Dallas, TX. The entire, renowned Thomas M. Flynn Collection of U.S. and Canadian Currency, including more than 1,000 large size notes encompassing nearly every Friedberg number from one through 1225, will be offered with no reserves by Heritage Auction Galleries.
The collection will be offered as part of the official auction of the Central States Numismatic Society convention April 16 through April 18 in Rosemont, Illinois at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 555 North River Road, a stone’s throw from O’Hare International Airport.
Tom Flynn has been a familiar face to nearly everyone in the currency field for more than four decades. He started collecting United States currency in the mid-1960’s and expanded his collecting focus to include Canadian currency a few years later.
Unlike most collectors of his day, who were content to collect by seal type or signature combination, Tom’s horizons were much wider, as he soon decided his goal would be to own an example of every United States note issued by Friedberg number and every Canadian note issued by Charlton number. While no collection can ever be complete, Tom pursued his dream with passion for more than four decades, with truly marvelous results.
Comprising over one thousand notes encompassing nearly every Friedberg number from 1 through 1225, Tom’s large size note holdings include a plethora of rarities. A listing of highlights would be far too numerous to mention, however, the range of notes is spectacular, from a high grade $100 Watermelon pedigreed to the collection of Amon Carter, Jr., to a $50 National Gold Bank Note, which, by coincidence, was obtained directly from Amon over thirty years ago.
Of special mention is Tom’s complete set of large size Federal Reserve Bank Notes by Friedberg number, the only complete set that has ever been assembled by any collector. Unlike many type note collectors, Tom also acquired National Bank Notes by Friedberg number. Included in his collection are a host of numbers that are simply never seen, with many coming from populations of under five or seven pieces.
Tom was known as a specialist in small size notes, and this section of the collection is replete with rarities as well. From the 1933 $10 Silver Certificate with fancy serial number 999 to the many low number Federal Reserve Bank Notes, small size collectors will have a field day in obtaining trophy items which have been off the market for decades.
While Tom never made an attempt to acquire star notes by Friedberg number, a significant number of rare stars will be offered as well, including such items as an uncirculated $1 1928D Silver Certificate, and an R and S star pair as well.
The collection also includes a set of Fractional Currency by Friedberg number (although this set is less complete than Tom’s other collecting ventures) as well as a complete set of regular issue Military Payment Certificates.
Tom’s other love was Canadian currency, and this collection is likely the best ever offered at public auction in this country. Not only are many Dominion and Bank of Canada rarities present, but Tom’s collection of Canadian Chartered Bank Notes (a field akin to United States National Bank Notes) is easily the best auctioned anywhere in the past two decades.
Included are plate notes from the Charlton reference, high grade examples, and notes from banks so rare they are available only when the collections of major specialists are dispersed. For collectors of Canadian currency, this is easily the event of the year and perhaps of the decade.
Highlights of the auction include:
Fr. 1700 $10 Silver Certificate PMG Gem Uncirculated 65 EPQ
Fr. 1310a 50c First Issue PCGS Very Choice New 64PPQ
Series 591 $5 PCGS Gem New 66PPQ
Fr. 97 $10 1875 Legal Tender PMG Very Fine 30
Fr. 127 $20 1869 Legal Tender PMG Superb Gem Unc 67 EPQ
Fr. 151 $50 1869 Legal Tender PMG Very Fine 25
Fr. 161 $50 1880 Legal Tender PMG Gem Uncirculated 65 EPQ
Fr. 269 $5 1896 Silver Certificate PMG Gem Uncirculated 65 EPQ
Fr. 354 $2 1890 Treasury Note PMG Choice About Unc 58 EPQ
Fr. 360 $5 1890 Treasury Note PMG Choice Very Fine 35
Fr. 367 $10 1890 Treasury Note PMG Choice Uncirculated 64
Fr. 1072a $100 1914 Red Seal Federal Reserve Note PMG Gem Uncirculated 65 EPQ
Halifax, NS- The Bank of Nova Scotia $100 Jan. 2, 1919 Ch. # 550-28-36
Montreal, PQ- The Royal Bank of Canada $20 Jan. 2, 1909 Ch. # 630-10-04-22
Toronto, ON- The Canadian Bank of Commerce $5 Yukon Overprint Jan. 2, 1892 Ch. # 74-14-04c
Santa Fe, NMT – $5 1875 Fr. 408 The Second NB of New Mexico at Santa Fe Ch. # 2024
New York, NY – $1 Original Fr. 381 The Union Square NB Ch. # 1691
All of the lots are illustrated in color on the Heritage web site, which may be found at www.CurrencyAuctions.com.
To learn more about the Thomas M. Flynn Currency Collection, call Allen Mincho at (800) 872-6467, ext. 1327; Len Glazer at (800) 872-6467, ext 1390; or Jim Fitzgerald at (800) 872-6467, ext. 1348.
For more information about Heritage’s auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HA.com.
To reserve your copy of any Heritage auction catalog, please contact Client Services at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 1150, or visit www.HA.com/Catalog to order by email.
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