WHACO! Database Code
Explanation
Autograph-Category: The name of
the historic figure or the category of certificate. Current categories include Aviation,
Automobiles, Communications, etc. and are shown on the preceding page.
Company-Document: The name on
the certificate, stock, or bond (abbreviations are often necessary); or in the
case of documents that defy brief descriptions the codes defined under the
column "Type."
Date: Year and
month of the catalog or auction (MMM-YY, ex: Mar-00).
Auct_Cat (Auction_Catalog): The auction
or catalog in which the item was offered.
Some names are self explanatory like Malone, Garrison, and Veissid,
others have been abbreviated as shown below.
·
R. M. Smythe is
reflected as "SM#" plus the auction number (ex: SM#118).
·
Scott J. Winslow
& Associates is WINS# plus the auction number.
·
Stock Search
International is SSI# plus the auction number.
·
Fred Holabird is
Holabird plus the auction date (ex: Holabird-6/00)
·
COHASCO Document
Preservation Center is COHASCO# plus the auction number.
Item: The number of
the item in the catalog, if it was numbered.
Year: The year the
certificate or document was signed.
"n/d" or blank means
"no date." In cases of clipped
signatures and autographs, they rarely have dates. 189_ or other date indicates not
issued. Uniss: unissued.
Type:
Symbol
|
Definition
|
Symbol
|
Definition
|
|
ADS |
Autographed Document Signed |
LS |
Letter Signed |
|
AES |
Autograph Endorsement Signed |
MDS |
Manuscript Document Signed |
|
AFF |
Autographed Free Frank |
MLS |
Manuscript Letter Signed |
|
ALS |
Autographed Letter Signed |
P |
Preferred Stock |
|
ANS |
Autographed Note Signed |
PS |
Photograph Signed |
|
AQS |
Autographed Quote Signed |
S |
Stock |
|
B |
Bond |
SC |
Signed Card |
|
C |
Certificate |
SPEC |
Specimen |
|
CK |
Check (signed) |
SS |
Stock Stub |
|
CS |
Clipped Signature |
ST |
Stock Transfer |
|
DS |
Document Signed |
WT |
Warrants |
|
GB |
Gold Bond |
X |
Exchange |
Signed: How
the document was signed:
Symbol
|
Definition
|
|
I&SO/V |
Issued to and signed both
obverse and verso |
|
I&SV |
Issued to and Signed Verso |
|
I&SV(3) |
Issued to and signed three
times (including verso) |
|
n/a |
Not an autograph item |
|
S |
Signed (manuscript or
document) |
|
SO |
Signed Obverse (front) |
|
SP |
Signed on Stock Power |
|
SS |
Signed Stub |
|
ST |
Signed Transfer |
|
SV |
Signed Verso (back) |
|
Uniss |
Unissued, not signed and
not issued |
Est-Ask: Estimated and
Asked refer to the two terms used by dealers to describe the price for which
they expect to sell the item. In the case of catalogs it is the asking price.
Realized: The price the item sold for in dollars. Monetary conversion factors are shown in
remarks to show what it was at the time of sale. (Ex: 1£ = $1.455)
Comm-Disc: Commission or Discount (for price list buys in
quantity) as a percentage For commissions, they should be added to the price
realized to get the “cost.” For price list discounts, where WHACO!
assumes that the collector will buy in sufficient quantity to qualify for the
discount, they should be subtracted from the asking price, to get the “cost.”
Cost: The price
realized times 1 plus the commission. For example, $100 realized and 12%
commission, cost is reflected as $100 × (1+.12) = $112.
International
Auctions have a minimum bid where U.S. auctions have a flexible asking price.
In many cases, WHACO! is unable
to obtain the prices realized, but includes these items because, if they sold,
they sold for the minimum or higher and members are interested in these minimum
prices. The remarks section includes information on the exchange rate used.
For
International auctions the Cost column adds the commission (usually 15%
plus a VAT) to the Minimum Bid price in the Estimate/Asking column
since the price would not be less than this amount.
Remarks: See page 3 for abbreviations. Since
international auctions are in Pounds Sterling (£), Marks (DM), Euros (€), or Belgium Francs, the
conversion factor used for the Estimate/Asking column is included in the
remarks. For example, the remarks section might include 1$=.9€ . In this case, we multiplied
the minimum bid price, say 100€ times 0.9 to get the dollar minimum bid of $90 included in the Estimate/Asking
column of the database.
REMARKS
·
Condition (E, EF,
VF+, P, etc.)
• F(ine) • G(ood) • VF (very fine)
• E(xcellent) • EF (extremely fine) • P(oor)
“+” or “-”
are used in combination to reflect better than or worse than (ex: VF+ is better
than very fine, but not extremely fine). VF+ is assumed.
·
Uniss - Unissued
(used for unissued certificates).
·
Cancellations are
assumed and “U” means uncancelled.
·
Punch hole
cancellations through signature obscure the signature, therefore WHACO!
tries to show the number of holes in a signature wherever possible (ex: POC(3);
POC(1), POC(?) [if not stated]). For large or numerous punch hole cancellations
not in the signature, POC without parenthesis is used.
·
If the signatures
are line or stamp canceled, “line cnx” or “stamp cnx” is used space permitting
(cancelled assumed).
·
Condition
comments if significant (ex: poc(?), “foxing,”)
·
Certificate
number (ex: #16, #3)
·
Revenue stamps if
description is available are shown (ex: R-235, RN-P5, R27). Quantities are
shown within parenthesis (ex; “RN-P5(2)”)
·
If signed by a
notable, who is not a database autograph, “s/b:” is used (ex: s/b: James
Smith). Stocks issued to, but not signed by notables are reflected as “i/t:”,
for example: i/t: Robert Moses.
·
Significant
catalog quotes that enhance the value
of the item are shown in quotes. Ex: “rarely seen,” “first time seen,” “only
three known” are important and if necessary are shortened with editorial
brackets (ex: “…highest par value [seen]”) to save space. WHACO! is
not verifying the scarcity of the item.
·
Signer of the
Declaration of Independence (SD) or Constitution (SC)
·
Show quantities
with parenthesis (ex; RN-P5(2); POC(4))
Examples:
P; POC(3); #2; R24; “rare!”; water stained
Choice; #21; “first time seen by us”
U; E; foxing; line cnx; s/b: Aaron Pinkler
U; G; SD; “scarce”
U; VF-; “scarce”; R48(2); POC
VF; POC; line cnx
EF; R48; “scarce”
U; F; R44; “corner tip restored”
F+; “ink stain”
DATABASE CATEGORIES
Autographs
Automobiles
Aviation
Banks
Canals
Communications
Confederate
Entertainment
Express & Transportation
Food & Drink
Hospitals & Medical
Insurance
International
Manufacturing
Mining
Misc Certificates
Munitions
Oils
PopArt
Pre-1800
Publishing & Printing
Railroads
Resorts
Shipping
Specimens
Sports
State & Treasury Bonds
Texas
Turnpikes, Bridges, & Roads
Utilities