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Commemorative Coin Holders Information Now Featuring: What You Need to Know about Tab Toning You often see many examples of the Classic Commemorative Coin Series (1892-1954) advertised, especially in venues such as eBay, as being "tab toned." That raises the following questions:
1. What exactly is tab toning? 2. What should original tab toning look like? 3. Does tab toning make the coin more valuable? 4. How should tab toning look if it is genuine? 1. What is Tab Toning?
Tab toning is a very distinctive toning pattern that occurs from long-term storage in a cardboard distribution holder. It is called "tab toning" because the cardboard "tabs" are what holds the coin in place. These early silver
commemorative coins were made of a composition that is 90% silver. As you certainly know, silver is a chemically active metal and most of the original distribution holders are made of paper and cardboard. The sulphur content of
these original holders is very high. So when the silver coin, the paper holder, and years of moisture all combine in the atmosphere, the result is that the coin tones. It tones more darkly in the area where the tab is NOT present.
So a coin stored in one of these holders has generally darker toning around the periphery of the coin, except where the two tabs connected the cardboard. Below is pictured an original Oregon Trail distribution holder for a P-D-S
set of coins. As you can see, there are three spaces to hold the coins and each one is held in place in the holder by two separate tabs; one is on the top of the coin and one is on the bottom of each coin.
(This is an Oregon Trail Memorial Association PDS set holder.)
As you can see, there is a "center dot" opening for each of the coins. Typically, each of the coins stored in this type holder would have a dark toning spot in the center of each coin, where the "center dot" was located. While this
is a typical style of holder, it is by no means the only type. Another very common distribution holder is pictured below. A number of the coins were delivered in these small booklets that contained information about the coins and/or
the celebration. Illustrated here is a 1936 Robinson-Arkansas 5-coin distribution holder. You will note that there is a "center dot" inside the center coin only. The other four coin center slots are completely covered so only the
center coin would have the characteristic "center dot." Each of the other coins would simply tone around the periphery, with two untoned segments for the tabs.
(This is a 1936 Robinson-Arkansas 5-coin distribution holder.)
Numerous companies manufactured these holders, but the most prolific manufacturer was the John H. Eggers Company, of New York City. Eggers created holders for at least nine different commemorative coin committees and commissions. Some
of the printed holders were rather ornate in design. Most of the holders related the story of the various celebrations that the coins were commemorating, but a few were unprinted in any manner. The holders came in varying sizes and shapes,
and some of them had covers. Some of them also had a tissue paper insert which covered the coins. There are even varieties within holders for the same commemorative coin. For example, the New Rochelle distribution holder comes in 1, 2 and
5 coin varieties and the Oregon Trail distribution holder is imprinted with a variety of different addresses for the official distribution commission, in this case, the Old Oregon Trail Memorial Association.
Most of these holders also came with original mailing envelopes. In many instances, these mailing envelopes are much rarer than the original holders themselves and, in a few cases, rarer than even the coins themselves. For instance, a
Wisconsin commemorative half dollar, in an original holder and a mailing envelope is a rare trio of items. In the pecking order of rarity among that particular trio, the coin is the most common item. The original holder is next in terms of
rarity while the mailing envelope is the rarest of all! Many of them simply didn't survive in any meaningful quantity whatsoever.
2. What Should Original Tab Toning Look Like?
Original tab toning is very distinctive and once you become familiar with it's components, you will be able to spot genuine tab toning from that which is enhanced. Here are two great examples of tab toned coins - a Long Island, and a New
Rochelle - neither of which has "center dot" toning.
(These are a 1936 Long Island [left] and a 1938 New Rochelle [right] tab-toned commemorative coins.)
You can see that the coins have toning where the holder was open to the air and is untoned where the tabs held the coins in place.
Below are two great examples of "center dot" toning. Pictured below are an Oregon Trail and a York County commemorative coins, each with very distinctive center dots plainly visible.
(These are a 1938 Oregon Trail [left] and a 1936 York County [right] center-dot tab-toned commemorative coins.)
As you can see, coins in the center position of the original distribution holder develop a center dot of toning while those stored in the corner positions do not. Purchasers of single coins from a commemorative coin distribution committee often
found that their purchase was shipped to them in a 5-coin holder, often in the center position. But that is not always the case. Let me relate a story about an "untouched" grouping of York County Commemorative half Dollars. Back around 1980, I
had the pleasure of opening three original, undisturbed, mailing envelopes containing 1936 York County Commemorative Half Dollars. When I opened the first envelope, it held only one coin, which was housed in the lower right corner position, rather
than in the center, as one would have expected. The next envelope that I opened held four coins all of which were in the separate corners, with the center position being empty. The final envelope held two coins, one in the center position and the
other coin in the lower right corner. So, even within the 1936 York County Commemorative Half Dollar Distribution Committee, there seemed to be no prescribed manner for placing the coins within the cardboard holders for distribution. Illustrated
below is one of the York County commemorative distribution holders.
(This is a 1936 York County Commemorative 5-coin Distribution Holder.)
Beyond the tab and center dot types of toning, there is no particular toning color or shade that is common to all tab toned coins. While coins stored in the cardboard holders for the Norfolk Commemorative Half Dollar generally tend to tone in a gray
to black color, it is not a hard and fast rule. But that is often the case! Coins stored in Oregon Trail Commemorative Half Dollar cardboard holders run the gamut from lightly toned to very darkly toned to vibrant to pastel colors. Because the holder
is only one element of the toning equation, it is not always the determining factor of which colors will be displayed on the coins. Other factors include:
# Where the coins are stored - a dry bank vault, a damp basement or a sunny attic all affect the colors.
# How long they are stored in their environment - coins stored for 10 years are generally darker than those stored for 1 year and those stored for 70 years may be nearly beyond recognition.
# Are the coins stored with paper covering the original distribution holder - York coins were covered with a tissue paper insert that was placed over the coins inside the holder. This insert has a high sulphur content and consequently, the coins
tend to have different color toning than those that were not stored in this manner.
3. Does Tab Toning Make the Coin More Valuable?
This is probably the most difficult question of all to answer. As the old adage states, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." That certainly rings true for coins in general, but if I posed the following question to you how would you answer it?
Which would you rather own - assuming that the coins are all similarly graded - five fully brilliant and lustrous 1936 Albany commemorative half dollars that were purchased in 1936 and then stored in sealed cellophane, along with the original 5-coin
distribution holder and mailing envelope or five beautifully and colorfully tab toned Albany commemoratives in a similar distribution holder and mailing envelope?
The answer is certainly one of personal taste, but in my numismatic experience, dealing primarily in commemorative coins for the last 27 years, I would personally prefer to own the toned coins in nearly every instance. During the 1960's and 1970's the
preference was for coins that were bright and shiny but that has certainly not been the case for the last 25 years.
In today's numismatic world, toning equals originality and originality is highly desirable! But, there is a limit to what constitutes desirable! Coins that have resided in their original holders that were heavily laden with sulphur for too long a time
period often tone too darkly and become somewhat unattractive. Coins that are too darkly toned are not desirable, except by the most rabid of toning enthusiasts.
The Roanoke commemorative half dollar displayed below is not too dark to be at the pinnacle of being the most desirable. The tab toning is strong and very well defined, some may say that the coin resided a little too long in the original holder and the
coin darkened too much. But many would disagree. While this particular coin may not be for everyone, it is extremely desirable to tab-toning enthusiasts and those collectors who covet originality.
(These are the obverse of a 1937 Roanoke Commemorative Half Dollar [left] and the reverse of the same coin [right].)
To reiterate, eye-appeal is difficult to define accurately and what appeals to some collectors may not appeal to others. The best and safest advice is to always purchase what pleases YOU!
4. How Should Tab Toning Look if it is Genuine?
Now that you know that the center tab area should have a darkened "dot" if this is a center-position coin, and that there should be two untoned tab areas on the periphery of the coin, what else would help you to distinguish genuine tab toning from mislabeled
or enhanced toning?
First, you should know which coins are likely to have tab toning. The following coins were commonly distributed in tab type holders and are the most likely to have this type of toning:
² Albany
² Antietam
² Delaware
² Elgin
² Gettysburg
² Iowa
² Long Island
² New Rochelle
² Norfolk
² Oregon
² Wisconsin
² York
A caveat is necessary here! I must strongly state that ANY commemorative half dollar could possibly have tab toning - not just those listed above. I cannot tell you how many times I have purchased one of the above listed coins, with its original distribution
holder and inside the tab holder was a Cincinnati or Columbian or a Pan-Pac half dollar. The collectors of the 1930's through 1950's often used the distribution holders from one celebration to house many of their commemoratives, not just the coins for which the
holder was originally intended.
To accurately determine which coins are original, one must know what original toning looks like. Then you must determine if it is the proper tab pattern - "center dot" or "corner" toning. Armed with this important information, you should be able to determine an
original tab-toned coin. Below are several coins that all were described in various venues as being "tab toned." Some are originally toned, and some are not original at all. Judge these coins for yourself!
In our opinion, this Norfolk is artificially toned.
A simply gorgeous originally toned Antietam - but not tab-toned.
Wonderful reddish-colored Delaware, original, but not tab toned!
This is a superb and original Stone Mountain commemorative half dollar that is definitely tab-toned! Stone Mountain coins have a distinctive "stripe" tab because of the unusual design of their holder.
Tab toned coins can enhance your commemorative coin collection and are an important addition to those collections that also include original holders and mailing envelopes. The next time you see a commemorative half dollar being advertised as tab-toned, keep those points in mind.
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Original Arkansas Commemorative Coin Distribution Holders - 1935 to 1939.
The 1936 Arkansas Centennial Committee was responsible for pressuring Congress to authorize commemorative half dollars from 1935 through 1939. Although 500,000 pieces were originally authorized, only 85,200 pieces were coined, and not melted.
The Arkansas Centennial Commission of Little Rock, Arkansas, was responsible, originally, for the actual distribution of the coins. For 1935 and 1936, all of the coins that were ordered were distributed by the Arkansas Centennial Commission,
except for those sold in the secondary market by coin dealers or promoters. The coins that were ordered were sold singly and in 3 coin (P-D-S) sets. The coins were shipped in either 2" x 2" brown paper holders, inside cellophane, for single
coins, or in the famous Eggers "tab" holders for multiple coin orders.
(Pictured above is a single coin, dated 1935, the original cellophane in which the coin was held, the 2"x 2" paper holder and the original mailing envelope.)
(This is an unprinted Eggers 5-coin Holder)
At the end of the 1936 season, the Arkansas Centennial Commission decided that they would no longer handle the distribution of subsequent issues nor would they continue to liquidate the remaining coins from 1936. The Commission put the retail
concession "out for bid" and the New York coin firm, Stack's, won the rights to distribute the subsequent issue. The remainders of the 1936 issue were sold by Stack's and only 350 pieces of each mint were returned to the US Mint for melting.
For the 1937 issue, the US Mint produced 5,500 pieces at each mint for a total mintage of 16,500 coins bearing the 1937 date. Of this total of 5,500 3-coin PDS sets, 500 sets were reserved for distribution specifically in Arkansas, while the
remaining 5,000 sets were for sale nation-wide.
Now firmly in charge of distribution, Stack's decided to not only promote the coins, but to package them more appropriately. They had small, black, "leatherette" cases, imprinted with gold lettering, with a small gold clasp to secure the top,
produced for the distribution of these sets. The holder had cutouts for the three-coin set, and it was accompanied by a small blue cardboard folder, which identified the coins and that Stack's was the distributor. The coins were laid in these
cutouts, covered with a strip of cotton batting, then covered with the blue insert and the case was closed. The case was then placed in a small and tight-fitting cardboard box for mailing. The sets, in their specially designed cases, were very
well received by the collecting public.
(Original 1937 Stack's Black Leatherette Case, with Mailing Box of Distribution)
(An open leatherette box, with cutouts for the three coins, Stack's name stamped in gold.)
(Blue cardboard insert that accompanied the 1937 Arkansas set.)
These wood-grain boxes were used for the remaining 1938 sets as well as all of the 1939 sets, which the Commission decided to again distribute themselves. A scant 2,100 1939-PDS sets were minted and all were promptly sold.
(The 1938 and 1939 wood-grain distribution boxes. This particular box contains an original 1939-PDS set.)
If any of our website readers have additional information on any original Arkansas distribution holders, please contact us at libertynum@comcast.net or at info@commemcoins.com.
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1925 Lexington-Concord Commemorative Half Dollar Wooden Boxes
- Is yours Genuine or Fake? (a/k/a The Minuteman in a Coffin)
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In the commemorative coin field, there were basically three types of coins - raw coins, coins with ANACS certificates and those coins that were housed in their original distribution holders. Of the three types, the coins in the original distribution holders brought significant premiums. Because of this, unscrupulous individuals, seeking to profit from the unknowledgeable buyers created numerous counterfeit Lexington wooden boxes. These boxes would be paired with toned or even untoned 1925 Lexington commemoratives and sold for significant premiums to buyers who didn't understand what they were buying. To the trained eyes of the commemorative coin specialist, the coins with original holders were worth a premium
IF and only IF they had the proper toning that would normally be associated with that type of holder. A Lexington commemorative associated with a pine box would have to be literally covered in a greenish cast that looked quite a bit like PVC. In reality, that is the proper way that a Lexington should look after it has been stored in a pine box for many years. Silver, being a chemically active metal, will react in that manner with the pine sap that was inherent in these little pine boxes. Commemorative specialists knew that. But many people did not.
Due to these premiums that were being paid, the demand for original wooden boxes kept increasing. The supply of original pine boxes was very thin at that time, though it was larger than most people thought. In fact, the commemorative coin bible at that time was "The Encyclopedia of United States Silver and Gold Commemorative Coins 1892 to 1954," by Anthony Swiatek and Walter Breen. In that valuable reference the authors state, "…Over 125 of these coins are around in the original boxes; they are among the least rare original holders for commemorative coins,
but they are still very scarce and desirable…"
If one looks at the Summer 1986 issue of "The Commemorative Trail" there is a story (by this author) about the Lexington-Concord commemorative half dollar. On Page 29 there is a picture of a dozen Lexington commem coins in the original boxes. At that time, I personally owned 95 such original coins and boxes. The actual survival rate numbers were significantly higher, likely closer to 400 such coins in boxes, that what was originally reported. The boxes were not that scarce at that time, but demand certainly outstripped the available supply.
The counterfeit boxes first surfaced in 1985 and started becoming more plentiful as we approached the 1990's. However, the popularity of "slabbing" sent the prices of many commemorative coin holders tumbling. Dealers and collectors no longer wished to store their coins in the original holders; they wanted their coins in slabs! The demand for many holders fell and, as a result, prices dropped as well.
While these "creative" individuals created their own Lexington boxes, they didn't study the original boxes very closely. For those of you who are not very familiar with the pine boxes,
an original box has numerous characteristics that will allow you to discern an original box from a counterfeit one. First and foremost, the box must be made of pine. Many of the counterfeit
boxes that I have seen are NOT made of pine. They are made of a light, yellowish wood, such as balsa, that does not have the same fine grains and texture as pine has.
A Genuine Lexington Box. Note the Intricate Detail in the Stamping.
A Genuine Lexington Box with the Cover Removed and Displaying the Inset that held the Half Dollar.
The Counterfeit Box is on the Left; the Genuine Box is on the Right.
Again the Counterfeit Box is on the Left and the Genuine Box is on the Right.
The World's Columbian Exposition's (WCE) exhibitors were prolific in the amount of fair memorabilia that they created and sold to patrons, eager to capture souvenirs of this historic event. Although the United States Mint was present on the fairgrounds, striking and selling coins to the public, these coins were not "holdered" in any way. Some enterprising individuals capitalized on the Mint's oversight and sold items that held these souvenir coins or included holders with the coins they were selling.
Pictured below is an original holder from Wells Fargo & Company. The President of Wells Fargo, Mr. John J. Valentine, purchased 500 coins directly from the Mint for distribution to the employees of his company. Each coin was housed in a small cardboard holder, printed on both sides, with a center hole into which the coin was placed.
On the "obverse" side of the holder, which was colored a light pink, and printed in dark red ink, was inscribed "COLUMBIAN SOUVENIR COIN, 1892. COMMEMORATIVE OF THE WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION AT CHICAGO, ILL. A.D. 1893. PRESENTED TO THE EMPLOYEES OF WELLS, FARGO & COMPANY."
On the "reverse " side of the holder, which was colored a light blue, and printed in dark purple ink, was inscribed "A KEEPSAKE FROM WELLS, FARGO & COMPANY, IN TOKEN OF REGARD AND IN APPRECIATION OF FAITHFUL SERVICE . JOHN J. VALENTINE, PRESIDENT." The value of these Wells Fargo holders is determined by both the condition of the holder and the condition of the coin. The range is approximately $300.00 on the low end to more than $1,000.00 for a very nice coin in a choice condition holder.
In addition to this Wells Fargo holder, a goodly number of banks, financial institutions, corporations, and individuals enclosed the Columbian Expo Halves in a variety of holders. The most common of these holders would be a small leather pouch. These pouches were either plain or ornate, some simply bearing the name of the bank. Others were rather ornate, having wonderful depictions of the design elements of the coin itself, stamped in gold. The scans below show one of the more common leather pouches. But none of them are common in reality. A "common" piece would generally fetch $75.00 to $350.00 without a coin, depending on scarcity and condition. Some pouches are considerably rarer and command much higher prices!
I have seen pouches such as one from the Merchants National Bank (of Philadelphia) bring $75.00 to $500.00. The Commemorative Half Dollars were also mounted in bezels hung from black, red or blue ribbons, with a hanger issued during one the fair's "Special Days" such as "Columbus Day," "Manhattan Day," or "Chicago Day". These coins and holders vary greatly in price, but an accurate range is $75.00 to $350.00 depending on the condition of the coin and the holder. There was a terrific Columbian Expo coin, housed in a maroon leather case, inscribed in gold leaf with "COMPLIMENTS OF THE CHAS. E. HIRES CO. PHILA., PA" that sold in 1993
in the 1993 Tower Hill collection for around $350.00. I would estimate that particular holder and coin being worth $750.00 to $1,000.00 today.
We have also seen Columbian Expo coins housed in jewelry boxes, in all types of jewelry, such as belt buckles and brooches, in mesh change purses, and in the covers of ladies' makeup compacts. There are numerous varieties of money clips, each utilizing a Columbian Expo half dollar in some manner. Those jewelry items tend to run in the $50.00 to $200.00 price range, depending on the quality of the manufacturing of the item. As you can imagine, many of the coins contained in these jewelry pieces have been polished repeatedly and are virtually worthless. Whenever i see an MS63 or better Columbian, housed in a brooch or pin, I am suspicious of
just how long these items have resided together. Be very careful about what you purchase!
The World's Columbian Exposition has given collectors of world's fair memorabilia a treasure trove of items to collect. Likewise, the commemorative coin enthusiast will also have many different varieties of Columbian Exposition Commemorative Half Dollar Holders to collect and a "complete" collection would be quite an undertaking.
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