ANA Rarities on Exhibit at PAN Show, May 6-8
The American Numismatic Association’s Idler/Bebee 1804 dollar and the McDermott/Bebee 1913 Liberty Head nickel will be displayed at the Pennsylvania Association of Numismatists (PAN) Spring Show, May 6-8 at the Monroeville Convention Center in Monroeville, Penn. The two coins are among the ANA Edward C. Rochette Money Museum’s most spectacular rarities.
“We are excited to be hosting our National Money Show in Pittsburgh in conjunction with PAN,” said ANA Executive Director Larry Shepherd. “As a token of our appreciation for all their efforts, and to promote PAN’s spring show, we are making these exceptional rarities available.”
The Idler/Bebee Class III Specimen 1804 Dollar
Known as “The King of U.S. Coins,” the 1804 dollar is exceedingly rare, with only 15 known examples. No U.S. dollars dated 1804 actually were struck in that year; Type I specimens were struck in 1834-5 as diplomatic gifts (8 known), while Type II (unique) and III specimens (6 known) were struck during the 1850s for collectors. The Idler/Bebee specimen was donated to the ANA by Aubrey and Adeline Bebee in 1991.
The McDermott/Bebee Specimen 1913 Liberty Head “V” Nickel
Five Liberty Head nickels were made in 1913 under mysterious circumstances. The existence of the nickels was unknown until 1919, when an advertisement in The Numismatist offered to purchase any example for $500. The ad was placed by Samuel W. Brown, a former Mint employee who researchers believe placed the ad to legitimize his coins. In 1920 Brown exhibited all five nickels at the ANA convention in Chicago. The McDermott/Bebee specimen was donated to the ANA by Aubrey and Adeline Bebee in 1989.
For more information about the PAN and its conventions, visit www.pancoins.org.
Originally Release Date: April 25, 2011
ANA Contacts: Phone: 719-482-9814
Email: pr@money.org