Sears Coin Shop

[PacificWR]

Founds this at the local coin gallery last week. Not sure when Sears started selling coins, but I think this predates 1986. The Morgan Dollar is an 1881-S VAM-74.

(Click image to view at higher resolution.)

[vamnuke]

[CascadeChris]

Assuming its that Sears, my guess is it was in their 1960s/70s catalog. Sears & Roebuck used to sell everything. At the turn of the 20th century they were the Amazon of the day. Anything you could think of they pretty much had. I think they still had the catalogs up until the late 80s/early 90s and I would fully expect them to offer Morgans in their catalogs during the treasury release & GSA era.. Just a hunch tho, of course.

[messydesk]

This is probably shortly after the Treasury release, but after clad coinage started. I have my doubts that it's "that" Sears. The holder probably would have been more decoratively printed and said "Sears, Roebuck & Co." or have the then official logo. Maybe I'm wrong. I think Tom DeLorey might know, since I remember him saying he worked in the Marshall Fields coin department for a time. One thing for sure, though is that it's not the coin shop of David Sear, the guy who wrote the popular references for ancients.

Maybe it's this guy.

[VamHelsing]

My Sear's catalog from 1923 shows Full auto Thompson machine guns for sale....
Wish I would have bought some... Although I wasn't even close to being born then...

[CascadeChris]

This is probably shortly after the Treasury release, but after clad coinage started. I have my doubts that it's "that" Sears. The holder probably would have been more decoratively printed and said "Sears, Roebuck & Co." or have the then official logo. Maybe I'm wrong. I think Tom DeLorey might know, since I remember him saying he worked in the Marshall Fields coin department for a time. One thing for sure, though is that it's not the coin shop of David Sear, the guy who wrote the popular references for ancients.

Maybe it's this guy.

Yeah, I had my doubts too with it just saying "Sears" but they were countered by the return policy. What kind of B&M shop had a return policy if it was still in the holder? Sounds more like a Sears catalog item. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe your right, maybe we're both wrong. Now I'm curious tho

And nice. I knew you'd eventually find a way to bring JP to VW

[PacificWR]

This is probably shortly after the Treasury release, but after clad coinage started. I have my doubts that it's "that" Sears. The holder probably would have been more decoratively printed and said "Sears, Roebuck & Co." or have the then official logo. Maybe I'm wrong. I think Tom DeLorey might know, since I remember him saying he worked in the Marshall Fields coin department for a time. One thing for sure, though is that it's not the coin shop of David Sear, the guy who wrote the popular references for ancients.

Here is the back story to the Sears Coin Shop coin purchase. When I walked into the local Coin Gallery the owner of the Sears coin had not finished selling his coin and note collection. Two employees of the Coin Gallery were working on the deal. After the deal was completed, but before the previous owner of the Sears Coin had left the owner of the coin gallery let me look at the notes and coins. The Sears coin caught my immediate attention and I ask him if he had bought the coin from Sears Roebuck and he said that he had…a long time ago. Hence the reason behind the post. I have never seen one before and neither had the Coin Gallery owner and employee’s.

[Longstrider]

@VamHelsing I remember that Thompson add. It showed a cowboy/rancher on his porch with his Tommy Gun. I can't remember if it had a stick magazine or the drum. Probably stick. Anyhow he was shooting at a band of Indians on horseback attacking him. Don't blast me. Indians here, where I live, call themselves Indians. May have also been in a Coast to Coast Hardware Store add as well. What didn't Sears sell? Thanks cool pick up.

[CascadeChris]

Boom. My deductive reasoning rarely fails me

It is somewhat strange that they left off the & Roebuck part though, as JB eluded to.

[RogerB]

Boom. My deductive reasoning rarely fails me

It is somewhat strange that they left off the & Roebuck part though, as JB eluded to.

Roebuck was a stamp collector, that's why his name was omitted. I guess when they sold stamps, the holder said "Roebuck & Co."

[CascadeChris]

Boom. My deductive reasoning rarely fails me

It is somewhat strange that they left off the & Roebuck part though, as JB eluded to.

Roebuck was a stamp collector, that's why his name was omitted. I guess when they sold stamps, the holder said "Roebuck & Co."

Thats odd..

[PacificWR]

It appears that no one has seen a Sears Coin Shop Morgan Dollar in a old Paper holder. These are my thoughts. There were three red stamps used on each hold. Two on the front and one on the back. One for condition of the coin (MS ), One for name of the coin shop and the one on the back for the return policy. Think the red stamps say a lot about the time period and the reason Roebuck does not appear is simply a space issue on the paper holder.

[collectinsince65]

Wayne
Really cool coin you have
This may be a case of "buy the holder not the coin"!
Vaguely remember walking down a main aisle in a Sears in the early 70's past a single coin showcase on my left
I was about 11 or 12 at the time
Did some research today regarding your post
Amazing the items Sears sold over the years!

[PacificWR]

Wayne
Really cool coin you have
This may be a case of "buy the holder not the coin"!
Vaguely remember walking down a main aisle in a Sears in the early 70's past a single coin showcase on my left
I was about 11 or 12 at the time
Did some research today regarding your post
Amazing the items Sears sold over the years!

That's exactly it. Thanks for doing some research. It sure is. I looked at some old Sears Catalogs from the 1930's and 1960's. Sears has been selling coins for a long time. I really don't think the lack of the "Roebuck" name is anything unusual. I have bought tools and appliances over the years and the only name on them has been "Sears".

[PacificWR]

I got on Collectors Universe and found numerous threads where folks said they bought coins at Sears department stores. Macy's, Woolworth's and other's also sold coins.

[PacificWR]

Received a lot of good feedback from my Collectors Universe post and from the folks at PCGS CoinFacts. There is no question in some Sears stores they did sell coins. One guy was a licensee with Sears, Roebuck & Company from 1977-2000.. His store was named the Sears Stamp & Coin Department and was located within a Sears store in an upscale mall in Clearwater Florida. He expanded to other Sears stores in St. Petersburg Florida and on Long Island in New York. Heck, the Clearwater store was right down the road from where my daughter and her husband live (Palm Harbor). Sears also did produce a coin catalog, but not sure yet if it was a yearly thing or not. I'll post some photo's of one of the Sears coin catalog's.

[lured_in_again]

Seems I remember my dad asking about coin sets that were advertised in the old Sears credit card monthly statement - whether they were a good deal or not (they were not) If I remember correctly, I believe Montgomery Wards had similar ads at times with their monthly statements also.

[messydesk]

... One guy was a licensee with Sears, Roebuck & Company from 1977-2000.. His store was named the Sears Stamp & Coin Department and was located within a Sears store in an upscale mall in Clearwater Florida. ...

So it would seem, then, that a licensee could name their shop whatever they wanted within certain guidelines set forth by Sears. Sears Stamp & Coin Department, Sears Coin Shop, Sears Coin & Stamp, Sears Coins, and so on. All packaging would also be the sole responsibility of the licensee.

[PacificWR]

Displayed in the photo's below is an 1992 Sears coin catalog. Look's like they worked something out with the Kennedy Mint. Note the name of the catalog is "Sears", but the mail in Envelope is labeled "Sears Roebuck".

(Click image to view at higher resolution.)

[PacificWR]

... One guy was a licensee with Sears, Roebuck & Company from 1977-2000.. His store was named the Sears Stamp & Coin Department and was located within a Sears store in an upscale mall in Clearwater Florida. ...

So it would seem, then, that a licensee could name their shop whatever they wanted within certain guidelines set forth by Sears. Sears Stamp & Coin Department, Sears Coin Shop, Sears Coin & Stamp, Sears Coins, and so on. All packaging would also be the sole responsibility of the licensee.

Think the two main things were the name "Sears" in the coin shop name and for it to be located in a Sears store..