Top prices realized of $161,000 were reached by two very different coins in Heritage Auction Galleries’ May 28-30, 2008 Signature® in Long Beach: a 1794 Dollar VF30 PCGS (Lot 800) and an 1891-O 25C Specimen MS65 NGC (Lot 334). Total prices realized for the American coins exceeded $19 million and ancient and world coins realized an additional $7.5 million; both totals will rise further when post auction buys are finalized
“The strong market is continuing to bring great rarities onto the Heritage auction block,” commented Heritage President Greg Rohan. “One of the pair of 1794 silver dollars realized $161,000, matched by an 1891-O quarter, certified Specimen 65 by NGC. One of the three Continental dollars included realized $92,000. Altogether, more than 650 consignors and more than 5,000 bidders participated in our May Long Beach auctions.”

Highlights from Heritage’s Long Beach Signature Auction:

Lot 800: 1794 Dollar VF30 PCGS. Realized: $161,000.
Struck on the initial day of the production of silver coinage, October 15, 1794, this rarity is a historic relic of America’s earliest attempt to produce large size silver coinage that would compare favorably in weight to the widely circulated Spanish (Carolus) dollars. Ex: George C. Slawson (Stack’s, 4/1970), lot 840; 1991 ANA (Bowers and Merena, 8/1991), lot 436.
Lot 334: 1891-O 25C Specimen MS65 NGC. Realized: $161,000.
One of only two pieces known since it was first recognized in 1941 when it appeared in Mehl’s Dunham Sale. Ex: William Forrester Dunham (B. Max Mehl FPL, 6/1941); Gene Edwards; 1980 ANA Sale (Steve Ivy, 8/1980), lot 2024; Jascha Heifetz Collection (Superior, 10/1989), lot 3652. From The Silbermünzen Collection.
Lot 493: 1796 15 Stars Half Dollar, O-101, AU55 NGC. Realized: $149,500.
The Draped Bust Small Eagle half dollar, bearing the dates 1796 or 1797, ranks among the lowest mintage of U.S. type coins, with only 3,918 pieces.
Lot 3461: 1907 $10 Wire Rim, Periods, MS67 NGC. Judd-1901, formerly J-1774. Realized: $149,500.
The Periods variants of the 1907 Saint-Gaudens eagle hold an interesting place in American numismatics, as either patterns or regular issues. Only three have been certified finer.
Lot 308: 1833 quarter dollar PR65 PCGS. B-1. Period after 25 C. Realized: $149,500.
An outstanding specimen of this formidable rarity, as the portrait, eagle, and right-side stars have a needle-sharp strike. Ex: Auction ‘86 (Superior, 7/1986), lot 1091; Thomas S. Chalkley Collection (Superior, 10/1990), lot 2568, which realized $70,400. From The Silbermünzen Collection.
Lot 942: 1846 Seated dollar PR65 PCGS. Breen-5436. Realized: $149,500.
The proof-only blundered date variety, which Breen describes as “date first entered much too low and oblique, then largely effaced and corrected; parts of upper halves of 846 show in lower halves of final position of date.” From The Silbermünzen Collection.
Lot 3458: 1899 eagle, PR68 Ultra Cameo NGC. Realized: $149,500.
There is no doubt that this piece is the finest existing 1899 proof eagle.
Lot 1647: 1796 half cent, With Pole, AU55 PCGS. C-2, B-2, High R.4. EAC 45. Realized: $138,000.
The 1796 half cent is the classic rarity of the denomination; from a mintage of just 1,390 coins, perhaps 10% exist today. Ex: Julian Leidman; Jim McGuigan; Benson Collection Sale (Goldberg Coins, 2/2002), lot 32; Stuart Levine (2/2002). From The Colonel Steven Ellsworth Collection of U.S. Half Cents.
Lot 799: 1794 Dollar VG10 PCGS. Realized: $115,000.
Of the mere 1,758 pieces struck, approximately 125 individual examples have been traced today, making this first dollar an essential rarity. Ex: John N. Brooks Collection (United States Coin Co., 12/1914), lot 17. From The Northwest Collection.
Lot 306: 1820 quarter dollar PR64 NGC. B-1. Realized: $97,750.
A beautiful Choice proof with lovely golden-brown, jade-green, honey-gold, and lilac-gray toning. Ex: Auction ‘89 (Superior, 7/1989), lot 566, From The Silbermünzen Collection.
Lot 321: 1866-S quarter dollar MS66 PCGS. Briggs 1-A. Realized: $97,750.
This is the finest certified example, of only 28,000 pieces struck; housed in a first generation holder, it apparently has not appeared at auction since it was encapsulated, and twenty years after it was first graded, it remains the single finest certified example. From The Silbermünzen Collection.
Lot 651: 1839 No Drapery half dollar, MS64 NGC. WB-101. Realized: $92,000.
The 1839 No Drapery half is popular both with type collectors (as a one-year subtype in the series) and Seated coinage enthusiasts (as a first year of issue among Seated Liberty halves). Ex: Chalkley (Superior, 1/1990), lot 3565. From The Silbermünzen Collection.
Lot 743: 1892-O Micro O half dollar MS65 NGC. Realized: $92,000.
This legendary rarity was known as early as 1893, when Augustus G. Heaton mentioned it in his landmark treatise, Mint Marks. He wrote, “there is one rare variety of this piece [the 1892-O half] with an exceedingly small o, hardly larger than a period.” Ex: Moreira Sale (Superior, 1/1989), lot 4524; Jascha Heifetz Collection (Superior, 10/1989), lot 3770. From The Silbermünzen Collection.
Lot 2047: 1792 Roman Head Cent, Baker-19 PR61 Brown PCGS. Realized: $92,000.
The notoriety of the famously rare Roman Head cent was enhanced by Breen’s description of its history in his Encyclopedia. Only two have been certified finer. From The Liberty Collection of American Colonial Coinage, Part Three.
Lot 2106: 1739 Broad Axe Higley Copper, Freidus 3.2-D, Breen-244, VF20 PCGS. Crosby, Pl. VIII, 26. Realized: $92,000.
There is an unintelligible undercoin below the weakened 1739 date. Ex: Stack’s Henry Da Costa Gomez Collection, Part Two, 6/2004; lot 4004.
Lot 2138: 1776 Continental Dollar, CURENCY, Rare Early Die State, Pewter, MS62. PCGS. Newman 1-C, Hodder-1.A2, Breen-1089, R.3. Realized: $92,000.
The same die pair was used to strike all Continental Dollars that contain the blundered legend CURENCY, but Eric Newman assigned two additional reverse varieties for the two recut reverses.
Lot 295: 1818 quarter dollar MS66 PCGS. B-3, R.2. Breen Die State II. Realized: $80,500.
A magnificent Premium Gem with gorgeous cherry-red, lime-green and canary-gold toning, it is highly probable that this is the finest 1818 Browning-3 in a PCGS holder, as only one coin of this date has been certified finer. From The Silbermünzen Collection.
Lot 379: 1896-S quarter dollar MS64 NGC. Realized: $80,500.
A splendid key date quarter with undisturbed surfaces and coruscating luster. From The Silbermünzen Collection.
Lot 1059: 1922 No D Strong Reverse cent, MS64 Red and Brown NGC. Realized: $74,750.
An amazing example of the popular 1922 No D cent with the strong reverse; only examples like the present piece, from the Strong Reverse die pair, also known as Die Pair 2, are the true No D cents.
Lot 539: 1825 half dollar VF20 ANACS. O-118 Third Known. Realized: $69,000.
An extremely rare variety, this is only the third known example, and one of only three R.8 varieties within the entire Capped Bust half series.
Lot 718: 1841 half dollar, PR64 NGC. Realized: $69,000.
The 1841 half dollar in proof format is an extreme rarity; NGC and PCGS combined have certified a mere seven examples, and only one has been certified finer. Ex: The Boys Town Sale (Superior Galleries, 5/1990), lot 3803. From The Silbermünzen Collection.
Lot 307: 1828 quarter dollar PR64 PCGS. B-4. Realized: $63,250.
The Narrow Date variety has less space between the 82, relative to B-1 through B-3. Ex: Thomas S. Chalkley Collection (Superior, 10/1990), lot 2564, which realized $41,800. From The Silbermünzen Collection.
Lot 1826: (1659) Lord Baltimore Fourpence, Large Bust and Shield. MS62 NGC. Realized: $63,250.
This is the single finest certified Fourpence of Lord Baltimore, and is ex: Wayte Raymond Plate. From The Liberty Collection of American Colonial Coinage, Part Three.
Lot 3786: 1860 Clark, Gruber & Co. eagle, MS62 PCGS. K-3, R.5. Realized: $63,250.
A remarkable Mint State example with few peers among PCGS certified examples.
Lot 2139: 1776 Continental Dollar, CURRENCY, Pewter, Newman 2-C, MS62 PCGS. Crosby Pl. VIII, 16, Newman 2-C, Breen-1092, R.3. Realized: $60,375.
Struck from perfect dies, without the rust often seen for this die marriage within the rings for Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Hampshire. The second obverse die for the series, which corrects the CURENCY misspelling.
Lot 3324: 1904 Liberty half eagle, PR67 Cameo NGC. Realized: $60,375.
This is the finest 1904 proof Liberty half eagle that we have offered in any of our auctions, the previous best being a PR66 Cameo piece. Only one coin has certified finer.
Lot 3354: 1796 eagle XF40 PCGS. Breen-6832, Taraszka-6, BD-1, R.4. Realized: $60,375.
The only known die pair for coinage of 1796, with total production for the year of 4,146 pieces (with the majority of these dated 1795).
Lot 1861: 1737 Higley Copper, CONNECTICVT, Freidus 1.2-A, Breen-238, VF25 PCGS. Realized: $57,500.
The CONNECTICVT is the first Higley variety, struck before presumed local complaints compelled the change in the obverse legend, from THE VALVE OF THREE PENCE to VALVE ME AS YOU PLEASE. Ex: F.C.C. Boyd; John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part II (Stack’s, 5/2004), lot 268; San Francisco ANA (Heritage, 7/2005), lot 10078; Troy Wiseman Collection, Part Two (Heritage, 1/2007), lot 726. From The Liberty Collection of American Colonial Coinage, Part Three.
Lot 180: 1916-D dime, MS65 Full Bands PCGS. Realized: $57,500.
At 264,000 pieces struck, the 1916-D has less than a quarter of the original mintage of its nearest rival, the 1921-D dime. From the Tremont Collection.
Lot 719: 1845 half dollar, PR64 NGC. Realized: $57,500.
The 1845 proof half dollar is one of the more significant rarities in American numismatics; a sparse four coins have been certified by NGC and PCGS combined. Ex: Stack’s (3/1965), lot 447; Superior Galleries (10/1990), lot 3662. Possibly earlier from the World’s Greatest Collection (Numismatic Gallery, 4/1945), lot 273. From The Silbermünzen Collection.
Lot 3457: 1895 eagle PR65 Ultra Cameo NGC. Realized: $54,625.
This stunning Gem has exceptional aesthetic appeal, and should prove to be a delightful addition to the connoisseur’s collection. Both sides have impressively deep mirrors around highly lustrous and brilliant yellow devices. Only two certified finer.
Lot 1824: 1652 Pine Tree Shilling, Large Planchet, Noe-4, MS64 PCGS. Realized: $51,750.
The first N in ENGLAND is reversed, a die engraver’s blunder seen during many periods in many countries. Ex: F.C.C. Boyd Collection; John J. Ford, Jr. Collection Part XII, Stack’s (10/ Q20 I05), lot 84; Milwaukee ANA Signature, (Heritage, 8/2007), lot 1511. From The Liberty Collection of American Colonial Coinage, Part Three.
Lot 3171: 1795 Small Eagle half eagle, BD-3, AU58 NGC. Realized: $51,750.
This scarce variety is the most available of the 1795 Small Eagle half eagles; all other die pairings are rare in an absolute sense.
Lot 3622: 1871-CC double eagle AU50 NGC. Realized: $51,750.
The 1871-CC is generally considered the second rarest Carson City $20, in overall rarity and condition rarity.
Lot 3456: 1889 eagle PR64 PCGS. Realized: $48,875.
The 1889 eagle had a production of only 45 pieces, a number that is somewhat on the low side even for the late 1880s and early 1890s. Ex: Bass II (Bowers and Merena, 10/1999), lot 1621.
Lot 883: 1803 dollar, B-5, BB-252, MS63 NGC. Realized: $43,125.
The obverse die is known only in this single die combination and is only found perfect, while the reverse was used for several different varieties beginning in 1801. Technically, the reverse die was first used in 1802, followed in combination with an 1801 dated obverse, then for these 1803 dollars.
Lot 1818: (1615-16) Sommer Islands Sixpence, Large Portholes, Breen-3. NCS. AU Details. Breen-3. Realized: $43,125.
It has been a number of years since any example of any denomination of early Bermuda silver has reached the Heritage auction block, and the present piece is the first Sommer Islands sixpence we have offered - it is that rare! From The Liberty Collection of American Colonial Coinage, Part Three.
Lot 3216: 1842-C Small Date half eagle, AU58 PCGS. Variety 4-C, the only known dies. Die State II. Realized: $43,125.
The two die states of this variety are easily distinguished by the presence or absence of a rim break at the top of the obverse, over star 7.
To discuss consigning coins or currency to an upcoming auction, please call the Heritage Consignor Hotlines at 800-872-6467 ext. 1000 (Coins); or ext. 1001 (Currency).

For more information about Heritage’s auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HA.com.

Posted: 07|7|08 at 7:02 am. Filed under: News.