NEW YORK, NY. (October 1) – On the afternoon of October 1, the Rarities Auction, comprising 135 lots of coins and numismatic Americana, was presented to an active audience in the seventh floor sales room at Sotheby’s New York headquarters. When the gavel fell on the last lot, a total of $2,993,230 worth of coins, medals, and documents had traded hands. Taking top honor was lot 55, a beautifully toned 1796 No Stars quarter eagle graded MS-61 (PCGS) and bearing a gold CAC sticker, which realized $352,500.
Taking second place was lot 110, an example of the exceedingly rare 1880 Coiled Hair Stella, one of only 10 known. The Stellas, or $4 gold pieces, were struck in two formats, one with a flowing hair obverse and one with Liberty’s hair in a coiled bun. The offered example traced its pedigree to the famous “Dallas Bank” Collection sold by us (in partnership with Sotheby’s) in October 2001, and was consigned to the current sale as part of the Griggs Collection of U.S. Gold Type Coins. It was certified by PCGS as Proof, with Uncirculated details, polished, and realized $258,500.
One of just three Diplomatic Medals in private hands, this one from the Cardinal Educational Foundation Collection, was offered as lot 3 and realized an astounding $188,000. Making its first appearance on the market since 1938 was a lustrous 1799/8 15 Star Reverse silver dollar, graded MS-64 by PCGS that brought $88,125.
“We are very pleased with the results of the Rarities Auction,” stated Brian Kendrella, president of Stack’s Bowers. “Famous rarities and important numismatic items found new homes with collectors. The Pogue Collection sale the prior evening brought in some new faces, who also participated in the Rarities Auction, and we were thrilled to welcome them.”
Additional highlights included:
Lot 17. 1837 Half Dime. MS-66+ (PCGS) CAC-Gold Label. Realized: $19,387.50.
Lot 22. 1798/7 Dime. MS-65+ (PCGS) CAC. Realized: $117,500.
Lot 28. 1843 Quarter. Proof-65 (PCGS) CAC. Realized $70,500.
Lot 57. 1808 Quarter Eagle. AU-55 (NGC). Realized: $94,000.
Stack’s Bowers Galleries is currently accepting consignments for our upcoming auctions, including world coins for our December 2015 Hong Kong and January 2016 New York International sales and U.S. material for our February 2016 New York Rarities Auction and our Official Auction of the Whitman Coin & Collectibles March 2016 Expo in Baltimore.
About Stack’s Bowers Galleries
Stack’s Bowers Galleries conducts live, Internet and specialized auctions of rare U.S. and world coins and currency and ancient coins, as well as direct sales through retail and wholesale channels. The company’s 80-year legacy includes the cataloging and sale of many of the most valuable United States coin and currency collections to ever cross an auction block — The John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, The Norweb Collection, The Cardinal Collection and The Battle Born Collection — to name just a few. World coin and currency collections include The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection of World Gold Coins, The Kroisos Collection, The Alicia and Sidney Belzberg Collection, The Wa She Wong Collection, The Guia Collection, The Thos. H. Law Collection, and The Robert O. Ebert Collection.
Topping off this amazing numismatic history is the inclusion of the world record for the highest price ever realized at auction for a rare coin, the 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar graded Specimen-66 (PCGS) that realized over $10 million, part of their sale of the famed Cardinal Collection. The company is headquartered in Irvine, California, with offices in New York, Wolfeboro, Hong Kong, and Paris. Stack’s Bowers Galleries is an Official Auctioneer for several important numismatic conventions, including American Numismatic Association events, the New York International Numismatic Convention, the Professional Numismatists Guild New York Invitational, the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Spring, Summer and Winter Expos, and its April, August and December Hong Kong Auctions.
