Many great numismatic collections are assembled with tremendous showmanship and fanfare. Others, however, are built quietly and with discretion, allowing the collector to appreciate the satisfaction of accomplishment and the joy of ownership. Often it is these cabinets that elicit the most excitement when they are presented to the market, as collectors compete enthusiastically to acquire newly re-discovered rarities. Such is the case with the magnificent Larry H. Miller Collection.
Acquiring coins discretely and off the radar of the collecting community, the late Larry H. Miller assembled a world-class cabinet that spans nearly the entire Guide Book of United States Coins. The breadth and density of rarities included are hallmarks of only the most disciplined and passionate collectors; any individual segment of the Larry H. Miller Collection would be a major lifetime accomplishment on its own.
Stack’s Bowers Galleries is truly honored to have been selected to present the Larry H. Miller Collection at auction, with the proceeds helping to facilitate the Miller family’s $50 million donation to Intermountain Healthcare’s Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi, Utah. Part One of the Miller Collection was featured in our November 2020 Showcase Auction and focused on the most emblematic issues of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including a world-class set of Morgan and Peace dollars.
Part Two of the Miller Collection, offered in the following pages, showcases a magnificent type set of United States coinage that spans from the pre-Federal era through to the 20th century. Featured within the set is a magnificent run of early silver dollars that includes a Mint State 1794, the finest known 1795 BB-14, and the Gem Stickney-Eliasberg 1804.
The Miller type set is accompanied by a complete suite of Mormon gold coinage that ranks among the finest such sets ever assembled. Each Mormon issue is represented by one of the finest known examples, including the Green-Carter 1849 $10 and the historic Jenks-Nygren 1849 $20, each of which is the sole finest approved by CAC for its issue. These magnificent rarities are joined by an impressive set of Barber coinage across all denominations, highlighted by the Gem Eliasberg 1894-S dime. Also of note are important offerings of Flying Eagle cents, Indian Head cents, and two-cent pieces.
The Larry H. Miller Collection is landmark cabinet, not only for the quality of the coins, but also for its level of completeness. The accomplishment represented by this offering is sure to be remembered by numismatists for many decades to come.
