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Lot #26
Clyde Barrow Death Car Coin

Silver dollar recovered from Barrow’s jacket immediately after the ambush, which later passed through the Gambino family

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Estimate: $10000+
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Description

Silver dollar recovered from Barrow’s jacket immediately after the ambush, which later passed through the Gambino family

A 1921 Morgan silver dollar recovered by posse member Ted Hinton, removed from Clyde Barrow’s dark blue blazer which was in the car, shortly after the ambush which ended Barrow’s and Bonnie Parker’s lives in 1934.

Accompanied by a letter from Hinton’s son, Linton J. ‘Boots’ Hinton stating “Among the many things that he retrieved from the car was Barrow’s jacket…In the pocket of the jacket were two silver dollar coins, both of which were retained by my father. I was aware that my father had a 1921 Morgan silver dollar which he kept in his “coin box”. I was not aware that he had two until the day he took them about to tell me the story of how he got them. The coins were kept locked in a his “coin box” until it was sold by him in 1946…Nothing has ever been mentioned, written, or published about Clyde's jacket being in the car right after the melee that morning. Only Ted and the other five posse members were aware of the jacket…I was later made aware of the jacket.”

Also accompanied by a letter of provenance from Michael Kozlindetailing the sale of the coin from Ted Hinton to a Dallas antique dealer in 1946. This antique dealer later crossed reputed mobster Paulie Castellano over an outstanding debt, and relinquished the coin (and his other valuables) to settle the debt, and explained the background of the coin to Castellano. In 1966, the letter writer’s grandfather, Armand Castellano, convicted bank robbery get-away car driver in 1930 (and Paulie’s cousin) was given the coin by Paulie as a razz. The coin was passed on from Armand to Kozlin in 1986, who then contacted Hinton who confirmed the details of the origin of the coin from Barrow’s jacket pocket.

Provenance: Clyde Barrow Ted Hinton M. Ross Paul Castellano Armand J. Castellano Michael Kozlin

Auction Info

  • Auction Title: Gangsters, Outlaws & Lawmen
  • Dates: #392 - Ended September 29, 2012