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Beck

Born in Chestnut Ridge, Pennsylvania. Attended St. Vincent's College at Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Married with a daughter. He operated the John A. Beck Salt Company founded by his father. Later he was successful in the oil business.

The Beck collection included an important group of pioneer territorial gold. Beck also acquired hoards of some rare items including 102 Humbert $20 gold pieces, 931 $3 gold pieces, and 571 1856 Flying Eagle cents.

Beck assembled a major collection of Indian relics that was donated to the Carnegie Museum. The coin collection remained in the vaults of the Pittsburgh National Bank and Trust Company for 50 years after his death. It was sold at auction in three sales conducted by Abner Kreisberg January 27-29, 1975; February 12-13, 1976; and February 14, 1977. A proof Kellogg $50 gold piece realized $120,000.

bio: CAT Kreisberg (photo); NUM 105 Nov 92 pp 1549-1556

 

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2 entries found for [year:1900]

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    Beck Correspondence File, Adams-Mehl 1/1/1900

    Beck Correspondence File, Adams-Mehl

    John A. Beck numismatics correspondence, c. 1900-1920, scanned from photocopies of originals in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Courtesy of Wayne K. Homren.
    Correspondents include Adams & Company, Edgar H. Adams, Ulric(?) Allen, American Numismatic Association (Frank Duffield), George H. Blake, A. J. Brady, Van Schaik & Brice, C. F. Clarke & Co., J.S. Canddario(?), S. H. and H. Chapman, Byrle Davis, Robert Woolley (U.S. Mint Director), Divver & Co., Thomas Elder, Alvin J. Fink, A. C. Gies (Western Pennsylvania Numismatic Society), H. O. Granberg, Ludger Gravel, W. F. Greany, Ben G. Green, J. M. Henderson, William Hesslein, J. Lehrenkrauss & Sons, Theophile E. Leon (Chicago Coin Company), A. Atlas Leve, Edward E. Levi, Lyman H. Low, E. W. Jeffrey, C. Johnson, Nathan Joseph, J. E. Inman, S. D. Kiger, Jun Kobayagawa Co., H. O. Mann, Fred Michael & Bro., B. Max Mehl. The Mehl correspondence is extensive.


    Beck Correspondence File, Michael-Zerbe 1/1/1900

    Beck Correspondence File, Michael-Zerbe

    John A. Beck numismatics correspondence, c. 1900-1920, scanned from photocopies of originals in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Courtesy of Wayne K. Homren. Correspondents include Edward Michael, H. E. Morey, C. H. Shinkle (Myers & Shinkle), Matt Raphael, Wayte Raymond, R. R. Reed, Jacob Roth, Royal Money & Stamp Co., L. Ruben, Joseph Rublisnky, F. W. Ruskanoff, D. L. Passavant(?), May Warren Peck, James B. Pelletier, W. P. Pierce, David Proskey, Spink & Son, Burdette G. Johnson (St. Louis Stamp & Coin), Stamp and Coin Exchange (W. P. Brown), Charles Steigerwalt, Elmer S. Sears, Harlan P. Smith, Sutro & Co., Superintendent of the U.S. Mint at San Francisco (Thaddeus W. H. Shanahan), Luther Tuthill, William von Bergen, Walter F. Webb, C. P. Wilcomb, L. A. Wolff, Howland Wood, Farran Zerbe.

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