Santa Ana, CA - Collectors from across the country descended on Baltimore’s Inner Harbor in the days leading up to Memorial Day, where Stack’s Bowers Galleries presented two days of exciting auction sessions in their May 2019 Official Auction of the Whitman Coins & Collectibles Summer Expo. Highlighted by the Drummer, Fairmont and Newmark Collections, over $5.6 million in United States coins and Numismatic Americana were sold, kicking off an exciting summer season of auction events for the firm. All prices include the 20% buyer’s premium.
The Stack’s Bowers Galleries Baltimore Auction featured an astounding selection of Flying Eagle and Indian Head cents. Several rarities from these series were presented in Session 1, including a Proof-65 RD (PCGS) 1865 cent which brought $13,200 (lot 29) and a Gem MS-66+ RD (PCGS) 1898 cent that realized $10,800 (lot 80).
Small cents continued to shine in Session 2, which featured the Rarities Night portion of the sale followed the Fairmont Collection of US Gold Coinage. A beautiful Proof-66 (PCGS) 1856 Flying Eagle cent sold for $50,400 in lot 1005, and a Proof-65 BN (PCGS) CAC 1864 Indian Head cent with L on Ribbon earned $45,600 in lot 1016. Strong demand was demonstrated for key-dates and iconic rarities throughout the session, as was demonstrated by the $99,000 price realized by the MS-66+ FH (PCGS) CAC 1916 Standing Liberty quarter in lot 1059. The star of the evening was the incredible 1879 Flowing Hair Stella offered in lot 1089. Certified Proof-66 UCAM by NGC with only three examples finer, it brought $234,000. Three exceptional $50 slugs from the 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition were offered in the session, highlighted by a MS-64 (PCGS) Octagonal example (lot 1135), that earned $90,000. Bringing the session to the close was the Fairmont Collection, featuring desirable key-date issues from the Liberty Head gold series. An AU-58 (PCGS) CAC 1854-S double eagle was the highlight of this offering, realizing $21,600 in lot 1177.
The most highly anticipated item of the sale was offered in Session 4, where an original striking of the Washington Before Boston medal in silver was presented (lot 3031). A newly discovered piece, this example was certified Specimen-61 by PCGS and is one of just 11 examples known. After intense activity, it sold for $156,000. Attracting similar excitement was the 1905 Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural medal in lot 3060. Designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, produced by Tiffany, and struck in bronze, it realized $31,200.
The session was brought to a close with an exciting offering of colonial and early American coins, including a selection of New Jersey coppers from the Collection of Larry L. Terrell. Highlights from the Terrell Collection included an EF-45 (PCGS) 1786 Maris 15-T that brought $5,280 (lot 3201) and a Condition Census EF-40 (PCGS) 1787 Maris 73-aa that realized $8,400 (lot 3241). A VF-30 (PCGS) Albany Church Penny in lot 3255 brought $21,600 and an AU-53 (PCGS) Washington Funeral Urn medal with GW on the Base earned $26,400 in lot 3268, claiming the top price among colonial issues.
With over $5.6 million in price realized, the Stack’s Bowers Galleries May 2019 Baltimore Auction demonstrated a continued demand for rare issues and premium quality examples. The firm is now looking forward to their official auction of the ANA World’s Fair of Money in August, which will be highlighted by the Taraszka and ESM Collections. Just a few weeks remain to consign to this sale and participate in one of the largest numismatic auctions of the year. Contact Stack’s Bowers Galleries today at 800-458-4646 on the West Coast or 800-566-2580 on the East Coast to speak to a consignment specialist. You may also e-mail the firm at info@stacksbowers.com with any inquiries.
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 D. Brent Pogue Collection, 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 Santa Ana, 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 Whitman Coin & Collectibles Spring, Summer and Winter Expos, and its April and August Hong Kong Auctions.
