimate variety! The date is clashed nicely through "TES" of "States" on the reverse. Copy stamp on reverse.	-----
17	1794	CHPF	1794/1994 Flowing Hair Commem Dollar. Serial number 531. A beautiful piece and the one that started it all for me, probably for you, and possibly for the GMM! A must have if you do not have one already! One ounce of pure silver. Total mintage: 1758	-----
18	1796	CHBU	Draped Bust Dollar with monster clashed dies! This is a legitimate error which occurred on 1/18/97. After it happened a total of 20 pieces were struck! The date is clearly clashed on the reverse. Copy stamp is on the reverse. Total mintage for the issue: 2441	53.90
19	1796	CHBU	Draped Bust Dollar Has a major broken die obverse (Cud) and massive obverse and reverse die cracks! These are legitimate errors which occurred on 10/1/97 with Bill Fivaz present. This is an awesome looking coin and error! Copy stamp is on the reverse. Total mintage for the issue is 2,441 with only a small hand full with the Cud(s) in various stages minted. Apx. 30 pieces.	-----
20	2000	CHBU	Flowing Hair Liberty Piedfort prototype dollar. The jury is still not out on this one as the designs for the new dollar coin have not yet been selected. Should Ron's reverse design be selected, these will become legitimate dollar coin patterns! In my way of thinking, they already hold a lofty perch in U. S. Numismatics. The story is a long one but Ron's efforts with this design are probably more responsible for passing legislation to approve a new dollar coin than any other effort to date! Do you have yours yet? Total mintage: 2500.	33.00
21	2000	CHBU	Statue of Liberty Piedfort prototype dollar. Ditto the above commentary! Total mintage: 2500.	30.00
22	1796	CHPF	Proof gold Quarter Eagle with stars. Again, another legitimate error. A super die clash that looks really good on this proof gold reproduction! Date shows really well on the reverse and the total mintage for the issue is only 300 pieces! Mintage for this die clash approx. 5 pieces! This is strike number 298 of the entire issue having been struck on 6/23/97. Only 2 more reproductions were minted after this one.	170.00
23	ND	UNC	Set of Hammered Pieces Are you ready for this? Five different hammered, silver pieces resembling 16th century coinage that were designed, engraved and hammered by Ron Landis for his Royal Mint BEFORE the concept of the Gallery Mint Museum was ever born! Designs include lions, dragons, winged dragons, knights on horseback, Pan (the Greek God), and the zodiac symbol chart! Very few of these are in the hands of numismatists as they were hammered and sold at Renaissance Festivals. Even fewer exist without holes in them as most were sold with holes drilled in them for jewelry and as souvenirs! These pieces have some toning and have never been dipped. They are nice! They are being presented here as a set but more die marriages exist, just not in the hands of collectors! Will you ever be able to assemble this group? Not likely! Mintage unknown but few nice ones exist.	175.00
24	ND	UNC	Set of Medals How about this set of five early, large cent size, brass medals? These are designed, engraved and struck by Ron Landis again, BEFORE, the concept of the GMM was born! These resemble more like 17th or 18th century coinage. Designs include winged dragons, a unicorn, a flying eagle and "Freedom," a lion, and the wizard and the man on the moon. Ditto the scarcity info of the above lot holes and all. Most of these were drilled into the edge where a brass ring was soldered in place. Like those above, these are being sold as a set though other die marriages exist. Will you ever be able to assemble this group? Again, not likely!	125.00
25	ND	BU	Hammered Piece Silver modern military medal made from dies produced for the new medics at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. The medal resembles an ancient, hammered coin depicting Asklepios, the Greek god of healing. He holds in one hand the caduceus and a cup that probably symbolizes healing or medicine. The medal was supposed to resemble an ancient Greek coin on one side and an ancient Roman coin on the other. The Roman numerals (257) is likely the company number while the number 55 appearing within a wreath on the reverse is likely the unit number. Around that wreath are the words "Medicus Novvs." Ron Landis engraved the dies, hammered a few test pieces, then turned the dies over to the organization. Find one of these!	25.00
26	93-95	CHPL	One example each of the three annual medals. Each one is struck on a one and a half ounce, pure silver planchet and each is serialized with number 434. The winner of this lot will receive the rights to future annual medals bearing the same serial number. Each of these were limited to a mintage of only 500 pieces!	------
27	93&94	CHPL	A pair of mules! That's right, mules. A mule (at least in this case) occurs when a die for an intended issue is paired with a die intended for a different issue. This pair of mules include a 1993 Annual Medal obverse paired with the reverse of a 1994 Annual Medal and a 1994 obverse paired with a 1993 reverse! This was a legitimate error! Once it was discovered that some muled examples were struck a few more were struck to bring the total mintage up to 20 pieces and then the other muled pair were put in the press and 20 pieces of these were struck. That means only 20 pairs of these exist, several of which will remain in the GMM Archive collection for posterity sake.	135.00
28	ND	CHPF	I'll let July 1997 Gallery Mint Report tell about this one. Here is the text on this : "The year was 1946. At Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois, a group of veterans who found themselves 'too old' to fit in with other fraternities, decided to establish their own. Fraternity existed as Rho Delta until 1951 when it became a part of Delta Upsilon. To commemorate their 50th Anniversary, GMM created a one ounce, silver medal that depicts the original fraternity house at Bradley, and on the reverse, the arms of Delta Upsilon. It has a lettered edge with the Latin motto VERITAS PRAEVALABIT and FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY. The piece was commissioned by Rho Delta founding member, Harold Landis, also father of GMM engraver Ron Landis. Only 14 pieces have been distributed to Rho Delta members. This is a beautiful commemorative original from the GMM! Total Mintage: Only 45 pieces!	45.00
29	1996	BU	GMM annual ANA Summer Seminar token struck on two pieces of webbing (a strip planchets are punched from) with a 1995-D Jefferson Nickel between them. The result? Three pieces - one piece of webbing with the token obverse design and a brockage of the obverse of a Jefferson Nickel, a slightly warped 1995-D Jefferson Nickel and another piece of webbing with the token reverse and a brockage of a Jefferson Nickel. Lots of this stuff was made as students at the Summer Seminars get quite creative. You get all three pieces and they do fit together. This is cool!	----
30	1996	CHBU	Flipover double strike of the 1996 ANA Summer Seminar token. Second strike is approx. 50% off center. Nice!	----
31	1996	BU	ANA Anniversary Convention token triple decker! What's that? Well, there are, again, three pieces. One is the obverse of the token with a reverse brockage of a circulated 1978-D Lincoln Cent, the second a slightly warped 1978-D Cent and another with the reverse of the token brockaged with the obverse of the 1978-D cent. You get all 3 pieces and they fit together nicely. Really cool. Obverse Reverse	-----
32	1997	BU	FUN Show Token	4.33
33	1998	BU	ANA Summer Seminar Token	----
34	1998	BU	ANA Summer Seminar Token Struck 40% off center. The unstruck portion of the planchet has a huge lamination bubble. Cool!	----
35	1998	BU	ANA 107th Anniversary Convention Token.	5.50
36	1998	BU	ANA 107th Anniversary Convention Token with an approximately 25% straight clip. Nice.	----
37	1974	CHAU	Kennedy Half Dollar overstruck with the 1998 ANA 107th Anniversary Convention Token dies! I had four different Kennedy Halves struck this way in Portland.	15.00
38	1976	BU	Bicentennial Kennedy Half Dollar overstruck with the 1998 ANA 107th Anniversary Convention Token dies! Nice.	16.50
39	1979	BU	Kennedy Half Dollar overstruck with the 1998 ANA 107th Anniversary Convention Token dies!	----
40	1995	BU	The Mint's first public issue political token? Struck in Brass, the obverse of this token portrays J.T. Stanton (currently running for President of the American Numismatic Association) with the words "Elect J.T. Stanton for ANA in 1995. Reverse depicts lamp of knowledge, J.T.'s campaign slogan, "Back to Basics," and the words "Integrity, Experience and Dedication." This token was struck during Mr. Stanton's first successful bid for the board.	15.00
41	1995	BU	Ditto the above only struck in copper. Obverse Reverse	5.00
42	BU	1979	"The Leather Rose." A token struck over a 1979 Lincoln Cent depicting a rose and those words. This was done for a local business in Eureka Springs, AR. This particular piece is obviously only half of a whole as the reverse is an altered brockage with a 1991-D cent! Neat.	5.50
43	1996-D	BU	Reeded Jefferson Nickel! This was reeded at the GMM using a new reeding device devised by Joe Rust, President of GMM	7.70
44	1793	BU	A complete eight piece set of 1793 reproductions! Thought you couldn't get them all in this sale? Here they are! Two each: Chain Cents, Wreath Cents, Liberty Cap Cents and the Half Cent with obverse and reverse copy stamps on each type. Special very low starting minimum bid! Gallery Mint plans to make display boxes for this 1793 set available in the near future.	720.00
45	1793	BU	Chain Cent with reverse copy stamp. Gallery Mint's first full reproduction of the first coin struck at the U.S. Mint. Even at a mintage of 4,000, this continues to be the most sought after of GMM pieces. When one becomes available, the retail price tag is always in excess of $100.00 and often closer to $150.00! Special very low minimum bid!	440.00
46	2000	BU	Prototype Dollar, third style. Unlike the familiar Statue of Liberty or the Flowing Hair Liberty designs that had received so much attention in the Numismatic Press last year, this is a third design prototype that was never promoted or offered through the GMM Newsletter. Miss Liberty, at a ¾ view, is wearing the familiar diadem (crown) of the Statue of Liberty. This is not a Piedfort. This piece was struck for the Dollar Coin Advisory Committee that met in Philadelphia last year to decide the design concept. Less than 50 of these exist! Very special, very low minimum bid!	495.00
47	1997	NA	Hobo Nickel. A modern carving by Sonny Carpenter, GMM employee extraordinaire. Sonny also happens to be a very skilled carver and his originals have sold for considerable sums at recent auctions conducted by the GMM and The Original Hobo Nickel Society. This is a traditional style carving with nice eye appeal depicting a man's face with no hat or beard. This piece is signed and numbered #010. Sonny is so talented his carvings always sell for $100.00 plus!	79.20
48	1995	BU	Concept Dollar. Total mintage is 1,371. A lot, yes, but I like this and I feel it is the first step toward the successful effort to adopt a new dollar coin! It is also pretty in that the brass alloy was a little heavy in the copper mix so it is brass with areas that are the shiny red of freshly minted copper.	75.00
49	1996	BU	Gallery Mint Museum Holiday Medal. This special dollar sized, silver medal strongly resembles a bust dollar and bears the date 1996 with "Peace" instead of "Liberty" on the obverse and "United State of Merriment" instead of "United States of America" on the reverse. The coin so strongly resembles a Bust Dollar that there is a copy stamp on the reverse. Only 85 pieces were struck and presented to "Friends of the Gallery Mint Museum" for Christmas in 1996! These are the kind of good folks that are behind the Gallery Mint! Obverse Reverse	------
50	1998	UNC	The BIGGY! The one that, in my opinion, caused our law makers to relent to a new dollar coin design. This is one of the 130 prototype concept dollars that Ken Bressett had commissioned and passed out to key government officials! I was there and saw this one (along with the other 129) struck! Needless to say, it was a very exciting day for me! I allowed folks to look at it and one non-numismatist rolled it around in her hand! It now has light discoloration from her fingers! Not bad though. Just enough to keep me from calling it BU. In all honesty folks, it will take a strong bid to get this one from me. Remember, I may not sell it at all!	------

That's all folks! I hope you enjoyed your trip through this auction. I think it is safe to say that if this goes well, others may dig out some of their own GMM goodies and make them available in their own special auction. Bid often and good luck!

Winning lots will be shipped with an invoice for the amount owed including actual shipping charges. Successful bidders have the right to return any item with no questions asked within seven days of receipt. I want you to be completely satisfied! Additional scans of any items of interest will be sent via e-mail upon request. I will also better describe any item via telephone at your request. Please note that the Prices Realized from this auction will be posted here after the sale has closed.

The Gallery Mint makes no expression of warranty either explicit or implied. All communication on this auction should be made with me, Mike Ellis. Thank You!