Коллекция русских монет и медалей Леонидаса Хермеса собиралась более 30-ти лет. Как пишет Рандольф Зандер в предисловии к этому аукционному каталогу, предки Леона были в группе греков, которых императрица Екатерина II в конце 18-го века пригласила переселится на юг России на новые земли. Поэтому коллекционирование русских и греческих монет пришло к Леону естественно. Уже будучи в Америке, Леонидас Хермес появляется на многих шоу и его знают многие коллекционеры и дилеры. Имея большое количество дубликатов, он стал выпускать свои списки монет и медалей на продажу, также уделяя особенное место нумизматической литературе, коллекция которой в 3-х частях была аукционирована известным дилером Джорджем Колбе в последующих годах. По окончании холодной войны с советами, Леон частый гость в Эрмитаже и Государственном Историческом музее в России. Целью коллекции Леона являлось коллекционирование монет 19 и 20 веков в высокой степени сохранности, которая ему встречалась. Листая каталог, на многих его страницах встречаемы такие термины как экстримели файн, ансёркулатед, пруф лайк, пруф. Прекрасно изданный каталог включает 41 таблицу чётких изображений монет и медалей. среди которых рубль Гедлингера 1736 г., золотой рубль Екатерины II для участников дворцового переворота, новодел пробных двух копеек 178_ без последней цифры в дате, Константиновский рубль Трубецкого и многие другие
Предисловие Рандольфа Зандера к аукционному каталогу на английском языке:
THE LEONIDAS С HERMES COLLECTION OF RUSSIAN COINS
Leonidas Hermes' people were among the group of Greek pioneers Catherine the Great invited to settle in the New Lands in South Russia late in the 18th century. The region prospered and became a garden spot of Russia. So his predilection for coins and medals of Russia and Greece comes naturally to Leon.
An educator by vocation, Leon has nurtured his collecting avocation for over 30 happy years; he has long been a familiar presence at the big coin shows and a formidable bidder at American auctions. Collectors have welcomed the well balanced lists of coins and especially of numismatic books he used to put out every now and then. Since the end of the Cold War he has been a frequent working visitor at the Hermitage and the Historical Museum.
Leon is no Gustav Klingert - trying to complete every series with all the minor varieties never took his fancy. It is coins of the 19th and early 20th centuries in top condition that most appealed to him, his collection of these being his strong suit. Most characteristically, though, Leon was moved by what might be called informed impulse, and this has led him above all to go after numismatically significant rarities.
To name a few: his Hedlinger rouble of 1736 would be a high point anywhere. The AIII novodel rouble of 1762 is struck with the obverse die of the gold rouble Catherine II awarded to those closest to her in the coup d^tat that brought her to the throne. Leon's novodel 2-Kopek pattern with incomplete date 178_ harks back to the Petersburg samples sent out as guidance to the ephemeral Feodosia Mint in 1787. From the 19th century there is a copper strike of the Trubetskoy copy of the Constantine rouble, the only one known and quite possibly a contemporary trial piece. Leon's seven- piece nickel and copper set of 1898 Berlin die trials with Prussian eagle and reversed legend is surely the biggest group of these to appear in a very long time - Willy Fuchs had only two. Finally there are the two Petersburg pattern minor sets - the nickel one of 1911 and the copper one of 1916.
The sale's venue is worth a word. The gracious first floor chamber in the Adam house at 3 Robert Street, Adelphi, was for many years, up to 1963, A H Baldwin and Sons' coin room, with dozens of well-stocked cabinets lining the walls. Behind a low barricade of cabinets presided Uncle Fred Baldwin, and Uncle Roy Baldwin, along with Douglas Mitchell and Albert Baldwin. Peter Mitchell began his career here. In the room there used to come together Albert's Saturday Club - an informal get-together of some of Britain's best numismatic brains, who regularly toured the numismatic horizon for a glorious and contentious three hours of a Saturday morning. Years earlier, James Barrie had rooms at Number 3 for a time, and long before him it was the Potentate of the Sandwich Islands who stayed there during his London sojourn.
Randolph Zander
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