The E-Sylum:  Volume 9, Number 34, August 20, 2006, Article 14

HARRY X BOOSEL's LIBRARY AND OBITUARY

Len Augsberger writes: "I read the Boosel piece with interest,
as I have been keeping a file on him, to write an article someday.
Boosel also consigned literature to Fred Lake's sale #1, 5/17/1989,
including a run of Redbooks, some signed by Yeoman.  He also consigned
to Kagin #53, 4/24/1981 per Gengerke.  He died 8/18/1994.  No doubt
there is an obituary in the Chicago Tribune around that time, even
though his address is given as Miami.

The Numismatist coin club meeting reports, c. 1930-1940 contain
numerous references to Boosel under the Chicago coin club.  I purchased
an 1873 quarter some time back which turned out to be a Boosel piece,
I was pleased to make the attribution as Chicago is my home city."

Eric von Klinger forwarded Harry Boosel's 1994 Coin World obituary.
Here are a few excerpts:

"Harry X Boosel, ``Mr. 1873,'' a longtime coin collector, researcher,
Assay Commission member, local club officer and former governor of the
American Numismatic Association, died Aug. 18 in Chicago.

He wrote in the introduction to his 1873 monograph, ``Research of
this kind is usually a `labor of love' without thought of renumeration
other than the personal satisfaction of achieving something no one
else has accomplished, and of finding out things to satisfy a natural
curiosity.''

He is also remembered for another major contribution to numismatics.
He ``uncovered'' the long-forgotten collection of Nathan M. Kaufman,
labeled the ``find of the century,'' in 1976. Mr. Boosel had first
encountered the collection in 1943 when assigned by the U.S. Army to
Marquette, Mich. The collection was on display in a Marquette bank,
in a special room built specifically for the coins. However, he did
not then have access to two safes containing some of the rarest coins.

More than 30 years later, Mr. Boosel returned to Marquette and was
reintroduced to the collection, which had long been forgotten by most
in the hobby. He was granted access to the two safes and uncovered
one of the most important collections built during the 19th century.

[Can anyone tell us more about the collection of Nathan M. Kaufman?
How many years was it on display?  Is there any ephemera associated
with it, such as an exhibit catalog?  -Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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