The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-20

FELIX DELos BoUaHT 1T IN CANAL
STREET ron 800.

Having Rend In Tho sun or the Fancy Price
Put by Numtsrnnttsts on the Tive or Three
Dollars with Thnt Date That Are R4tant.
ne would Like to sell d to the Governhasnt.
Another 1904 dollar has turned up. While
collectors have been Offering prices ranging
around $4,000 for specimens Of this coin, and
numismatists have been discussing orally and
verbally tho problem Of what has become Of
the 90. 900 silver dollars struck of in 1904, this
piece has b,en lying In a booksellers shop on
Canal street. Two months ago It was bought
by Felix Delos, a marble cutter living at sol
West Fifty.second street, for 800. When Mr..
Delos read in THE SUN last week that one Billy
Seymour, bartender in Montana, had received
over his bar a coin Of that denomination and
vintage, reckoned to DO worth anywhere from
$4,000 to $4,000. he took his pen In hand to
inform Monsieur 10 Directeur du SUN, in very
excellent French, Of his 1904 dollar. So "a re-
porter went there yesterday to zee Mr.. Delos
and his money.
Having fret assured himself, with consid-
cradle care, for which he politely apologized,
that his visitor was really from THE SUN and
not q ~piratical collector, Mr.. Delos proceeded
to produce the dollar. First he took of his
coat, then his waistcoat. Loosening bis right
suspender strap. he CROPPED with his left hand
In mysterious quarters somewhere In the re-
Rion of the seventh rib, and after something
of a struggle, brought forth a small chamois
case, which being opened. disclosed the much
priced bit.
As to tho genuineness of tho coin, only an cx-
pert would be qualified to give an opinion. and
not very many experts. for comparatively few
have ever aeon al 1904 dollar. This ono was
In an excellent state of preservation, slightly
darkened, as II from tho action Of sulphur, but
az clear and clean Of cut as o coin Of the pros-
ont year. Compared with q dollar Of 1900.
which Mr.. Delos has, 1t showed tho same
workmanship. but was somewhat better pre-
served: On the diverse 10 the profile head Of
er featured than our modern goddess, and per-
ted tied tiP 1es Oh 4 SinssH; y fo Ss : : Is 'a eSs e Se'i IN
the edge Of the dollar are thirteen stars, peven
to the right of the head and six to the left. At
the bottom are the figures 1904 On the re;
holding in its beak the streamer inscribed "E
Pluribus Unum." Above are the thirteen
and two in the thru dRPit and loT' above the@ s several
circular 1s 5lotches, probably meant to indicate ttSe
eiGsas Of f tSe egGin a " Uneven qai IN n eSe IeBrt On Of eG 9se
lines, though sharply cut.
Around the rim of the dollar there is no
beginning at the bottom under the date, and
going al the way around;
,one Dollar, One Unit; Hundred Cents"
Between the words are peculiar marks, four
In a row. evidently put there to fll out space.
Examination with a powerful magnifying glass
failed to show and evidence thar the date had
numismatists. With the exception of the date,
the dollar seemed to be an exact replica Of the
1900 dollar.
For about two years Mr.. Delos, who is a col.
lector Of all kinds of antiquities, and of coins in
particular has known OF the dollar. He first
saw 1t in Hugh Roden's old book store on Canal
street, where he was bargaining for an old vol
ume.
This might be in your line said the pro-
prietor, showing lin the coin.
Not very much.' said Mr.. Delos. 81 am
more interested In coins Of smaller denomina.
lions, coppers particularly. How much do you
-Four thousand dollars" said the dealer.
MIR: Delos laughed and went away. Some
months after Mr.. Roden again called his atten-
ton to the coin, but they could not come to an
agreement on the price, though the dealer had
materially modified his demand. Finally,
about two months ago, Mr.. Delos bought the
dollar for 800. He supposed it to be worth
three or four hundred dollars. When he read
he was surprised; Hitherto he has collected as
an amateur and has sold nothing, but this coin.
ne says, ts too expensive a luxury for q man Of
his means, and he will try and sell 1t to the Gov
eminent. Several years ago the. Government
attempted unsuccassfully to purchase an 1904
dollar from Mr.. Parmlee, the Boston numis-
matist. A number of experts have seen Mr..
Delos's dollar and pronounced it genuine.