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The story of EAC includes much more than just club activities. The assembly and disbursement of major collections becomes a part of EAC history. The sale of major collections attracts many of our members and generates considerable discussion in P-W. (April 19, 1972) The collection of Dr. William Sheldon including all numbered early cent varieties and 30 NC-s was sold intact to Ted Naftzger. Duplicates following the merger were sold by New Netherlands November 14, 1973.

(February 11-13, 1974) Superior conducted part I of the Charles Ruby sale including many choice early cents. Ruby was a native of Indiana and Professor of Law at Cal-Fullerton. Cataloguing was by Walter Breen and Denis Loring. The collection included strong early cents with duplicates of many rarities This was one of few times when EAC observers commented on the conservative grading standards used. This provided an opportunity for many coins to be re-offered shortly thereafter at inflated grades and prices. No coins awarded to mail bidders were returned. Additional copper coins were offered in Part III of the sale February, 10-12, 1975.

(1974) Denis Loring assembled a collection of early cents including all Sheldon numbered varieties and 25 NC-s. The collection was sold intact to Bob Shalowitz who dispersed it.

(November 28-29, 1979) Bowers and Ruddy conducted part I of the Garrett collection sale for Johns Hopkins University. On Wednesday, November 28, 51 lots of high grade half cents and 156 lots of exceptional large cents were offered. On Thursday, November 29, another 70 lots of choice colonial coins were offered. The Brasher Doubloon (Lot 607) got the publicity and the big bucks at $725,000. The timing of the sale found collectors and investors willing to establish record prices. Tom Morley received national publicity when his taxi drove away with several 1794 cents he had acquired at the auction. A media campaign to find the driver was successful and the coins were returned.

(March 26-27, 1980) Part II of the Garrett sale saw about 100 lots of Hard Times tokens offered. These also established record prices that set off a short period of increased interest in this series among the numismatic community. Prices soon dropped sharply to return to more rational levels.

(October 1-2, 1980) Part III of the Garrett sale included 345 more lots of choice colonial and state coinage.

(1982) John Adams assembled a high grade set of 1794 cents notable for the pedigrees from important collections. He consigned this collection to Bowers and Ruddy for sale at fixed prices. The sale catalog was offered softbound and in a limited hardbound edition. The hardbound edition has become a collector's item.

(1982) Denis Loring's collection of 1794 cents, exhibited at the ANA Convention, won the Howland Wood "Best of Show" award. The collection was sold intact to Jack Robinson.

(June 13-14, 1984) Stack's auctioned part I of the Floyd Starr collection. Dubbed "Starr Wars." The collection commanded considerable interest among large cent collectors. Highlights included the unique Strawberry leaf cent of 1793 (NC-2) and one of three known examples of NC-3. C. Douglas Smith was the primary cataloguer. He was assisted by Denis Loring and Jules Reiver. The collection had been built from the Hines and Newcomb late date collections.

(February 1, 1986) Kagin's sold the Phil Van Cleave Collection. Cataloguing was by Del Bland. Up to this time it was the most complete collection of Sheldon varieties offered at public auction. The Van Cleave collection did not include an S-79 or S-80 because he felt they were not part of the U. S. Mint series. A biography of Van Cleave, written by Darwin Palmer, was in the 7-15-85 issue of P-W. Van Cleave, an employee of the National Parks Service, died August 1, 1991.

(September 30-October 1, 1986) Superior sold the Robinson S. Brown collection of large cents, later called "The greatest large cent sale that ever was." Sale was catalogued by Jack Collins. "Robbie" Brown had been the first vice president of EAC. His collection represented the most complete series of large cents sold at public auction. All Sheldon varieties were represented as well as 29 of the non-collectibles. All the Newcomb varieties of 1816-1839 were included. The late dates were almost complete. Phil Ralls had an open house before the sale. Larry Goldberg hosted a reception at his recently remodeled house in Bel Air. Jack H. Robinson bought the S-79 to become the seventh collector to complete the Sheldon number collection.

(March 26, 1987) Bowers and Merena conducted the Frederick B. Taylor sale. It was a landmark sale for colonial coins.

(March 16, 1988) The Herman Halpern collection of large cents was sold by Stack's. Halpern owned McGlades New Pub in New York City. Cataloguing was by Carl Carlson. Called "The Hall of Fame of U.S. Large Cents," it had been assembled from the Bareford collection, Bland's 1794's, Norman Stack's 1794's, Loring's middle dates and Doug Smith's 1816's, 17's, 36's and 37's. The 774 cents realized nearly $2 million.

(September 9, 1988) The Herbert M. Oeschner sale included half cents, large cents, Hard Times Tokens and colonials. The colonials were the strongest group.

(January 29-30, 1989) The Jack S. Robinson collection sale of half cents and large cents was sold by Superior. The collection included all numbered Sheldon varieties. Many varieties were represented with multiple die states. Jack wrote much of the catalog with assistance from Del Bland. Phil Ralls hosted an open house on January 27 before the sale. Mark Goldberg hosted a reception January 28 at the Marina Del Ray Yacht Club on the Pacific. The S-79 passed to G. Lee Kuntz who became the eighth person to complete the Sheldon number series. The five living members of that elite group attended the sale: Brown, Kuntz, Loring, Naftzger and Robinson. J.R. Frankenfield who would inherit the legacy as #9 also attended the sale.

(1989) Dan Holmes completed the series of cent varieties of 1816-1839 becoming the only complete set of known varieties.

(May 28, 1989) Superior sold the Robert E. Matthews collection. Cataloguing was by Del Bland.

(November 2, 1989) The Joseph Rose collection of large cents was sold by Harmer Rooke in New York City. Rose was one of the principals with Harmer Rooke.

(January 28, 1990) Superior sold the collection of Dr. Thomas Chalkley. The collection was noted for strong late date cents.

(June 1, 1990) George F. Kolbe sold "Selections from the John W. Adams Library." The sale included classic works on U.S. large cents and much correspondence by persons important in the history of the hobby.

(February 3, 1991) Superior sold the Dennis Mendelson sale of large cents. Cataloguing was by Del Bland. The strength of the collection was in VF-XF middle date cents and die states.

(October 6, 1991) The G. Lee Kuntz collection appeared at auction by Superior. The usual reception was hosted by Superior October 5. J. R. Frankenfield bought the S-79 to become the 9th collector to complete the Sheldon number collection.

(January 26-27, 1992) The Roger Cohen collection appeared in a Superior auction. Superior hosted a Super Bowl party and barbecue prior to the sale. The collection included every half cent variety and sub-variety known. It also included multiple examples, die states and errors.

(January 27, 1992) Superior sold the John J. Nicholas, Jr. collection as part of "The Century Collection Sale." The collection was strong on high grade middle date cents including a pair of 1834 N-7 cents. The Nicholas consignment was submitted to PCGS for grading without encapsulation. Del Bland graded the consignment based on "EAC" grading. It gave a unique opportunity to study the two grading standards.

(March 1992) The Ted Naftzger collection of half cents, early date cents and 56 proofs was sold to 21 year-old Eric Streiner. Streiner had 102 pieces encapsulated by PCGS. More than 100 pieces were sold to dealer Jay Parrino. Streiner attributed Naftzger's decision to sell to the controversy over Clapp coins substituted at the ANS.

(May 31-June 2, 1992) The Tom Morley collection was sold by Superior.

(October 1-4, 1992) The Dennis Mendelson Library was sold by George F. Kolbe. The sale featured "all the classic works on large cents." Many were deluxe editions and many were in high states of preservation.

(July 30, 1994) The Walter Dudgeon collection of middle date and late date cents was sold by McCawley-Grellman Auctions.

(August 19, 1995) The Gary Ruttenberg collection of late date cents was sold by McCawley-Grellman Auctions.

(January 27, 1996) Superior held the Robbie Brown II sale. Cataloguing was by Del Bland. The sale included 347 of 354 known early cent varieties. Middle date cent varieties were complete.

(April 1996) A group of 4600 large cents was sold to Robert Miller who quickly resold them to Steven Ellsworth. The group has become known as the "Butternut Hoard." It offered a unique opportunity for study.

(May 4, 1996) At the EAC Sale, Wes Rasmussen acquired lot 261, an 1834 N-7, to complete his collection of middle date cents.

(November 14, 1996) Jack Wadlington bought an 1822 N-14 cent and completed his collection of middle date cent varieties.

(September 8-10, 1997) The Dr. William J. Carmel Jr. collection of early date large cents and Robert Vail collection of middle and late date cents was sold by Superior.

(September 12, 1997) Dick Punchard's numismatic library was sold. It consisted of 1471 lots and was billed as the Copper Literature sale of the century and the most important library related to large cents that has ever been offered at auction.

(May 31, 1998) The Chuck Heck Middle Date Large Cent Collection was auctioned through M & G Auctions.

(June 13,1998) The Dr. Charles L. Ruby library was sold. The sale featured presentation and inscribed copies of key works on U. S. Large Cents and other classic titles on American numismatics.

(October 17, 1999) The Grant O. Reed Collection was sold by USCents.com in an Internet mail bid sale. Grant's collection constituted a unique offering in the history of large cents. Every one of the 177 lots (176 different varieties) was slabbed.

(February 6, 7, 8, 2000) The March Wells Collection was auctioned by Superior Stamp & Coin during the 2000 Pre-Long Beach Coin Auction. The Wells collection comprised an impressive grouping of 353 Middle Date Large Cents and was billed as one of the finest, and most complete collections of cents between 1816-1839.

(April 25, 2000) The Wayne Anderson Collection of "Conder" Tokens and References was sold through mail in bids. The auction contained nearly 400 lots of high grade British tokens, many of “condition census” quality and a major library of British token references.

(June 5-7, 2000) The C. Douglas Smith Collection (Part I) was auctioned by Superior Galleries at the Pre-Long Beach Sale. The Smith sale included exceptional examples of each numbered variety for the years 1797 and 1803. Also included in this sale was a high grade date set from Mr. Louis Ullian.

(February 18 - 20, 2001) The Benson Collection of United States Coinage Part 1 was sold through Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins. The Benson collection assembled in the 1930's to 1940's represented a wide range of numismatic treasures. Among the Benson inventory was a significant collection of Colonial coinage, half cents and large cents from 1793 - 1857.

(February 17-20, 2001) The J. R. Frankenfield Collection was auctioned by Superior Galleries. The 1,940-lot Frankenfield collection featured an extraordinary selection of rare coinage consisting of the most extensive collection of American half cents and large cents ever offered in a singular sale realizing a spectacular $2,602,001.50 when the final hammer fell.

(November 29-December1, 2001) The Dr. Robert I. Hinkley collection of Vermont Coppers, including 31 different varieties represented by 120 different pieces was auctioned through Bowers and Merena Galleries. The auction was held in conjunction with the Washington/Baltimore convention.

(January 8, 2002) The Dr. Roy Sturgeon collection of Half and Large Cents was auctioned by Bowers and Merena. This remarkable assemblage of early coppers comprised many rarities and NC varieties and included the largest group of 1793 Liberty Cap cents (52 in all) ever to come on the market.

(June 2, 2002) Superior sold the Robbie Brown collection of late dates which is now known as RSB III. Normally it is exceptional for a collector to assemble one complete collection within his lifetime but this was Robbie's third. And, it was unique in that it was comprised completely of the late date (1840 to 1857) varieties. There were 1543 lots and contained so many condition census coins that his collection could easily be considered "the"reference collection. When congratulated and asked what he was going to do now. His response was "wait until you see my condor collection." Once a collector, always a collector.