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Zerbe No. 7 Variety

Same as Zerbe No. 5, except stamped into the obverse field SAM COHEN / VICTOR, COLO. The pieces are serially numbered.

Mr. Cohen was a jeweler in the Guinan Building, on Victor Avenue, Victor, Colorado. In later years, Mr. Cohen practiced law in New York City. He published a book in 1940, telling of his experiences in the mining towns of Victor and Cripple Creek, Gold Rush De Luxe. Reviewing the known numbers, it is probable that 50 Imprints from stock were stamped for SAM COHEN. Of the sixteen COHEN pieces listed below, nine are known by this writer to have a "punch" in the rising, or setting sun, in the mining scene. Such a "punch" has only been found on the COHEN variety.

Zerbe No. 7 Variety Table

Removing 50 from the stock of Imprints, to be stamped SAM COHEN, we have remaining 740 Imprints.

Zerbe No. 8 Variety

Same as Zerbe No. 5, except stamped into the obverse field, D.W. KLEIN & CO / PUEBLO, COLO. The pieces are serially numbered.

Mr. Klein had a retail liquor store in Pueblo, Colorado. Whiteley stated that Klein purchased 300 pieces. However, with a review of the known numbered pieces listed here, it is believed by this author that only 100 pieces were stamped D.W. KLEIN & CO.

Zerbe No. 8 Variety Table

Removing 100 pieces from the stock of Imprints, to be stamped D.W. KLEIN & CO. we have remaining 640 Imprints.

Zerbe No. 9 Variety

Same as Zerbe No. 5, except stamped into the obverse field, GEO. MULLEN / VICTOR, COLO. The pieces are known both serially numbered and without numbers.

Again, while Whiteley believed that 100 pieces were struck for Mullen, a review of the listed numbers reveals that probably only 50 were stamped GEO. MULLEN.

Zerbe No. 9 Variety Table

Removing 50 from the stock of Imprints, to be stamped GEO. MULLEN, we have remaining 590 Imprints.

Zerbe No. 10 Variety

Same as Zerbe No. 5, except stamped into the obverse field, BOYD PARK / DENVER, COLORADO. The pieces are known both serially numbered and without numbers.

Mr. Park was a jeweler, and the store was located at 16th and Curtis Streets, Denver, Colorado. Whiteley believed that about 200 pieces were struck for Park. The listed pieces indicate that only 150 were stamped BOYD PARK.

Zerbe No. 10 Variety Table

Withdrawing 150 pieces from the stock of Imprints, to be stamped BOYD PARK, we have remaining 440 Imprints.

Zerbe No. 11 Variety

Same as Zerbe No. 5, except stamped into the obverse field, W.C. ALEXANDER / JEWELER / SALIDA, COLO. The second "A" in "SALIDA" is an inverted "V." The pieces are serially numbered.

Mr. Alexander was a jeweler in Salida, Colorado. There were probably 50 medals stamped with the name W.C. ALEXANDER.

Zerbe No. 11 Variety Table

Removing these 50 from the stock of Imprints, to be stamped W.C. ALEXANDER, we have remaining 390 Imprints.

Zerbe No. 12 Variety

Same as Zerbe No. 5, except stamped into the obverse field, GOODSPEEDS & CO / 26 PIKES PEAK AVE. All known pieces have the name engraved, not stamped.

Mr. L. G. Goodspeed had a jewelry and optical store at 26 Pikes Peak Ave., Colorado Springs, Colorado. Whiteley stated that the name was spelled incorrectly on the medals, adding an "S" to make "GOODSPEEDS," and a review of The Giles City Directory of Colorado Springs, May 1900, does spell the name with a final "S." However, previous and subsequent like directories omit the "S." It is difficult to say which was correct when the Lesher medal was issued. It is not known how many medals were engraved, but believed to be only a "few." With five known pieces, and reviewing these numbers, it is this writer's belief that no more than 15 went to Goodspeeds.

Removing 15 from the stock of Imprints, to be engraved GOODSPEEDS & CO, we have remaining 375 Imprints.

Zerbe No. 13 Variety

Same as Zerbe No. 5, except stamped into the obverse field, J.E. NELSON & CO. / HOLDREDGE, NEB. The pieces are serially numbered.

This is the only known Lesher to have the name of a business firm located outside of the state of Colorado. Whiteley stated that Nelson gave away his Leshers when he opened his new clothing store in the Trammel Block, in Holdredge, Nebraska. From the numbers known, it is believed by this writer that 50 pieces were stamped J.E. NELSON & CO.

Removing 50 pieces from the stock of Imprints, to be stamped, J.E. NELSON & CO., we have remaining 325 Imprints.

Zerbe No. 14 Variety

Same as Zerbe No. 5, except stamped into the obverse field, W.F. WHITE MERC. CO. / GRAND JCT. COLO. The pieces are known with and without serial numbers.

W.F. White owned a hardware/department store in Grand Junction, Colorado. From the known pieces, this writer believes that 50 medals were stamped W.F. WHITE MERC. CO.

Removing 50 pieces from the stock of Imprints, to be stamped W.F. WHITE MERC. CO., we have remaining 275 Imprints.

Zerbe No. 15 Variety

Same as Zerbe No. 5, except stamped into the obverse field, H. STEIN. The piece is serially numbered.

This writer's research has revealed that Mr. Stein was a printer in Canon City, Colorado. Only one piece is known engraved H. STEIN. Why only one piece?

It is known that two numismatists, both who lived in the Denver, Colorado area, were great rivals in the collection of Lesher medals. They were C.W. Cowell and O.H. Mann. When one would discover a new type or variety, he would proudly show it to the other, "Here is one you do not have." This writer suspects that in their zeal for new Leshers, one of them had an Imprint, No. 1050 (note that this number has not been located as an Imprint), and he had the name "H. STEIN" engraved, to have one his rival did not have. It is therefore believed to be a unique piece - one of a kind.

Removing this one from the stock of Imprints, and engraving H. STEIN, we have 274 remaining Imprints.

Zerbe No. 16 Variety

Same as Zerbe No. 5, except stamped into the obverse field, H.H. ROSSER. The piece is engraved.

Mr. Rosser owned a pool room/confectionery store located at 106 North 4th Street, Victor, Colorado. Again, why is there only one piece?

As with the Stein piece, this writer believes that the other rival in Denver promptly had one of his imprints engraved H.H. ROSSER in order to have a new variety - one of a kind.

Removing this one from the stock of imprints and engraved "H.H. ROSSER," we have 273 remaining imprints.

Zerbe No. 18 Variety

In the fall of 1998, a new variety was discovered by Mr. Tom Hallenbeck of Colorado Springs, Colorado. That Imprint Type had the name "A.W. Clark / DRUGGIST / DENVER, COLO. / No. 1." The name and address were engraved on the medal, but not in script, as was the cases of the Stein and Rosser medals. Mr. Hallenbeck's research indicated that there was a druggist named Alfred W. Clark who ran a drug store on Santa Fe Avenue, in Denver, Colorado, from 1894 through 1924. however, Mr. Clark's name was not located in any of the writings of Mr. Lesher, who died in 1918. It is possible that Mr. Clark had a copy of the Imprint Type and had his name and address added to the Imprint. This medal is engraved "No 1" which may indicate it was the only one engraved with Clark's name.

Looking at the number of Imprints remaining after removing all of the pieces of the twelve varieties (777 medals), these remaining 272 pieces are a logical total number of imprints - with the 39 known listed earlier. If there were 1050 outstanding Imprints, we would surely have found more than 39 on our list.

Based on the information summarized in the accompanying Table I, this writer believes that there are only 1870 Lesher Medals, of all types and varieties. He does not find it logical that there could be the estimates that have been previously given - 3000 to 3500 of all types and varieties.

The varieties shown in Table II are considered by this writer to be part of the 1050 Imprint Types, not additional Leshers. For the writer believes, as stated, that there were only 1870 Leshers total.

(Numbers updated 02/13/2003)

(Numbers updated 02/13/2003)

Having located, numismatically, a total of 546 Lesher Medals, this writer believes he has a good enough sampling to logically justify the conclusions reached on the numbers of pieces that Mr. Lesher made, a total of 1870 Joseph Lesher's Referendum Silver Souvenir Medals.

A Lesher question which this writer has not been able to solve, is why there is a small sharp punch mark, as seen on the image here.

This writer has not examined all the Leshers listed in this article. Of those examined, and of those whose pictures that have been seen, only 21 pieces do not have this punch mark. It must be remembered that the First Type and the Trade Mark Type do not have the mining scene; therefore, these would not show the punch mark.

The small sharp punch mark is not entirely through the medals, it is not in the exact same position on each medal, and the depth of the hole made in the medals varies from piece to piece. It is believed by this writer that the punch marks were placed in these medals prior to the time they left the hands of Mr. Lesher. This conclusion is reached because the marks are found on all types and all varieties that have the mining scene. This writer does not know the why behind their being there, but perhaps they were placed in the almost same location, in the scene on the medals, as a means of identification (as a counterfeit detection mark, if you will). Placed in this way Mr. Lesher would know if a pieces brought in for redemption was in fact one of the pieces he issued. Any reader who has a better suggestion for the meaning behind these punchmarks is encouraged to let the writer know. In addition, the writer would welcome any information on additional Lesher Referendum Silver Souvenir Medals, and where they are today. Please write him c/o the American Numismatic Association, 818 North Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80903-3279, USA.

The assistance of Abe Kosoff is gratefully acknowledged for providing the pictures of the three unique Lesher medals from his collection - Zerbe numbers 15, 16 and 17.

¹ While Lesher and others since have referred to these pieces as "coins" and "dollars," it must be correctly stated that they are medals. The second and final year of issue has the word "medal" on the reverse.
² While not "pure silver," these medals are .950 fine.
³ In 1900 a U. S. Government Assay Office was in Denver, for the Denver Mint was not opened until 1906.
⁴ Governor of Colorado, 1893-1901.
⁵ U.S. Senator from Colorado, 1889-1901.
⁶ The Centennial State entered the Union August 1, 1876.
⁷ Die cutter was Frank Hurd.
⁸ U.S. Senator from Colorado, 1876-1883 and 1888-1914.
⁹ Weight is 480 grains (one troy ounce), 35mm in diameter, and .950 fine silver.
¹⁰ All medals of this type examined by the writer have the numbers engraved on each piece.
¹¹ Farran Zerbe, "Private Silver Coins Issued in the United States," American Journal of Numismatics, 51 (1917), 152-166.
¹² These would have to be the First Type.
¹³ No numbers were found above 210 in the 200s and no numbers have been found in the 300s and 400s.
¹⁴ R. Lesher does not know of a kinship to Joseph Lesher.
¹⁵ Zerbe, p. 160.
¹⁶ Ibid., p. 158.
¹⁷ Dr. Philip W. Whiteley, "The Lesher Story," Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine, Vol. 24 (October, 1958), p. 2041-2053.
¹⁸ Ibid., (November, 1958), p. 2328-2335.
¹⁹ Ibid., (December, 1958), p. 2829-2838.
²⁰ Zerbe No. 17 is listed here out of numerical order. However, this is the last type dated 1900, so it is listed prior to the type dated 1901.
²¹ There are two No. 2 Imprints and both have been examined by the writer.
²² There are two No. 3 Imprints and both have been examined by the writer.
²³ There are two No. 8 Imprints and both have been examined by the writer.
²⁴ Earliest known auction of a Lesher medal.
²⁵ Pseudonym.
²⁶ No numbers were found between 250 and 542.
²⁷ Rarity scale, 1 most common to 8 unique.

Adams, Edgar H. "The Lesher Referendum Dollar." The Numismatist 24 (1911), 270-1.
Briggs, Charles E. "The Lesher Coins." The Numismatist 33 (1920), 546-8.
Whiteley, Dr. Philip W. "The Lesher Story." The Numismatist Scrapbook Magazine 24 (1958), 2041-53, 2328-35, and 2829-38.
Zerbe, Farran. "Private Silver Coins Issued in the United States." American Journal of Numismatics 51 (1917), 152-66.