E-Gobrecht Volume 22 Issue 9 • Whole Number 260 • September 2026
Uniting collectors of Liberty Seated coinage since 1973
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
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National Officers President Leonard Augsburger leonard_augsburger@hotmail.com
E-Gobrecht September 2026
Liberty Seated Collectors Club Mission To encourage, promote, and dispense numismatic knowledge of Liberty Seated coins; to cultivate fraternal relations among its members and all those interested in the science of numismatics.
Vice President Craig Eberhart craig@eberhart.us
Secretary Jeff Pritchard PO Box 10771, Bainbridge, WA 98110 jjpsr2@gmail.com
LSCC website: www.lsccweb.org LSCC email address: lscc@lsccweb.org
Treasurer Mike Rupert oldebullion@insight.rr.com
National Positions The Gobrecht Journal Publication Greg Johnson (Editor/Publisher) lscc@lsccweb.org E-Gobrecht Monthly Newsletter Michael Fleming (Editor) egeditor1891@gmail.com E-Gobrecht Layout Artist Maria Fanning New Membership Chairman Joe Casazza jsazza236@gmail.com
Education Director John Frost john.frost@doubledimes.com
Advertising Director Jeff Pritchard jjpsr2@gmail.com
Team Leader - Regional Directors Ken Otto kenotto53@gmail.com
Director - Southern Region John Lundsten john.lundsten@yahoo.com
Director - Northeast Region Joe Casazza (email above)
Director - Western Region [Open Position]
Director - Central Region Dennis Fortier ricajun@msn.com
LSCC Membership Information: Dues are bargain priced at $30 per year and include 3 packed issues of The Gobrecht Journal, an award winning numismatic publication printed in glossy, full color. To join the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, for The Gobrecht Journal mailing address changes, or for other membership questions, please correspond with Jeff Pritchard, LSCC Secretary listed on this page. Articles, comments, or advertisements for publication in The Gobrecht Journal magazine may be addressed to Greg Johnson, The Gobrecht Journal Publication Editor. Submissions, correspondence, information and comments for this digital publication (E-Gobrecht) are actively encouraged from its subscribers and may be sent to Michael Fleming, E-Gobrecht Publication Editor. To be added as a “free” subscriber to E-Gobrecht or removed from the mailing list or to change your email address, please send an email message indicating your preference in the subject line to: egeditor1891@gmail.com.
Wanted: Submissions for this newsletter! Please consider submitting something for print. It need not be elaborate; it can be something as simple as a short note on a favorite coin, variety, neat find, happening at a coin show or local club, Liberty Seated coinage at auction, etc. If you are interested in it; rest assured, others will be too! Sharing information is a goal of this newsletter and you need not be an experienced writer to submit material of interest to others. “This is your monthly digital publication. It is what you make of it!” Please be sure to quote the E-Gobrecht and the LSCC as its contents are not copyrighted. Use its contents freely.
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
E-Gobrecht September 2026
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Stepping back in time to a bygone era of the Liberty Seated coin design period, both far and wide, and a little before & after...
Inside this issue
Welcome to the following new LSCC members this month:
President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 By Len Augsburger
Patrick Fassell
#3108
Brent McCormick
#3109
There are currently 1500 active subscribers to E-Gobrecht and counting, including 350 local coin clubs across the country.
Regional News: After the ANA Convention in Pittsburgh…Fall Approaches! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 By Ken Otto, Regional Team Director, LSCC #2674
Cover image: Liberty Seated Collectors Club Meets in Pittsburgh . . . . . . . . . . 9 By Len Augsburger, LSCC #1271
Continuing our theme of Liberty Seated Proof Coinage from last month...please enjoy this beautifully toned 1873 Half Dollar Proof Coin, graded PR67+ by PCGS (with CAC approval), and most recently sold at auction on September 2nd. Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
E-Gobrecht’s
22nd Year! 2004–2026
The E-Gobrecht is an award winning informal electronic publication of the Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC). The LSCC is a non-profit organization dedicated to the attributions of the Liberty Seated U.S. Coin series. The LSCC provides the information contained in this “electronic” e-mail newsletter from various sources “free of charge” as a general service to the membership and other subscribers with a numismatic interest. You do
not have to be a LSCC member to benefit from this newsletter; subscription to the E-Gobrecht is available on a complimentary basis to anyone. All disclaimers are in effect as the completeness and/or accuracy of the information contained herein cannot be completely verified. Contact information for LSCC and this publication can be found on the page 2.
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
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E-Gobrecht September 2026
President’s Message By Len Augsburger Welcome to the September E-Gobrecht, your monthly compendium of all things Liberty Seated. Thanks as always to our orchestrator-in-chief, Michael Fleming, for compiling our monthly musings. We are coming off the ANA convention, which by all accounts was a stellar event. I began attending the convention in 2001 and have a perfect attendance record since then. Of course, the 2020 show was cancelled due to the epidemic, so we won’t count that one. I was unable to buy as many coins as I would have hoped, but John Frost has been selling off the Lane Brunner twenty-cent piece collection for several years, and there is always something to find in his boxes. Selling several hundred twenty cent pieces is not a trivial task, and kudos to John for slowly and responsibly dispersing what must be the largest collector group of double dimes ever assembled. This year I added an 1875-S piece to my growing collection, and John says anyone who buys two or more pieces will qualify for membership into the (as yet unformed) Double Dimes Collectors Club. How about we call it the “D-squared C-squared” club? The U.S. Mint was present in full force, and I do mean “force” as there must have been half a dozen armed guards carefully watching over their exhibit of eleven 1933 double eagles. The Mint further offered a selection
of 2026 semiquincentennial coinage, and other specialty items. The 1933 double eagles were paired with a program featuring one-time 1933 $20 owner Stephen Fenton, U.S. Mint Counsel Greg Weinman, and David Tripp, who wrote the book on subject, Illegal Tender. The three regaled the standing room only crowd with the inside scoop on these coins and the related litigation. Video will appear in due course, and this was sponsored by Newman Portal (my day job) with the cooperation of the Mint. Many thanks to U.S. Mint Public Affairs Chief Dennis Fish for his help on this. I never get to do everything I’d like to at the show, and, half in jest, I proposed that the show should last weeks rather than one. While this would be great from a collector’s perspective, I doubt we could muster dealer support for such a proposal! Unfortunately, this year I could not get to Pittsburgh until Wednesday, but I’m sure I will do better next year. Speaking of next year, the aforementioned Mr. Frost has already announced “Malnatti’s Night” for Monday and Tuesday, August 9-10, 2027. Mark your calendar now and feel free to join us on those evenings. Pizza is a decidedly controversial topic in Chicago, but a large group of us are rather partial to Malnatti’s deep dish. Combined with spirited coin talk, it is hard to beat. See you at the ANA next year!
LSCC Info & Member Application: lsccweb.org Liberty Seated Collectors Club
E-Gobrecht September 2026
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Regional News: After the ANA Convention in Pittsburgh…Fall Approaches! By Ken Otto, Regional Team Director, LSCC #2674 Summer weather is winding down in some, but not all, areas of the country. The rare coin market is still very hot as evidenced by strong sales action at the ANA World’s Fair of Money, recently held in Pittsburgh. Many of the dealers that focus on Liberty Seated coins reported record sales at the ANA show. The LSCC regional team will remain very active at regional and national coin shows over the next several months. Most participants in the rare coin market report that the market remained strong all summer this year (which is atypical) and expect the market to remain strong the rest of the year. We continue to see high collector interest in Liberty Seated coins and very good attendance at most coin shows. The LSCC regional team participated in the Missouri Numismatic Society Coin Show which was held August 6th-8th at the St. Charles Convention Center, 1 Convention Plaza, St. Charles, MO 63303. The club table was hosted by Ed Terneus. Ed reported that the show was good overall, with several people visiting the club table and some indicating an interest in the club. The LSCC regional team attended the ANA World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh, PA (David Lawrence Convention Center; 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd.) from August 25th-29th. We conducted a club meeting at the show, which was well-attended by LSCC members. John Dannreuther made a presentation on Liberty Seated proof coins during the meeting. Several members of the LSCC also made educational presentations at the World’s Fair of Money including Len Augsburger, Craig Eberhart, and Jeff Pritchard. The LSCC club table was hosted by many people including Dennis Fortier, John Frost, Greg Johnson, Joe Casazza, Tim Glaue, Jeff Pritchard, Ken Otto, and others. Pittsburgh is a very good location for the Summer ANA Show and attendance at the show appeared strong. We also held a raffle during the LSCC meeting and a few lucky participants won some GREAT prizes! The LSCC regional team will participate in the Cen-
Greg Johnson, Joe Casazza, and others look on as Greg bends the computer to his will!
LSCC Club Case: …so they did make Liberty Seated Proofs. Who knew?
tral Ohio Numismatic Association’s (CONA’s) Ohio State Coin Show on September 4th-5th at the Embassy Suites-Dublin, 5100 Upper Metro Place, Dublin, Ohio. Dennis Fortier and Ken Otto will host the club table. Dennis will also make a presentation on Liberty Seated Half Dollars. The LSCC regional team plans to participate in the North Carolina Numismatic Association Coin Show to be held October 2nd-4th at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center, 4751 Highway 49 N, Concord, NC
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
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E-Gobrecht September 2026
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
E-Gobrecht September 2026
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28205. The club table will be hosted by John Lundsten, Rich Uhrich, and Dan Perkins. The regional team plans to participate in the Pennsylvania Association of Numismatists (PAN) Fall
Show to be held October 21st-23rd at the Monroeville Convention Center, 209 Mall Blvd., Monroeville, PA 15146. The club table will be hosted by Greg Johnson and John Frost.
The Barber Coinage display, featuring some rather unusual artifacts from the post-Liberty Seated Era.
Oh look! Some museum-quality pieces…provided to the LSCC to draw in the crowds!
More Barber oddities in the BCCS Club Display.
Joe Casazza engaging with a visitor to the LSCC Club Table.
John Frost recharging for another round of ‘Stump Mister Frost."
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
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E-Gobrecht September 2026
Monthly E-Gobrecht Newsletter Advertising Rates (Prices are per issue. All ads should include some Liberty Seated coins and/or related material.) Full Page $100 Half Page $50 Quarter Page $30 Inquires & Special Rates: Contact Advertising Manager Jeff Pritchard at jjpsr2@gmail.com Deadline: 25th of the month prior to month of issue For Advertising in The Gobrecht Journal, see contact above.
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
E-Gobrecht September 2026
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Liberty Seated Collectors Club Meets in Pittsburgh By Len Augsburger, LSCC #1271
The group picture from the LSCC meeting. Len counted 45 attendees present in the room, which may not precisely match the photo!
John Frost and Norma McCloskey at the LSCC meeting. John explained that he was born on the same day that John and Norma McCloskey were married.
Greg Johnson congratulates Craig Eberhart upon winning the Featured Collection Award for 2025.
The LSCC annual meeting took place at the American Numismatic Association convention in Pittsburgh, on Thursday, August 27 at 9 AM. Pre-meeting activity featured energetic socializing in addition to the sale of raffle tickets, which was coordinated by Dennis Fortier. All attendees were given one free ticket, while additional tickets were available for one dollar each. Len Augsburger opened the meeting with the traditional group photo, which was captured by Lianna Spurrer, who also served as the videographer for the event. Member introductions followed, which took a few minutes as the room was well filled. Among the attendees was Fred Verzelles, LSCC Member #23, one of our oldest members. He joined in 1975 and knew both John McCloskey and Kam Ahwash. Len noted highlights for 2026, including our newly acquired 501(c)(3) status (thanks to Jeff Pritchard), discussion of the ANA summer seminar class on New Orleans coinage, and recognition of the continued presence of the regional team at the larger coin shows throughout the country. Len noted new leadership team members, Mike Rupert (Treasurer) and Michael Fleming (E-Gobrecht Editor). Len also recognized Norma McCloskey and her daughter Susan, who were in attendance. Craig Eberhart offered more extensive remarks on the New Orleans class at the ANA Summer Seminar and noted the enthusiasm of class students. Jeff Pritchard followed up with the membership report. We are now at 505 members, up from 492 at this time last year. Jeff further noted our new “public charity” status and our
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E-Gobrecht September 2026
Len Augsburger presenting the President’s Award for 2025 to Jeff Pritchard.
ability to accept tax-deductible donations. The club website (lsccweb.org) has been updated to handle donations directly from the front page. Mike Rupert presented next, on the club treasury. We are in good shape with about $80k in cash and CDs, of which $11k is allocated to paid-ahead dues. Mike has also taken care of tax filings. Ken Otto followed up with news on the club table (proof coinage was featured this year) and reported on the regional show calendar. We are covering over 20 shows a year, a tribute to the members of the regional team that set up at major numismatic events. Greg Johnson followed with status on the Gobrecht Journal and the recent publication of the summer issue (#156). Many thanks to Jim Macor, who keeps our Journal covers fresh each year. Greg made a call for articles and especially for featured collections, which need not be top-pop, finest known propositions. If you find something interesting, chances are other club members will too. The publication deadline for the fall Journal is
Liberty Seated Collectors Club
E-Gobrecht September 2026
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October 1. Michael Fleming, the new E-Gobrecht Editor, presented next. Michael explained that this is a less formal, more frequent publication than the Gobrecht Journal and called for member contributions. Many thanks to our advertisers for their support of the club through the pages of the Gobrecht Journal and E-Gobrecht. Greg Johnson followed with the annual literary awards. The Ahwash award, for best article, by vote of the membership, went to Dick Osburn for his article, “Liberty Seated - A Life-Long Passion”, which appeared in the Fall 2025 (#154) issue of the Journal. The John McCloskey award, which is presented for the best article on die variety analysis, went to John Frost for his article in Gobrecht Journal #152, “1875-S Branch Mint Proof Double Dime – More Mysterious Than Ever”. The Featured Collection award went to Craig Eberhart for his spread in Gobrecht Journal #154, ”An Eclectic Selection of Interesting New Orleans Coins.” Finally, Len Augsburger presented the President’s Award, given for outstanding service to this club. This year’s medal went to Jeff Pritchard for his contributions to the club in terms of maintaining the website, managing our advertising, and securing our 501(c)(3) status. Our featured speaker was John Dannreuther, who spoke on his research and publications on Liberty Seated proof coinage. John first acknowledged John Frost for discovering a second variety of the 1875-S proof twenty cent piece, a find that greatly surprised Mr. Dannreuther. John initially collected as a six- or sevenyear-old and at the time marveled at the flash that is quickly evident on most proof coins, especially modern examples. Later, John learned that 1840s half cents and Liberty Seated dollar proofs had common reverses. He described sitting next to Harry W. Bass, the gold coin variety specialist (among many other things), during an auction lot viewing and discovering that the 1841 and 1846 quarter eagles shared a common reverse. Bass quickly confirmed the finding, which Dannreuther described as his first discovery, the situation with the half cents and dollars having already been understood by other researchers. Dannreuther began working on his proof coin publications in 2006 and initially thought it would be a single volume book. The project quickly expanded, and John eventually published the gold book (volume 4) first,
Featured Speaker John Dannreuther begins his presentation on his amazing journey into the world of Liberty Seated Proof Coinage.
then his work on nickel (volume 2), and then silver (volume 3). The copper book is expected to be published in 2027 or 2028. John worked at the Smithsonian in the 1990s and was able to identify common reverses on many of the early gold proofs. He later worked with Phil Kaufman on the Liberty Seated proofs. Kaufman had a complete Liberty Seated proof set, less three coins, an accomplishment later exceeded by Gene Gardner, who was missing only a single coin. John quickly identified a common reverse on 1840s proof half dimes. Dimes were more stubborn, but John ultimately discovered a common die line on the early proofs in the dime series. For quarters, 18411843 proofs shared a reverse, while the 1844 reverse was used through 1852. John consulted with Bill Bugert on the early proofs of the half dollar series and again identified a shared reverse die that was used to produce many of these coins. One of John’s favorite discoveries was attributing all 1853 proof dollars as restrikes. He found the same die on 1865 and 1866 coins and also noted that 1853 proof dollars do not show up in the literature until the same period! The 1853 proof dollar production was obviously a clandestine operation on the part of the Mint. A similar situation was found in the dime series. John discussed the 1844-O proof quarter and half dollar and noted the half dollar exhibits obvious cam-
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E-Gobrecht September 2026
eo. The 1844-O half eagle and eagle are unquestioned proofs, both coins being unique. (Separately, the 1844O proof quarter was for sale on the show floor in a PR63 holder.) John also discovered three proof varieties in the dime series that were previously unreported in the Fortin reference and have since been added. The club offered a round of applause at the conclusion of John’s presentation.
The meeting concluded with the club raffle, which included an 1854-O crumbled die quarter, 1875-S 20-cent piece, several books, club shirts, coin albums (no coins included!), and other items. Many thanks to the donors and ticket buyers for supporting this club fundraiser. Meeting video will be available in due course.
E-Gobrecht Deadline for Subscriber Submissions 30th of the month prior to month of issue Send submissions to: Michael Fleming egeditor1891@gmail.com Next Deadline for Submissions to The Gobrecht Journal: Fall/Winter 2026 - October 1 Send Inquiries & Submissions to: lscc@lsccweb.org Liberty Seated Collectors Club