Need coin for 1959 Bear Alaskan recurve

[ishi1archer]

I just picked up a 59 Bear Alaskan. It's missing the coin. Anyone have one for sale or does anyone make them. Thanks Scott

[d. ward]

hi Scott yes Kurt should be along soon and will fix you right up bd

[NancyVTAS]

I believe Kurt is at the Chamberlin shoot this weekend, so it may be early in the week.

[ishi1archer]

Thanks guys for the quick responce. I'll wait to hear from Kurt. Scott

[TRAP]

Your thread title calls for a copper coin. I think most Alaskans had aluminum coins.  In either case, Kurt has both I believe.

Trap

[portugeejn]

I don't have it anymore, but as I remember (and my memory can be really bad at times!), the 1959 Alaskan I once owned had an aluminum coin.  

There was a question at the time as to whether it had been replaced or was original and the consensus here was that the 1959 did have an aluminum coin.

I now have a 1959 Polar and it does have a copper coin.  And I have read that the 1959 Kodiak has a copper coin, so I suppose it is conceivable that an Alaskan had a copper coin.

Kurt will have what you need I think, regardless (and they are nice)

RonP

[d. ward]

one copper one sterling silver pretty cool huh ? bd  

[59Alaskan]

The 1959 Alaskan I have has an aluminum coin.  Black back, orange belly, aluminum coin.

[ishi1archer]

Thanks for the info!! Scott

[ishi1archer]

Hi Can anyone give me Kurt's e-mail. I have'nt heard from anyone on the coin. You guys are right on it being alumunum. I forgot I actually have another 59 Alaskan. Duh! Scott

Toooo many bow I can't remember them all!

[d. ward]

yap 59 Alaskan has aluminum coin and I'll look for Kurts email addie for you I though the was a sponsor here and on Rich's sight ?????? bd

[ishi1archer]

TTT

[NumPls]

Richard -

I emailed Kurt's email address to you.

Ray

[ishi1archer]

Thanks Guys!!

[Blackhawk]

This is an old thread of course, but I found the discussion on type of coin on the Alaskan interesting.  It seems just about all agree the bow had the aluminum coin whether from '59 or '60.  

But just for info, I just picked up one of these "halloween" bows and it is fitted with the typical '59 copper coin.  Bow came from an old timer who had it stashed in the closet for many moons.

I believe Bear made this model for 2 years straight in '59 and '60, so believe the earlier Alaskans could have copper.  I'll have to check out Jorge's book and see what he says.

Happy Holidays to all!

...and just too bad this history/collecting section has fallen off so much.  I guess most have moved on to other sites over the past few months since TG is not like it used to be.

[Amberjack]

I've had two Halloween Alaskans, the first s/n began with an "NT" and the second, which I just picked up yesterday starts with an "NC".  Both had/have aluminum coins.  

I strongly suspect that the 'coin' insertion step took place at a table with a box of coins - aluminum for the most part if our eyes are any judge by what we see today - but what would you do if you had a dozen bows that were scheduled to go out TODAY but you were out of aluminum coins?  Despite knowing that four steps away was a box of copper coins...would you say, "Geez Fred, won't this confuse collectors in the far and distant future?  Shouldn't we delay shipping and revenue until we can be absolutely sure we leave a clear picture for those poor folks in 2017?"

This sort of thing happened all the time on military rifle assembly lines in WW2.  Ask anyone who ever tried to 'restore' an M1 Carbine to factory original.  :-D

I'll post pics of my new Alaskan here shortly...what a beauty.

Jack

[mangonboat]

One of the coolest bows I ever saw was a 1959 Alaskan with an Indian Head nickel glued in where the original coin had gone its own way and a hawk feather dangling from the string keeper on the lower limb.

[Wade Phillips]

As I have said many, many, times over, using coins to date bows is unreliable.

I have one of the earliest "Halloween" bows, and it was never drilled for a coin, and does not have a coin at all ... Also have other 1959 Bear bows that were never drilled for a coin.

No coin bows can be real puzzlers for the Bear coin daters.

Any coin could have been put in any bow at any time...

The 1959 Alaskans have thin grips. Thin like 1959 Kodiaks or 1959 Grizzlys. The 1960 Alaskans have fat grips, much in the same manner as 1960 Kodiaks and 1960 Grizzlies.

[kstout]

I have a Bear Alaskan that has gray glass, both back and belly.  It also does not have a coin either.  I was told this bow was 1958.

[Wade Phillips]

kstout -

Yes, the gray glass Alaskan is a 1958, which was before coins were introduced in 1959.

I have two 1958 Alaskans, one has gray glass on both the back & belly.

The other has gray glass on the belly and black glass on the back.  

Neither has a coin.