Heritage Gold Shines in Sale By Numismatic News
January 18, 2008
Two 1796 $2.50
gold pieces, one with stars, one without, each passed
the $1 million mark in Heritage's U.S. coin auction held
in conjunction with the Florida United Numismatists convention.
Both quarter eagles were offered in
the Platinum Night session, a sale session that by itself
garnered $36 million of Heritage's $50 million in U.S.
coin auction sales at FUN.
Top lot was a no stars 1796 $2.50, classified
as Breen 1, Breen 6113, Bass 3002, and graded MS-65
by Professional Coin Grading Service. It sold for $1,725,000
to an Internet bidder.
"We are simply thrilled,"
commented Heritage president Greg Rohan. "This
coin, the single finest graded at PCGS, was simply the
finest of the first quarter eagles. Its pedigree included
Lorin Parmelee, Brock, the University of Pennsylvania,
Philip H. Ward Jr., Lelan Rogers, Numisma 95, and A
Gentleman's Collection."
The second-place 1796 $2.50, with stars,
Bass 3003, was certified MS-65 by Numismatic Guaranty
Corp., with a Collectors Acceptance Corp. confirmation.
It realized $1,006,250 from a floor bidder, and its
pedigree includes Byron Reed, the Durham Western Heritage
Museum, John Whitney Walter and the Jimmy Hayes Collection.
Third-place finisher was a 1792 fusion
alloy cent pattern, Judd 2, Pollock 2, that sold for
$603,750.
It was followed by a 1792 half disme,
Judd 7, Pollock 7, from the Madison Collection in PCGS
MS-63 that brought $503,125.
A group of early quarters took top dollar.
An 1850 proof quarter in NGC Proof-68 realized $460,000
from an HA.com bidder. The piece was from the Phil Kaufman
Collection of Early Seated Proof Sets, Part Two. An
1805 quarter in NGC MS-66 went for $402,500, and an
1841 quarter in NGC Proof-66 hit $345,000, both won
by floor bidders.
Some additional gold highlights included a
1933 Saint-Gaudens $10 in PCGS MS-65 that finished at $552,000,
and two 1795 small eagle $5s in PCGS MS-64 that each realized
$373,750. A 1907 rolled edge Saint-Gaudens $10 reached $460,000,
graded PCGS MS-67.
An 1855 Type 2 proof gold dollar in PCGS Proof-66
Deep Cameo, also realized $373,750 from an HA.com bidder.
An 1848 "CAL." $2.50, NGC MS-68 Star, went for $345,000.
A two-leaves 1795 silver dollar in NGC MS-65
topped out at $431,250, selling via the Heritage Live online
auction mechanism.
In addition to its U.S. coin sale at FUN,
Heritage held a paper money auction that realized another
$10 million. That and post-auction sales were expected to
add about $2 million to the overall event, for a combined
FUN total projected by the firm to reach about $62 million.
"More than 16,000 lots were offered by Heritage at FUN,"
Rohan said. "More than 1,000 consignors participated,
suggesting that this will be the largest auction of 2008.
More than 7,000 bidders participated as well."
