PHINNEY, WENDELL LEWIS

Copyright 2000-2019 John N. Lupia, III

Wendell Lewis Phinney (1884-1974), born June 10, 1884, at Pawtucket, son of George Frederick Phinney (1857-1943), and Addie Frances Slocum (1862-1944).

He was the grandson of Squire Z. Phinney a tobacconist who made cigars and sold wholesale tobacco.

Together with George Barton, and George Carpenter Arnold he attended the Lyman Haynes Low and Chapman Brothers coin sales held on June 18^th and 19^th, 1902.

Phinney was an early American copper specialist of U. S. Cents and Half Cents.

There are several items of correspondence in the Lupia Numismatic Library, Special Collection, The Chapman Family Correspondence Archive. Below just two showing his advertising cover, and a postal card.

Wendell L. Phinney, Numismatist and Coin Dealer, correspondence with the Chapman Brothers, postmarked Providence, Rhode Island, January 21, 1905. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library, Special Collection, The Chapman Family Correspondence Archive.

Phinney's interest with U. S. Large Cents grew more intense in April 1905 wanting to known more about 1794 varieties and Hays attributions wanting to get a copy of his book.

Wendell L. Phinney, Numismatist and Coin Dealer, correspondence with the Chapman Brothers, postmarked Providence, Rhode Island, April 7, 1905. "Please tell me where I can get a book on the varieties of coins known and marked by "Hays" as (1794 cent fallen 4, Hayes 52) etc. Yours truly, W. L. Phinney" Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library, Special Collection, The Chapman Family Correspondence Archive.

Wendell L. Phinney, Numismatist and Coin Dealer, correspondence with the Chapman Brothers, postmarked Providence, Rhode Island, January 7, 1906. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library, Special Collection, The Chapman Family Correspondence Archive.

The 1906 Providence City Directory lists him on page 1591 with a display advertisement. He sells his 140 page fixed price catalogue illustrated with over 1000 Rare United States Coins for only 25c. This is an Alexander Sigmund Bowman catalogue, The Hub Coin Book, probably issued with his name imprinted buying a box of 100.

The 1906 Providence City Directory lists him on page 633 as a clerk at 4 Market Square, Room 10, and as Numismatist at 31 Westminster Street, boards at Pawtucket.

On January 30, 1907, he married Lila Edith Trescott (1886-), at Attleboro, Massachusetts. They had a daughter Dorothy Eldora Phinney (1910-2008).

In 1940, he lived at 125 Stanley Street, Attleboro, Massachusetts.

In 1942 he is listed as a contract jeweler.

He died on March 20, 1974 at Attleboro, Massachusetts.

Bibliography :

George Carpenter Arnold, "New England Notes," The Numismatist, Vol. XV, No. 7, July (1902) : 204;