By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeekContent Partner Stack’s Bowers held the most recent installment of the Fairmont Hoard on November 15, 2023. As with the last sale (August 2023 and held during the ANA convention to my endless chagrin), prices were mixed, with some coins selling for very strong numbers and others selling at discounts in relation to their most recent auction comparable sale and/or the current PCGS Price Guide.
Here are five observations about the rare date gold coin market based on prices realized at the auction, as well as my personal observations from the last few months (post-ANA, to be more concise). Please note that all prices include the 20% buyer’s premium charged by the auctioneer.
1. Dahlonega Half Eagles Are On Fire
The quality of the Dahlonega $5 gold half eagles in this edition of Fairmont fell short of those seen in earlier sales. But as I’ve written before, a low-end Fairmont coin still wipes the floor with an average quality pre-1933 U.S. gold coin in virtually every dealer’s inventory. There were 14 different Dahlonega half eagles sold, ranging in grade from a low of EF40 to a high of AU55.
A total of four were approved by CAC, with these selling as follows:
Four Dahlonega half eagles represented in the most recent Stack’s Bowers’ Fairmont sale. Courtesy: Doug Winter. 1852-D Liberty Head Half Eagle from Stack’s Bowers’ Kronen sale (Lot 5026). Image: PCGS.
Considering that the current PCGS prices were—in my opinion—significantly inflated right before November 15, I think these are exceptional prices. When one considers that, for years, very decent quality (the equivalent of CAC-approved or near-CAC quality) Dahlonega fives were available in the $2,500 to $3,000 USD range, that era seems done.
2. Nice and Rare Still Sold for Plenty
As I said above, the quality and the depth of this session paled in comparison to some of the earlier Fairmont sales. However, there were still pretty decent individual coins available.
Three quick examples:
1884-CC $10, PCGS/CAC AU58 (Lot 5213): I really liked this coin. It was 100% natural in appearance with lovely deep green-gold color… a PQ example of this conditionally scarce date if ever one deserved this appellation.
I intended to bid $15,000 but I stretched to $16,500 ($19,800 all in). Which still didn’t win the coin as it hit $17,000 ($20,400 all in). This is a record price for this date in this grade. The scary thing is there could easily be at least two or three more comparable–or better–coins in this deal.
This 1858-O Liberty Head Double Eagle was graded PCGS AU55 CAC and sold by Stack’s Bowers (Lot 5291). Image: Stack’s Bowers.
1858-O $20, PCGS/CAC AU55 (Lot 5291): There might be a nicer AU55 example of this date somewhere, but if there is, I haven’t seen it (I almost liked the Stack’s Bowers 6/2018: 186 coin as much but that one somehow didn’t get stickered by CAC). I was determined to acquire this coin and I thought I’d have to stretch over my intended floor of $35,000. I wound-up stretching a bit and still struck-out on this coin, which set a price record for the date and grade.
It was just the second CAC-approved 1858-O $20 in AU55 to ever sell at auction, and I actually liked it more than the two Fairmont PCGS/CAC AU58s that sold for $40,800 and $43,200 in 11/2022 and 8/2022, respectively. It was nice, it was rare, and it sold for plenty – despite the fact that the Type One Liberty Head $20 gold double eagle market is very flat right now.
1879-CC $20, PCGS/CAC AU55 (Lot 5339): All Carson City double eagles are technically overvalued when it comes right down to it. The 1879-CC is considered a “rare” date within the CC $20 series, yet as many as 300 to 400+ exist. Problem-free AU55 and better coins are genuinely scarce, especially with CAC approval. The current CAC population stands at eight in AU55, five in AU58, and just a single coin (an MS62) finer.
I knew this coin was going to be tough to buy as there was an outlier APR of $50,400 for a PCGS/CAC AU55 in August, 2022. The only Fairmont example to trade in the last few years in PCGS AU55 brought $26,400 in March 2023; it was non-CAC but pretty nice overall. The coin brought $48,000 with me as the frustrated and somewhat spiteful underbidder.
3. It’s About the Coins, Stupid
Lots of very smart collectors (some of them are good Douglas Winter Numismatics clients) have had it with Fairmont (said in the whiniest voice(s) imaginable: “But I’m tired of these sales…” or “But I want to know the back story of where the coins are from..” or “But Stack’s could have a bag full of 18xx-CC double eagles in their back office…”
Enough already!
Like the header says: It’s about the coins, stupid. You don’t know the back story of the halibut filet on your dinner plate, so is that going to stop you from wolfing it down?
Fairmont is the gift that keeps on giving for collectors of truly unadulterated Liberty Head gold coins.
An 1876-S Liberty Head Eagle in PCGS AU55. Image: Stack’s Bowers.
Case in point: I LOVE 1876-S eagles. Prior to Fairmont, I think I had seen maybe three nice AUs in over 35+ years of searching. Since 2022, Stack’s Bowers has now sold four (55+/55/55/50), and each one has been delightful. I’d like to think the market for a coin of this rarity can absorb these four coins as well as a few more.
Here’s the bottom line: these coins will dry up sooner than you think (the truly rare ones, that is). And when they’re gone, your chance to buy a nice 1876-S $10 will revert to next to nil. As the old cliché goes, “make hay while the sun is shining.”
4. “Let’s Run the Numbers, Triple R”
Courtesy of my numbers guru, Richard Radick (big ups, Triple R), here are the sale by the numbers:
Kronen Sale gold coin data. Courtesy: Radick / Winter.
A few quick takes:
As with the last Fairmont offering (8/2023), the strength of the sale was in the half eagles–especially the Dahlonega and New Orleans issues.
CAC coins in Fairmont sales consistently bring a 10-20% premium over non-CAC coins. This is actually lower than in many auctions, and I believe this is due to the fact that there are so many “really nice but just a teeny bit too (choose one or more): cleany/marky/dull/liney for JA” coins. I am still an avid buyer of such coins, especially if they can be bought at significant discounts.
The $20 Lib market is broken. What can be done to fix it? See a future article for possible answers.
5. The Negative Impact of Fairmont on Indian Head Half Eagles and Eagles
With very few exceptions, the impact of Fairmont on the Liberty Head gold market has been positive. Half eagles have been a stellar performer, with all branch mints showing strong upticks and demand and prices. Eagles have, for the most part, benefited by the availability of high-end circulated pieces, although my guess is that rare San Francisco issues probably could stand a moratorium on incoming coins.
My personal observation is that the Indian Head gold market has been the most negatively impacted.
Let’s look at the 1911-D $5 in PCGS MS63.
A 1911-D Indian Head Half Eagle graded PCGS MS63 CAC. Image: Stack’s Bowers.
In the 11/2023 Stack’s Bowers sale of Fairmont gold coins, a PCGS MS63 example brought $22,800. In March 2019, Stack’s Bowers sold a PCGS/CAC MS63 for $36,000.
And what about the popular 1909-O $5? In the recent sale, a nice PCGS MS62 brought $28,800. In 11/2022, the same date in the same grade brought $31,200, while another PCGS MS62 brought $50,400 in the 4/2022 SB auction. This date is clearly trending downwards, and I believe that as more come onto the market, it will drop further in price.
What Is the 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial Gold Coin?
In 1916, Americans were introduced to three iconic U.S. coin designs: the Mercury or Winged Libertydime, the Walking Liberty half dollar, and the Standing Liberty quarter. To mark the centennial of the release of these three coins, the United States Mint issued new versions of each in 24-karat (.9999 fine) gold struck at the West Point Mint. Each coin was reworked using state-of-the-art digital design tools and features the date “2016” on the obverse. The reverse of each centennial coin also denotes the coin’s weight and composition.
The 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial gold coin was released on April 21, 2016. It was struck in an Uncirculated finish so as to resemble the 1916 dime. Its diameter (16.50 mm) is close to that of a regular Mercury dime (17.90 mm) despite containing one-tenth of an ounce of gold – a symbolic nod to the dime’s 10-cent denomination.
Besides describing some of the differences between the new coin and the original, the following video provides a 4K hands-on experience with a “perfect” example certified by NGC as SP70.
A Brief History of the Mercury (Winged Liberty) Dime
The original Winged Liberty dime entered circulation at the end of October 1916 and remained in production for nearly 30 years. Alongside the Walking Liberty half dollar and Standing Liberty quarter, it joined the Indian Head (Buffalo) nickel, the Lincoln cent, the Indian $2.50 quarter eagle and $5 half eagle gold coins, and the Saint-Gaudens $10 eagle and $20 double eagle gold coins in circulation.
It was truly a golden age of U.S. coin design.
Adolph Weinman’s elegant design for the Mercury dime drew heavily from the French Beaux Arts movement of the late 19th century. Its release immediately preceded the Roosevelt dime (1946-Present), and it was the last U.S. dime to be struck entirely in .900 silver.
Heralded for its beauty, the Winged Liberty dime–often referred to as the Mercury dime due to its classically inspired headgear–saw the country through both World Wars and the Great Depression. Its unmistakable design was attached to both the March of Dimes anti-polio campaign and countless Charles Atlas advertisements found in the back of comic books and magazines. When “Yip” Harburg wrote the song “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”, it was the Mercury dime he was talking about.
The dime’s use in circulation carried on without incident. The design didn’t have the striking problems of the Buffalo nickel or the Walking Liberty half. Although specialists might seek out perfectly struck examples with Full Split Bands on the reverse (scarce for some issues), the Mercury dime is remembered as an elegant and practical coin; a successful coin that served its purpose and elevated the image of American money.
The Mercury dime’s term of service came to an unexpected end when, on April 12, 1945, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died. Frail and aged beyond his 63 years, Roosevelt suffered a massive cerebral hemorrhage while on vacation in Georgia. His death reverberated throughout America and the world.
Almost immediately, a movement began to honor Roosevelt on a circulating coin. The dime was the obvious choice as the denomination recalled both Franklin’s battle with polio and his work with the March of Dimes, and on May 17, Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau, Jr. announced that the Winged Liberty design would be replaced by a new design featuring the portrait of the late president.
So with that, the stellar 30-year run of the Winged Liberty or Mercury Head dime came to an end. Steadily, the coins in circulation wore down, Mint State examples were hoarded, rare dates and varieties were cherrypicked, and by the time silver coins exited the scene in the mid to late 1960s, only the most worn examples continued to circulate.
Release, Sellout, and Re-Release of the 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial Gold Coin
As stated earlier, the 2016-W Mercury Dime gold coin was released on April 21, 2016. Priced at $205 USD according to the Mint’s pricing schedule for gold and platinum products at the time, it had a mintage limit of 125,000 pieces and an initial order limit of 10 coins per household. Each piece was sealed in a circular capsule and came with an elegant, custom-designed black-matte hardwood presentation case and a Certificate of Authenticity.
Within 15 minutes of the coin’s noon Eastern Time release on the Mint’s website, the order status had already been changed to “Backorder”. Less than an hour after its release, the 2016-W Mercury Dime gold coin was listed as “Unavailable” by 12:45 PM. This meant that all available inventory had been allotted to fill customer orders and was not quite the same as a complete lack of the entire authorized mintage.
But like any other product, some of these orders were soon canceled, either by the Mint (payment failed to process, bad account information, etc.) or by customers themselves. According to CoinWeek’s news coverage, the Mint reported sales of 122,510 coins out of the 125,000 total mintage by Sunday, April 24. And after customers had time to receive their coins in the mail, returns began to come back. Because of these factors, the Mint still had 8,889 pieces by the middle of the year.
Frustratingly for collectors, however, the Mint did not make these available for purchase and had no set plans to do so. Adding to collector anxiety was the fact that the Mint’s pricing schedule was subject to change, and every additional week of delay meant that the price could be much higher than it was upon initial release (it could also have been lower, but that is beside the point).
It wasn’t until the end of the year that the U.S. Mint announced the resumption of sales of the 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial gold coin on December 15. After being criticised for the original order limit of 10 per “household”–an arrangement that many felt favored dealers and bulk buyers at the expense of regular collectors–the Mint sold these final coins at one per household.
A final total mintage of 124,885 was eventually reported – 115 less than the maximum.
Certified Populations of the 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial Gold Coin in Today’s Market
Since it began grading and authenticating U.S. coins in June 2023, CAC has yet to certify any 2016-W Mercury Dime gold coins.
Categorized as an Anniversary Coin, NGC reports a total of 27,709 certified grading events at the time of publication. The top pop grade of Specimen 70 (SP70) accounts for most of them, with 24,839 examples. Two thousand, eight hundred and fifty-five coins are listed as SP69, 11 are graded SP68, and three are reported at SP67. This kind of top-heavy certified population pyramid is seen with modern collector coin issues that are bought in bulk with the express purpose of grading and immediately reselling them – i.e., “flipping”.
The auction record for any 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial gold coin is $2,000 for a specimen certified NGC Genuine that was sold in November 2019 on eBay.
As far as NGC-certified SP70s go, Stack’s Bowers sold an example for $384 in June 2023, but prices from 2022 average to about $400.
Prices for the same grade in 2021 average to around $350. And looking at auction records from 2020, when more NGC examples were sold than PCGS specimens, the average price for an NGC SP70 2016-W Mercury Dime gold coin is almost $320. Appreciation in the secondary market appears steady, with premiums gaining on $200 over the initial retail price – a doubling of value over seven years.
Also at the time of publication, PCGS has graded a total of 31,984 2016-W Mercury Dime gold coins. The vast majority of those coins–28,958–achieved a perfect grade of SP70. The numbers drop exponentially as we go down to “merely” Gem quality, with 3,001 reported at SP69, 22 listed at SP68, and two given for SP67. PCGS categorizes the gold Mercury dime, the gold Standing Liberty quarter, and the gold Walking Liberty half dollar as the 2016 Centennial Series.
PCGS-certified SP70 examples have tended to fare slightly better than those graded by NGC in recent public sales. Most of the gold Mercury Dimes sold in 2023 so far have been in PCGS holders, and those prices average to over $420. The year 2022 saw auction lots more evenly split between PCGS and NGC, and PCGS prices averaged to a little over $400. PCGS SP70 specimens sold for an average of $370 in 2021, and almost $340 the year prior. The pricing trend is almost identical to that of NGC-certified SP70s, with just a slight bump (~$20) in premium.
Design
What Is the 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial Gold Coin?
In 1916, Americans were introduced to three iconic U.S. coin designs: the Mercury or Winged Libertydime, the Walking Liberty half dollar, and the Standing Liberty quarter. To mark the centennial of the release of these three coins, the United States Mint issued new versions of each in 24-karat (.9999 fine) gold struck at the West Point Mint. Each coin was reworked using state-of-the-art digital design tools and features the date “2016” on the obverse. The reverse of each centennial coin also denotes the coin’s weight and composition.
The 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial gold coin was released on April 21, 2016. It was struck in an Uncirculated finish so as to resemble the 1916 dime. Its diameter (16.50 mm) is close to that of a regular Mercury dime (17.90 mm) despite containing one-tenth of an ounce of gold – a symbolic nod to the dime’s 10-cent denomination.
Besides describing some of the differences between the new coin and the original, the following video provides a 4K hands-on experience with a “perfect” example certified by NGC as SP70.
A Brief History of the Mercury (Winged Liberty) Dime
The original Winged Liberty dime entered circulation at the end of October 1916 and remained in production for nearly 30 years. Alongside the Walking Liberty half dollar and Standing Liberty quarter, it joined the Indian Head (Buffalo) nickel, the Lincoln cent, the Indian $2.50 quarter eagle and $5 half eagle gold coins, and the Saint-Gaudens $10 eagle and $20 double eagle gold coins in circulation.
It was truly a golden age of U.S. coin design.
Adolph Weinman’s elegant design for the Mercury dime drew heavily from the French Beaux Arts movement of the late 19th century. Its release immediately preceded the Roosevelt dime (1946-Present), and it was the last U.S. dime to be struck entirely in .900 silver.
Heralded for its beauty, the Winged Liberty dime–often referred to as the Mercury dime due to its classically inspired headgear–saw the country through both World Wars and the Great Depression. Its unmistakable design was attached to both the March of Dimes anti-polio campaign and countless Charles Atlas advertisements found in the back of comic books and magazines. When “Yip” Harburg wrote the song “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”, it was the Mercury dime he was talking about.
The dime’s use in circulation carried on without incident. The design didn’t have the striking problems of the Buffalo nickel or the Walking Liberty half. Although specialists might seek out perfectly struck examples with Full Split Bands on the reverse (scarce for some issues), the Mercury dime is remembered as an elegant and practical coin; a successful coin that served its purpose and elevated the image of American money.
The Mercury dime’s term of service came to an unexpected end when, on April 12, 1945, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died. Frail and aged beyond his 63 years, Roosevelt suffered a massive cerebral hemorrhage while on vacation in Georgia. His death reverberated throughout America and the world.
Almost immediately, a movement began to honor Roosevelt on a circulating coin. The dime was the obvious choice as the denomination recalled both Franklin’s battle with polio and his work with the March of Dimes, and on May 17, Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau, Jr. announced that the Winged Liberty design would be replaced by a new design featuring the portrait of the late president.
So with that, the stellar 30-year run of the Winged Liberty or Mercury Head dime came to an end. Steadily, the coins in circulation wore down, Mint State examples were hoarded, rare dates and varieties were cherrypicked, and by the time silver coins exited the scene in the mid to late 1960s, only the most worn examples continued to circulate.
Release, Sellout, and Re-Release of the 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial Gold Coin
As stated earlier, the 2016-W Mercury Dime gold coin was released on April 21, 2016. Priced at $205 USD according to the Mint’s pricing schedule for gold and platinum products at the time, it had a mintage limit of 125,000 pieces and an initial order limit of 10 coins per household. Each piece was sealed in a circular capsule and came with an elegant, custom-designed black-matte hardwood presentation case and a Certificate of Authenticity.
Within 15 minutes of the coin’s noon Eastern Time release on the Mint’s website, the order status had already been changed to “Backorder”. Less than an hour after its release, the 2016-W Mercury Dime gold coin was listed as “Unavailable” by 12:45 PM. This meant that all available inventory had been allotted to fill customer orders and was not quite the same as a complete lack of the entire authorized mintage.
But like any other product, some of these orders were soon canceled, either by the Mint (payment failed to process, bad account information, etc.) or by customers themselves. According to CoinWeek’s news coverage, the Mint reported sales of 122,510 coins out of the 125,000 total mintage by Sunday, April 24. And after customers had time to receive their coins in the mail, returns began to come back. Because of these factors, the Mint still had 8,889 pieces by the middle of the year.
Frustratingly for collectors, however, the Mint did not make these available for purchase and had no set plans to do so. Adding to collector anxiety was the fact that the Mint’s pricing schedule was subject to change, and every additional week of delay meant that the price could be much higher than it was upon initial release (it could also have been lower, but that is beside the point).
It wasn’t until the end of the year that the U.S. Mint announced the resumption of sales of the 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial gold coin on December 15. After being criticised for the original order limit of 10 per “household”–an arrangement that many felt favored dealers and bulk buyers at the expense of regular collectors–the Mint sold these final coins at one per household.
A final total mintage of 124,885 was eventually reported – 115 less than the maximum.
Certified Populations of the 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial Gold Coin in Today’s Market
Since it began grading and authenticating U.S. coins in June 2023, CAC has yet to certify any 2016-W Mercury Dime gold coins.
Categorized as an Anniversary Coin, NGC reports a total of 27,709 certified grading events at the time of publication. The top pop grade of Specimen 70 (SP70) accounts for most of them, with 24,839 examples. Two thousand, eight hundred and fifty-five coins are listed as SP69, 11 are graded SP68, and three are reported at SP67. This kind of top-heavy certified population pyramid is seen with modern collector coin issues that are bought in bulk with the express purpose of grading and immediately reselling them – i.e., “flipping”.
The auction record for any 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial gold coin is $2,000 for a specimen certified NGC Genuine that was sold in November 2019 on eBay.
As far as NGC-certified SP70s go, Stack’s Bowers sold an example for $384 in June 2023, but prices from 2022 average to about $400.
Prices for the same grade in 2021 average to around $350. And looking at auction records from 2020, when more NGC examples were sold than PCGS specimens, the average price for an NGC SP70 2016-W Mercury Dime gold coin is almost $320. Appreciation in the secondary market appears steady, with premiums gaining on $200 over the initial retail price – a doubling of value over seven years.
Also at the time of publication, PCGS has graded a total of 31,984 2016-W Mercury Dime gold coins. The vast majority of those coins–28,958–achieved a perfect grade of SP70. The numbers drop exponentially as we go down to “merely” Gem quality, with 3,001 reported at SP69, 22 listed at SP68, and two given for SP67. PCGS categorizes the gold Mercury dime, the gold Standing Liberty quarter, and the gold Walking Liberty half dollar as the 2016 Centennial Series.
PCGS-certified SP70 examples have tended to fare slightly better than those graded by NGC in recent public sales. Most of the gold Mercury Dimes sold in 2023 so far have been in PCGS holders, and those prices average to over $420. The year 2022 saw auction lots more evenly split between PCGS and NGC, and PCGS prices averaged to a little over $400. PCGS SP70 specimens sold for an average of $370 in 2021, and almost $340 the year prior. The pricing trend is almost identical to that of NGC-certified SP70s, with just a slight bump (~$20) in premium.
Design
Obverse:
Drawn from Adolph A. Weinman’s original design, but not identical. The 2016 version features Liberty (of Thought) facing to the left. A winged cap adorns her head, tufts of hair curl around the base of the pileus cap on her forehead and behind her ear. A braid of hair wraps around the base of her neck. LIBERTY wraps around the top of the coin with letters spaced apart.
The letters E and R are partially obstructed by Liberty’s cap. The designer’s initials (W surmounting A) for “Adolph Weinman” appears behind Liberty’s neck below and to the left of the Y in LIBERTY. The date “2016” appears below the bust truncation, to the rear. A subtle basin creates a dish-like appearance in the field.
Reverse:
As is the case with the obverse, the reverse is adapted from Weinman. In the center, fasces. An axe blade faces to the left. A curvilinear branch of olive leaves wraps behind the fasces. Wrapping around the top of the design is the legend: UNITED · STATES · OF · AMERICA. Wrapping around the bottom of the design is the denomination: ONE DIME. Two five-pointed stars separate the legend from the denomination. The W mint mark of the West Point Mint is located to the right of ONE. The motto “E PLURIBUS UNUM” (OUT OF MANY, ONE) appears to the right of the fasces, slightly below center. Below the motto, the coin’s composition and weight is described: AU 24K (.9999 Fine) 1/10 OZ. The field is slightly dish-like.
Edge:
The 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial Gold Coin has reeded edges that resemble the edge reeding on the 1/10th-ounce American Gold Eagle bullion coin. This reeding is more pronounced and precise than the reeding on an original business strike Winged Liberty silver dime.
Coin Specifications
Country:
United States
Year Of Issue:
2016
Denomination:
Gold 10c
Mint Mark:
W
Mintage:
124,885
Alloy:
.9999 Fine Gold
Weight:
0.10 oz
Diameter:
16.50 mm
Thickness:
1.19 mm
Edge:
Reeded
OBV Designer
Adolph A. Weinman
REV Designer
Adolph A. Weinman
Quality:
Uncirculated
* * *
Obverse:
Drawn from Adolph A. Weinman’s original design, but not identical. The 2016 version features Liberty (of Thought) facing to the left. A winged cap adorns her head, tufts of hair curl around the base of the pileus cap on her forehead and behind her ear. A braid of hair wraps around the base of her neck. LIBERTY wraps around the top of the coin with letters spaced apart.
The letters E and R are partially obstructed by Liberty’s cap. The designer’s initials (W surmounting A) for “Adolph Weinman” appears behind Liberty’s neck below and to the left of the Y in LIBERTY. The date “2016” appears below the bust truncation, to the rear. A subtle basin creates a dish-like appearance in the field.
Reverse:
As is the case with the obverse, the reverse is adapted from Weinman. In the center, fasces. An axe blade faces to the left. A curvilinear branch of olive leaves wraps behind the fasces. Wrapping around the top of the design is the legend: UNITED · STATES · OF · AMERICA. Wrapping around the bottom of the design is the denomination: ONE DIME. Two five-pointed stars separate the legend from the denomination. The W mint mark of the West Point Mint is located to the right of ONE. The motto “E PLURIBUS UNUM” (OUT OF MANY, ONE) appears to the right of the fasces, slightly below center. Below the motto, the coin’s composition and weight is described: AU 24K (.9999 Fine) 1/10 OZ. The field is slightly dish-like.
Edge:
The 2016-W Mercury Dime Centennial Gold Coin has reeded edges that resemble the edge reeding on the 1/10th-ounce American Gold Eagle bullion coin. This reeding is more pronounced and precise than the reeding on an original business strike Winged Liberty silver dime.
Football is known for its share of collectibles, but it’s not often associated with century-old United States gold coins worth $2,100.
Michael Fuljenz, President of Universal Coin & Bullion in Beaumont, Texas, has donated a 1923 Saint-Gaudens $20 double eagle to be used for the coin flip at the upcoming Lamar University Cardinals home game on November 18, 2023, versus the McNeese State University Cowboys. With its gold content (.9765 ounces) worth slightly more than $1,900 at the time of publication–plus a numismatic premium that brings about $200–the historic gold coin is valued at around $2,100.
It is also the last game of the season for the Lamar Cardinals.
“The coin was struck at the Philadelphia Mint and like Lamar University, it is 100 years old this year. I was honored to be asked to do the coin flip for the teams and decided to use the 1923 gold coin, then donate it to Lamar as a symbolic representation of the school’s centennial,” said Fuljenz.
Michael Fuljenz has supported the academic and athletic programs at Lamar and McNeese universities, both local to the East Texas/West Louisiana region, over the years. Lamar University in Texas recognized Fuljenz with a 3T (Time Talent and Treasure) Award in 2007 and McNeese State University in Louisiana presented him with an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2015. Professionaly, he was named Dealer of the Year by the American Numismatic Association (ANA) in 2021 and earlier this year received the organization’s highest honor, the Chester L. Krause Memorial Distinguished Service Award.
As stated in this CoinWeek IQ coin profile, the 1923 coin was designed by renowned American sculptor Augusts Saint-Gaudens, whose design was used on the $20 double eagle denomination gold coins from 1907 to 1933. In 1923, three of those gold coins with a combined face value of only $60 would have paid tuition and books for a semester at either school. Today, 100 years later, the gold value of those same three coins would also pay for tuition and books for a semester.
The Saint-Gaudens $20 gold double eagle is one of the most famous of all American coin types, acclaimed as one of the most beautiful and artistic numismatic designs ever realized in the United States. Its existence came only at the insistence of President Theodore Roosevelt (in office 1909-09), who sought for years to beautify America’s humdrum coin designs.
American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ involvement in the process was meant to be more far-reaching than it turned out to be. The artist set out to redesign every denomination of America’s circulating coinage but fell seriously ill before this plan could come to fruition. In fact, what we have in the form of the Saint-Gaudens-designed $10 and $20 gold coins were made possible only due to the work of Saint Gaudens’ assistant Henry Hering.
The Mint’s first strikings of this $20 design came in the form of two dozen Proofs struck in March of 1907, each coin requiring nine impressions to realize the full detail of Saint-Gaudens’ high-relief design.
The Mint’s engraving department, led by Chief Engraver Charles Barber, was adamant that the high-relief models were completely impractical for use in striking circulating coins. Barber is often slandered in numismatic circles as being entitled, hard to deal with, and unprofessional to his peers in the United States Mint engraving department and to outside artists.
This could not be farther from the truth. And in the case of the double eagle design, he was absolutely correct! After a few versions of the double eagle proved too difficult to strike, Barber modified Saint-Gaudens’s design, lowering the relief so the coin could be struck with only one blow.
When the coins were finally released in 1907, they proved controversial as they lacked the national motto “In God We Trust“, which President Roosevelt objected to on religious grounds. Even though the Coinage Act of 1890 did not include that motto among the mandatory legends and inscriptions to be placed on U.S. coins (perhaps an unintended omission), both Congress and the public nevertheless wanted it there. The motto was restored (it was on the previous Liberty Head type) later in 1908 by Congressional action, which brought the double eagle into compliance with the Act of March 3, 1865, the original mandate for the text.
There was one more significant modification of the double eagle before President Franklin Delano Roosevelt ended circulating gold coinage in 1933. In 1912, the number of stars encircling Liberty on the obverse was increased from 46 to 48, marking the addition of New Mexico and Arizona to the Union.
The 1923 Saint-Gaudens $20 Double Eagle in Today’s Market
The 1923 Saint-Gaudens $20 double eagle had a mintage of 566,000 pieces. In a series where so many key issues have been lost to government seizure and the melting pot, mintage totals are inefficient predictors of overall rarity. As it stands, the 1923 sits amongst a run of Philadelphia Mint issues starting in 1920 and continuing through 1928 that comprises the core of the generic Saint-Gaudens market.
The term “generic” may be offputting to some, but in the rare coin industry, it describes a coin that has only a basic value over the coin’s intrinsic worth. In the raw, an About Uncirculated or Brilliant Uncirculated example would routinely trade at the prevailing spot price. In certified grades of MS63 and MS64, these generic Saint-Gaudens issues carry a premium of approximately 15% over spot price.
The market values for 1923 Saint-Gaudens $20 double eagles radically depart from this percentage at the grade MS65 and above. In MS65, the 1923 Saint sells for around $5,000. A strong premium is offered for CAC-approved examples at MS65. In lower grades, this is not necessarily the case.
The top certified grade for the 1923 is MS66 and as of the date of publication of this article, PCGS reports six pieces with three discrete examples illustrated on Coinfacts and NGC reports one specimen at this grade. The record price paid for one at this level is $72,000 USD at a May 2022 Heritage sale.
The Dr. Steven Duckor specimen (which we used to illustrate this article) was a previous record holder, having sold for $48,875 in November 2005. At the time of that sale, the Duckor piece was one of only two graded at MS66. The Duckor example has since sold two more times: for $36,800 in February 2008 and for $40,250 in January 2012. A different MS66 specimen brought $33,600 in a June 2019 Heritage auction.
One major factor driving up the cost of the 1923 Saint Gaudens double eagle in MS66 is not necessarily its rarity but the comparative ease of acquisition for the most affluent registry set participants. Whereas each grading point helps these collectors acquire positions in the set leaderboards, generic issues tend to provide a more affordable and more frequent opportunity to better the set. Contrast the ease of acquisition of the finest 1923 to any Mint State example of the 1927-D and you will see this factor at play.
Doubling back to an earlier part of this analysis where we mentioned the term “generic”. It’s true that no two coins are alike and that coins with exceptional eye appeal excite collectors regardless of rarity. The 1923 is a good example of a coin that is traded in a variety of ways and is to be considered differently depending on a number of factors that may seem obtuse to beginner collectors. It is a common date for telemarketers and late-night coin shows, but at the highest levels of the grading spectrum, where examples are few, it is also an issue that draws significant interest in national auctions.
Saint-Gaudens $20 Double Eagle Design
Obverse:
The obverse features a full-length image of Liberty, facing forward with an olive branch in her extended left hand and a raised torch in her extended right. Draped in a long, flowing classical gown, her hair is swept to the left. Some describe her as striding forward, but she appears instead to be in a pose; the foot of her left leg resting on a large rock (in front of which are oak leaves). Henrietta “Hettie” Anderson served as Saint-Gauden’s primary model. To Liberty’s right, at the bottom of the coin, the sun is visible behind a depiction of the U.S. Capitol building. Rays from the sun extend upward from behind the Capitol and Liberty to about the level of Liberty’s waist. At the top of the coin is the word LIBERTY, the torch separating I and B. Forty-eight tiny six-pointed stars are arrayed just inside the flat rim, forming a circle broken only at the bottom.
The date in ‘Arabic’ numerals is near the bottom on the right; a monogram of the designer’s initials ASG is below the date.
Reverse:
The crest of the sun appears again on the reverse, at the bottom with rays extending upward nearly to the top of the coin behind a majestic left-facing eagle, wings uplifted in flight. In an arc above the sun is IN GOD WE TRUST, the words separated by centered triangular dots. At the top is UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in a concentric arc next to the flat rim, with TWENTY DOLLARS just below in another arc. The words of both phrases are separated by centered triangular dots, and the text is also in front of the sun’s rays.
Edge:
The motto E PLURIBUS UNUM, in raised letters that alternate with 13 raised stars, is on the edge of the coin.
Designer
Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907) was a European-educated American sculptor, notable for numerous public monuments and other works in the Beaux Arts style. Working with President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, he is responsible for some of the most beautiful numismatic designs in American history, such as the gold $10 eagle and the gold $20 double eagle.
By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… In the last few weeks, gold has finally started to move in a positive direction as it briefly topped $2,000 USD for the first time in months. Tensions over global conflicts have once again made gold look attractive as a safety play. Almost daily we have clients calling and asking about how to buy gold to protect their assets. It will only take one headline crisis for gold to move to the next level.
The most immediate effect of the recent gold rise has been an upsurge in coin shipments. I would also guess that companies with a strong web presence that are devoted to bullion have also seen an increase in business. Many dealers whom I have contacted have bought much more than they have been selling. That is one of the reasons that the premiums for bullion-related objects are near recent lows.
This oversupply is also playing out in the rare and nearly rare coin market. Generic date, common issues of United States gold coins are selling for very low premiums once again. Much of this surplus is fueled by an avalanche of pre-1933 gold coins flowing back to the U.S. from Europe. During the Great Depression (1929-39) and before, large quantities of American gold coins were shipped to Europe as a standard course of international trade. No one really knew how much U.S. gold remained lurking in the vaults of European banks and other financial institutions.
Starting in the 1950s, some coin dealers began to repatriate these coins at a slow but steady pace. In the ’60s and ’70s, some previously rare-dated $20 double eagles appeared in these European shipments. Mega-rarities like the 1924-D, the 1925-D, and the 1926-S were found in quantity. A great narrative of this time period can be found in the seminal books on United States gold coins by David W. Akers that were first published in the 1970s. Akers knew much of this information firsthand, as he had handled many of these mini-hoards.
Many of the largest dealers of the day participated in this release of gold coins back into the domestic market. For years, that market has been orderly, with premiums changing based on the supply-and-demand issues of the day. In 1999, the premium for U.S. gold coins surged as citizens around the world prepared for the Y2K crisis that never materialized. There have been other ups and downs over the years, but gold coins have been a steady favorite of investors and those serving that clientele.
Today, the rare coin market is being faced with an unprecedented quantity of gold coins. These coins have been quietly entering the market for some time, but in the last few years some retailers have been loudly touting this newfound supply of U.S. gold coinage. At least one cable TV show has invested in a high-quality presentation featuring the story of these gold coins, and how they found their way to Europe for the last 100 years or more. Other retail operations have been running newspaper ads and selling by direct mail.
By now you are probably thinking that this part of the market should be avoided due to oversupply. I urge you to consider otherwise. There has never been a better time to start a collection of United States gold coins. Premiums for most double eagles, other than scarce or rare issues, have been crushed in the last year or so.
There is also a lot of market uncertainty due to the fact that no one really knows what is in the recent flows coming from Europe. A few of the major players have an idea, but I doubt any one person or group knows the full extent of what exists in these foreign holdings. Markets hate uncertainty, and that is one of the reasons prices have fallen so much. In time, this will be resolved as the coins are absorbed and more information becomes clear to researchers and collectors.
The knee-jerk reaction of most collectors and dealers is to fear large quantities of coins when they enter the market. Several years ago, when I handled the 16,000 coins in the New York Bank Hoard of Treasury-released silver dollars, I was asked by several dealers if this would kill the market for Morgan dollars. These individuals far underestimate the size of the market for rare coins. Those coins were sold to one company that sold every coin for retail, and the market was unaffected.
Going back decades, the same fears were felt when the Redfield Hoard of silver dollars entered the market. That hoard contained over 400,000 silver dollars, many of which were rare dates. The coins were expertly marketed, and prices actually rose based on the number of new collectors that were attracted to the hobby by the fascinating story of LaVere Redfield and his silver dollars. It should also be remembered that the GSA Hoard of Carson City Morgan dollars contained over 2.5 million coins, and these have now been fully dispersed and are widely collected.
The same opportunity awaits those interested in American gold coins, particularly double eagles. Savvy collectors and investors should take advantage of this market uncertainty and amazingly low prices. Many collectors are probably unaware of how many date and mintmark combinations of double dagles can be purchased for very little over the melt value.
The following is a list of 125 double eagles that can be purchased for less than $2,500 in About Uncirculated or Mint State:
For those who find the starting price a bit high for double eagles, you might consider $5 half eagle and $10 eagle gold coins. Most groups of European gold have never contained the smaller denominations (Gold Dollars and $2.50 quarter eagles). The above mentioned, however, are often seen in quantity. There are dozens of dates for beginner collectors to choose from, and starting a set of these has never been more affordable in relation to gold.
The most recent groups of gold have also contained some interesting coins starting in the 1840s. Nearly every United States Mint (with the exception of Dahlonega and Charlotte) that produced gold coins is represented as well, including Carson City and New Orleans. The majority of the coins I have seen have also been fresh and original. The collector-driven market for originality makes these particularly appealing.
Someday soon the dispersal of European gold will be over, and this golden opportunity will have passed. As value investor Warren Buffett has been quoted as saying, “Attempt to be fearful when others are greedy, and to be greedy only when others are fearful.” In my opinion, this wisdom holds just as true in numismatics as it does in the stock market.
The production of counterfeit gold and silver coins is almost as old as coinage itself.
The usual method involves making something that looks like an authentic coin but using cheaper metal. Success for the criminal was measured by the quantity of fakes they could exchange for legal currency without getting caught[1]. One specialty was making fake silver coins from cheap substitutes, such as tin, that looked like ordinary worn coins. These allowed the use of cast or low-quality false dies without raising too much suspicion about design quality.
Another common counterfeiting approach came into use with the introduction of copper-nickel three-cent and five-cent coins in the latter 1860s. In this fraud, criminals exploited the difference in raw material cost and face value for legal coins. This was the seigniorage (or profit) the United States Mint made when they used one cent of copper-nickel to make a coin with a five-cent face value. Normal U.S. alloy was 75% copper and 25% nickel, but anyone could buy common “maillechort” or “nickel silver” from scrap metal dealers or jewelers for a few cents per pound[2]. This was readily melted, rolled into strips, and cut into blanks ready to be impressed with false dies. Authentic nickels and three-cent pieces were used to make counterfeit dies, and the struck pieces of scrap were easily passed to workers who used them for purchases and train fares.
In 19th-century America and parts of Europe, a more sophisticated and deceptive method came into use along with the large influx of new gold from California and Australia. This used a real coin, such as a $10 eagle or a $20 double eagle, and preserved the faces and most of the edge in original condition. The counterfeiter did not attempt to copy the coin; rather, gold was removed from inside. Visually, the coin appeared genuine, but in reality it had been hollowed out, the gold removed, and the cavity filled with a cheap heavy metal such as platinum[3].
Today, we consider platinum a precious metal widely used in electronics and as a catalyst for certain chemical reactions[4]. But for much of the last 150 years, it has been a specialty metal prized for its limited chemical reactivity and high melting temperature in laboratory and assaying equipment. The chart below plots the market value of platinum versus gold from about 1880 to 1980.
Table 1. Average annual platinum (blue line) price per Troy ounce versus gold (red line) 1880-1980. Notice that until 1890 it was only one-fifth or less per ounce than the price of gold. It was not until about 1901 that platinum equaled, and then exceeded, gold’s price. (Base platinum graph adapted from Wikipedia commons. Gold price added by author.)
Pure platinum, at 21.45 grams per cubic centimeter, was noticeably denser than pure gold’s 19.3 g/cc, but native platinum contained impurities (including palladium) that reduced its density enough to make it a good replacement for gold in counterfeiting[5].
The Discovery of a New Way of Making Counterfeit Gold Coins
At the beginning of the Civil War in 1860, the Treasury Department and the Mint became aware of a new method of adulterating gold coins with platinum (called “platina” in contemporary letters). Previously, the most common replacement method was to drill small holes through the edge of a coin and replace the gold with a plug of platinum. The damaged edge was repaired and gilded with a bit of gold leaf to hide the work. But the new process was capable of removing as much as half the gold in a $10 Eagle and very difficult to detect.
Here’s what Dr. John Torrey, Assayer at the New York Assay Office, had to say in July 1860:
I procured for you to-day, a fine specimen of a ten-dollar gold coin. It has the proper weight and size, but it is no doubt filled up with platina [i.e. platinum]. It was probably made by sawing through a genuine eagle, and then turning out on a lathe, or filing away, a considerable part of the gold. A disc of platina was then introduced, and a narrow hoop of gold used to fill the saw-cut. The whole was then united with silver solder, and the milling renovated. I have reason to believe there are many of these coins in circulation. We have some ounces of platina taken out of a lot of them, brought to our office. You will have difficulty in finding the seams in the piece I send you. Scarcely a bank in our city would hesitate to take it. I paid five dollars for this piece, which is about its intrinsic value.
Now, how shall we detect these debased pieces? The coinage is genuine, the weight and size correct. I am able to tell them (except when the seams are manifest) only in one way, i.e., by plunging then under nitric acid. This almost immediately acts on the silver solder, producing bubbles of nitrous gas, and a green discoloration around the joint; finally separating the parts completely. A few minutes or even seconds immersion in the nitric acid is generally sufficient to detect the fraud. This method can of course be applied to a considerable number of pieces at once [meaning, ‘at one time’], and the bad ones picked out; the gold ones not being injured by the operation.[6]
According to Torrey, the counterfeiter carefully sliced a normal $10 eagle in half through the edge. Each part was mounted in turn on a small lathe and gold removed from the center without disturbing the edge or penetrating the coin’s faces. Next, a small disc of platinum was inserted in place of the gold. This must have been a precise fit so that when restored, the coin was solid. The two halves were then soldered together with the existing reeds aligned. A piece of gold wire was pushed into the visible saw cut and the reeds restored. This latter step was likely done with a small gear rather than a file so that all the reeds looked normal across the coin’s thickness. Torrey noted that he “…paid $5 for this piece, which is about its intrinsic value” for the adulterated eagle. If this were representative of other gold coins adulterated this way, the counterfeiter was removing about half the face value from every coin.
Figure 1. Typical 1860 Eagle referred to by Dr. Torrey. The only clue to adulteration would be at the edge-to-rim junction where a thin seam might be visible. (Photo of a normal coin courtesy HA.com.)
Despite the precise control such operations demanded, this was all easy to accomplish using equipment available in the late 1850s. Weight could be controlled by the thickness of the gold band which covered the cutting and the only visible seam would be between the band and a coin’s normal rim[7]. With careful machine control, weighing the re-joined coin and edge filling to mint specification, and a small toothed gear to reform the reeds, a good machinist-counterfeiter might make five to 10 fakes per day. Using $10 gold pieces, that would mean revenue of $25 to $50 per day – double if $20 coins were used[8].
Compare that to the $3 daily wage of a Philadelphia Mint mechanic.
Dr. Torrey’s detection method was very effective but also not something that was convenient or easily done outside an assay office or mint facility. By the time a potentially counterfeit gold coin could be tested with acid, the person passing the fake would likely be long gone, and some merchant or bank was left holding the residue. The most reliable and readily available test was called the “ring test”. A suspect coin was dropped on a marble countertop and a clerk listened for the characteristic high pitch ring of a normal coin. A struck silver or gold coin is a solid body that makes a ringing sound when balanced on a finger and lightly tapped with a fingernail or solid metal rod. A counterfeit, such as we’ve described, is composed of several pieces and not a solid body. When tested by dropping or tapping it will produce a dull “thump” or “thunk” sound completely unlike that of an authentic coin[9].
Faced with this form of counterfeit gold coins, United States Mint Director James Ross Snowden suggested that “reducing the thickness of our gold coinage is the only mode of preventing the debasement in question.”[10] Multiple experiments were conducted and several pattern coins on wide, thin planchets were made[11].
Figure 2. Experimental 1860 thin half eagle produced in response to filling coins with platinum. This pattern is 27 millimeters in diameter, the same diameter as a gold Eagle, but weighs 8.36 grams, identical to a standard half eagle. The pattern is approximately one millimeter thick. This piece is cataloged as Judd 271. (Courtesy HA.com)
A Possible Solution
A solution eventually emerged from Edward Pratt, the Assistant Treasurer in Boston, in a letter to Treasury Secretary Howell Cobb:
If the Department should determine to employ detectives… it will perhaps be advisable to impart to them the following facts, the accuracy of which can be easily established, viz.: that there are in this country very few purchases of manufactured platina; such being confined almost entirely to dentists and chemists. The Professor of Chemistry at Harvard University informs me that in the course of a year, he uses but about 10 or 12 ounces; and one of the leading dentists if this city tells me that he uses in the same time from six to nine ozs. Much platina is undoubtedly used in the form of crucibles, etc., but it is all manufactured abroad.[12]
Pratt’s observation was that very little platinum was produced or used in the United States. This would naturally limit the extent to which cutting and filling could be performed. Also, anyone acquiring platinum in larger quantities or who was not in a business known to use the metal, would immediately raise suspicion and come under investigation[13]. Simply put, filling gold coins with platinum was severely limited by the metal’s limited availability.
In the end, all the alarm, hand wringing, letter writing, and pattern making was for naught. Cut and filled gold coins quietly evaporated from Mint and Treasury thoughts. Letters ended up in musty anonymous file cases and pattern pieces adorned the Mint Cabinet of Coins & Medals, plus a few select private collections.
* * *
Notes
[1] Traditional punishments were permanent: death by one of several gruesome means; amputation with an axe of both hands; forehead branding and the amputation of one hand; and blinding with mercury fumes were among the options.
[2] Also known as German silver, argentan, new silver, nickel brass, albata, or alpaca. Containing no silver, the alloy consists of copper, nickel, zinc and sometimes tin. It is often used in cheap jewelry as a substitute for Sterling or fine silver.
[3] Platinum was a common impurity in California gold along with iridium and osmium.
[4] Platinum was found in placer deposits during the 16th-century Spanish conquest of South America. It was first thought to be a special kind of silver, and was called “platina del Pinto” (“little silver of the River Pinto”) after the Rio Pinto in Colombia. Because it would not melt with furnaces available to the Spanish, they soon considered it a nuisance and contaminant and often discarded it.
[5] Iridium and osmium, both denser than platinum, were also present in native deposits. This forced criminals making counterfeit gold coins to adapt their techniques to accommodate available metal.
[6] RG104 E-1 Box 59. Letter dated July 14, 1860 to Snowden from Eckfeldt and Dubois.
[7] This might have been another reason the mints were concerned about a fin extending beyond the rim, especially on gold coins. The junction of repaired reeding and rim might have closely resembled a natural fin.
[8] Eagles and half eagles were likely preferred since they circulated in large cities. Double eagles were much less commonly seen and would probably have been more closely checked by merchants and banks.
[9] Some authentic coins will not ring properly if they have inclusions in the planchet or have been damaged.
[10] RG104 E-1 Box 60. Letter dated September 29, 1860 to Cobb from Snowden. Repeated in letter dated October 1, 1860 to Snowden from Cobb.
[11] See Roger W. Burdette. “Dr. Barclay’s Experimental Coinage ~ 1832-1876” in Fads, Fakes and Foibles (Seneca Mill Press LLC, 2021).
[12] RG104 E-1 Box 60. Letter dated September 21, 1860 to Cobb from Pratt. Excerpt. 6-7.
[13] Purchasing assay equipment was not an option because the manufactured goods cost more than the same weight of gold, and would also produce suspicion among the Treasury Department’s customs agents.
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Sunday Auction 1270 from David Lawrence Rare Coins (DLRC) is live online and features over 450 total lots – including gold coins from the Hansen Collection and more than 225 No Reserve lots and over 10 Vault Values. Included in the variety of PCGS-, NGC-, and CAC-approved items in this week’s sale is a rare […]
Especially Price Guides for Southern Mint Half Eagles By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner The fourth installment of “Fairmont Fever” occurred earlier this week at the Stack’s Bowers office in California where bidders competed for yet another round of coins from the amazing Fairmont Hoard. In most cases, the coins being […]
By CoinWeek IQ ….. A great numismatic rarity was interred in the northeast cornerstone of the second San Francisco Mint on May 25, 1870, during a Masonic ceremony covered by the press. Struck especially for the event using modified dies, the 1870-S $3 gold coin joined a number of other extraordinary numismatic rarities in […]
By Victor Bozarth for PCGS …… Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 * * * No World’s Fair before or since 1915 has garnered as much attention in terms of commemorative coins as the Panama-Pacific Exposition. Commemorating the completion of the Panama Canal was a big deal, warranting the 1915 […]
Spirited bidding in the Stack’s Bowers Galleries Official Auction of the Whitman Coin & Collectibles 2023 Spring Expo resulted in dozens of new price records and a total realization of over $28.5 million USD. The top performer in the sale was a 1792 cent in copper with a silver plug pedigreed to the Cardinal […]
The United States Mint will begin accepting orders for the 2023 American Buffalo One Ounce Gold Proof Coin on April 13 at noon EDT. The Mint launched the American Buffalo Coin Program in 2006. The one-ounce coin in this program is the first 24-karat gold Proof coin ever struck by the Mint and is the […]
The 1795 BD-3 Capped Bust Eagle $10 gold coin is a Rarity 6 variety with an expected surviving population of 20 to 22 pieces. As such, this is the scarcest die pairing of the issue and is therefore considered a major rarity of an already rare early-date U.S. gold issue – listed among the 100 […]
* * * Here’s an interesting U.S. gold dollar from 1856. Can you guess the grade? In 1856, the United States Mint struck gold dollars with two distinctly different date logotypes. The “Slanted 5” variety, which is the much more frequently encountered version, features an italicized 5. This had been the style employed by […]
The United States Mint announces the opening of sales for the 2023 American Eagle Gold Proof Coins on March 30 at noon EDT. Orders are limited to three items per product code per household for the first 24 hours from the on-sale date and time. Struck in 22-karat gold at the West Point Mint, these […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner An unprecedented number of Proof Three Dollar gold pieces has provided collectors with a bounty not seen since the late 1990s and early 2000s. Four important specialized sets of Proof Threes–owned by Tom Bender, the Harry Bass Foundation, Peter Huberman, and Bob Simpson–have given specialists an […]
Heritage Auctions’ second offering from The Buddy Liles Collection of US Gold Coins is open for bidding. This auction features mostly Eagles, starting with the Capped Bust series and ranging near the end of the Liberty Head series, along with a small sampling of gold dollars. Every date in the Capped Bust eagles series is […]
This week, CoinWeek has a 1910-S Saint-Gaudens Indian Head $10 eagle gold coin for you to grade. PCGS graded this coin and it has a number of surface impairments that may have impacted its grade. The Saint-Gaudens Indian $10 gold coin (eagle) is one of the most attractive coin designs ever produced by the […]
While the United States Mint struck both the Flowing Hair and Coiled Hair Stella types between 1879 and 1880, these pattern pieces were never intended for circulation. Instead, they acted as a failed experiment to bring the United States’ gold currency into line with that of the Latin Monetary Union. For example, one Stella (worth […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner The dispersal of the Fairmont Collection began in 2018. It became better organized in 2022 with the offering of the subsets of half eagles, eagles, and double eagles that were given the names “Hendricks” (sold in April 2022), “JBR” (sold in August 2022), and “CBL” (sold […]
GreatCollections is offering collectors a seldom-seen opportunity to purchase a high-grade 1929 Saint. With a surviving population of 350 in all grades thanks to the gold melt of the 1930s, examples in MS-65 are rarely encountered; in fact, there are only 18 examples graded higher. Bidding for this special coin ends on Sunday, March 5, […]
GreatCollections is offering collectors a seldom-seen opportunity to purchase a high-grade 1929 Saint. With a surviving population of 350 in all grades thanks to the gold melt of the 1930s, examples in MS-65 are rarely encountered; in fact, there are only 18 examples graded higher. Bidding for this special coin ends on Sunday, March 5, […]
The United States Mint is pleased to announce the selection of its 2021 American Liberty High Relief Gold Coin as Best Gold Coin in Krause Publication’s Coin of the Year (COTY) competition. The annual award program recognizes coins worldwide for their excellence in coin design and craftsmanship. Launched in 2015, the American Liberty High Relief […]
The United States Mint is pleased to announce the selection of its 2021 American Liberty High Relief Gold Coin as Best Gold Coin in Krause Publication’s Coin of the Year (COTY) competition. The annual award program recognizes coins worldwide for their excellence in coin design and craftsmanship. Launched in 2015, the American Liberty High Relief […]
The United States Mint is pleased to announce the selection of its 2021 American Liberty High Relief Gold Coin as Best Gold Coin in Krause Publication’s Coin of the Year (COTY) competition. The annual award program recognizes coins worldwide for their excellence in coin design and craftsmanship. Launched in 2015, the American Liberty High Relief […]
This week, CoinWeek has a 1907 Liberty Head eagle $10 gold coin for you to grade. This coin was certified by NGC and presents a challenge for even the most experienced coin graders. But it’s not just a 1907 eagle; this coin is also an overdate. We show you how to identify this feature […]
This week, CoinWeek has a 1907 Liberty Head eagle $10 gold coin for you to grade. This coin was certified by NGC and presents a challenge for even the most experienced coin graders. But it’s not just a 1907 eagle; this coin is also an overdate. We show you how to identify this feature […]
This week, CoinWeek has a 1907 Liberty Head eagle $10 gold coin for you to grade. This coin was certified by NGC and presents a challenge for even the most experienced coin graders. But it’s not just a 1907 eagle; this coin is also an overdate. We show you how to identify this feature […]
GreatCollections is offering collectors a very interesting opportunity to purchase the 27th American Gold Eagle ever struck. Not only is this high-quality coin graded MS68 by PCGS, but it was also struck by the well-known New York coin dealer and numismatic author Scott Travers. In addition to the coin, this group lot includes a signed […]
GreatCollections is offering collectors a very interesting opportunity to purchase the 27th American Gold Eagle ever struck. Not only is this high-quality coin graded MS68 by PCGS, but it was also struck by the well-known New York coin dealer and numismatic author Scott Travers. In addition to the coin, this group lot includes a signed […]
GreatCollections is offering collectors a very interesting opportunity to purchase the 27th American Gold Eagle ever struck. Not only is this high-quality coin graded MS68 by PCGS, but it was also struck by the well-known New York coin dealer and numismatic author Scott Travers. In addition to the coin, this group lot includes a signed […]
By Tyler Rossi for CoinWeek ….. The American Gold Buffalo program started in an interesting manner when the United States Congress introduced the new gold bullion coin as part of the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005. Not only did the bill lay out the design to be used (a modified version of James […]
The Saint-Gaudens $20 gold double eagle is one of the most famous of all American coin types, acclaimed as one of the most beautiful and artistic numismatic designs ever realized in the United States. Its existence came only at the insistence of President Theodore Roosevelt, who sought for years to beautify America’s humdrum coin designs. […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldcoins.com CoinWeek Content Partner …… On the front page of my website (www.raregoldcoins.com) you will see the tagline “Coins with Character”. This has been the official motto of Douglas Winter Numismatics for many years, and I am often asked by collectors “what are coins with character?” There is no […]
Over $23 million in United States coins and currency was sold in the Stack’s Bowers Galleries Winter 2022 Showcase Auction, marking an incredibly successful close to the firm’s 2022 U.S. Showcase Auction season. Presented was an exciting array of Numismatic Americana, U.S. colonial and federal coinage, and physical bitcoins and cryptocurrency, including several significant collections […]
This December event features almost 500 gold pieces and coins and jewelry from the world’s most famous hidden treasure This time, at least, the hunt for Forrest Fenn’s treasure won’t be so challenging. What remains from that famed chest hidden in the Rocky Mountains – for a decade, the stuff of dreams and countless […]
Biding is now live on Greatcollections.com for one of the rarest obtainable US gold types. Even graded as PR 45 DCAM, this 1875 $3 gold piece is extremely rare and is sure to garner extensive attention on the auction block. Secured in an OGH 1.2 Gen PCGS holder for upwards of 36 years, this coin […]
The problems with this low-quality fake start with a glaring error By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) …… The Indian Head Quarter Eagle series that began in 1908 was born from President Theodore Roosevelt’s displeasure with the designs on US coinage at the turn of the century. The ensuing rebirth of America’s coinage was carried […]
By Bullion Shark LLC …… Former presidents have played a major role in our circulating coinage for over one hundred years, appearing on the obverses of most of those coins. This even includes series like the Presidential dollar, which started out as circulating coinage in 2007 but became collector coins in 2012. Because of this […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner It’s likely that Heritage’s recent sale of a PCGS AU53 1875 Liberty Head eagle will go largely unnoticed by non-specialists. After all, million-dollar coins are a common occurrence at coin auctions in the 2020s, and to get noticed today, a coin needs to hammer for at […]
By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… The recently completed Stack’s Bowers sales featuring the first and last American Silver and Gold Eagles saw record prices for pedigreed modern coins sold at auction, stunning most observers. Touted as the Dusk to Dawn Anniversary issues, the coins were the last 500 Type 1 and […]
Stack’s Bowers Galleries is proud to announce their Winter 2022 Showcase Auction, the Official Auction of the Whitman Coin and Collectibles Winter Expo. The sale will be offered across 15 sessions, beginning on Thursday, October 27 with live bidding for Part II of the Sydney F. Martin Collection and ending with the final Internet Only […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner On September 29, 2022, the first part of four sales featuring the Harry Bass Core Collection was sold at a live (!) auction held in Long Beach, California by Heritage Auctions. The sale was small with 106 total coins sold; of these, just 71 were regular-issue […]
Proceeds from the series of auctions scheduled through 2023 to benefit Dallas-based nonprofits A magnificent 1821 half eagle rode a burst of furiously competitive bidding all the way to $4.62 million USD, leading one of the finest collections of U.S. gold coins and related patterns ever assembled to $20,459,645 in Heritage Auctions’ Harry W. […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner On August 25, 2022, Stack’s Bowers sold a comprehensive specialized set of Dahlonega gold. It was a sale that had very broad appeal as it encompassed every issue from this Southern branch mint and included coins that ranged in value from around $2,500 USD all the […]
Only the Third Complete Set by Die Marriage Ever Formed Stack’s Bowers Galleries is pleased to announce the sale of the Harvey B. Jacobson, Jr. Collection of 1795 to 1804 $10 Gold Eagles. Mr. Jacobson is only the third collector known to have completed this set by die marriage, joining the august company of Anthony J. […]
Americans of the 1920s seemed so preoccupied with enjoying the present that celebrating the past was destined to take a back seat. Even so, there were those who still recognized the nation’s heritage. Among the ways in which Americans of the Roaring ‘20s marked these occasions was through the issuance of commemorative coins that recognized […]
Entire Auction Brings More Than $60 Million Across All Categories Over $60 million in numismatic items were sold in the Stack’s Bowers Galleries 2022 Summer Global Showcase Auction including over $43 million in United States coins. The incredible result set a new record as the highest-grossing auction in the firm’s 89-year history and represents […]
On September 25, 2022, GreatCollections is offered collectors a rare opportunity to bid on a spectacular early US Civil War Ultra Cameo Proof 1864 gold double eagle. Graded and certified by NGC as PF 65 UCAM, this highly desirable coin garnered considerable attention, registering 71 bids on its way to a final price of $613,125 […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldcoins.com CoinWeek Content Partner…. If you’ve been around the coin market for a while, you know that there are many different types of rarity. In this blog, I’m going to discuss the types of rarity you might already be familiar with, and one which you might not: the eye appeal or […]
By Bullion Shark LLC …… After President Theodore Roosevelt commissioned famed American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens in 1905 to put his artistic skills at work redesigning American coinage, Saint-Gaudens’ health continued to deteriorate. He had planned to redesign everything from the cent to the $20 gold double eagle, but he was only able to complete work […]
By 1925, gold coins had mostly fallen from circulation within the United States. Instead, the Government intended these coins to fulfill two main roles: to be exported as payment for trade deals and to back US gold certificates. Specifically, the coins’ role of backing gold certificates was of high importance because by law the certificates […]
The first of several sales benefitting Dallas nonprofits kicks off with ‘one of the most spectacular gold rarities in the entire American series’ After more than half a century away from the public eye, one of the finest collections of U.S. gold coins and related patterns finally will be made available during Heritage Auctions’ […]
By Mike Byers for Mint Error News …… 1906-D $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle Broadstruck (Out of the Collar) NGC AU 58 UNIQUE This is the only known United States $20 Gold Piece that was broadstruck out of the collar. It expanded in size and has a plain edge. There are five to seven […]
The special 2021 35th Anniversary American Eagle 1 Ounce Gold and Silver Coins realized over $4.6 million USD in total sales at the Stack’s Bowers Galleries Summer 2022 Global Showcase Auction conducted at Griffin Studios. Presented across 700 lots in a standalone session on September 1, these 35th Anniversary coins saw fierce competition from collectors. […]
By Christopher Maisano – Numismatist, Stack’s Bower Galleries …… The 1885 Proof double eagle is among the rarest Proof $20s, and we are pleased to offer an exciting example graded Proof-67 Deep Cameo by PCGS and with CAC approval in the Stack’s Bowers Galleries Whitman Winter Expo Auction. It is an impressive, pristine beauty with […]
By CoinWeek ….. When the dust settled, four records had fallen. On September 1, 2022, Stack’s Bowers Galleries held an unusual auction comprised of 700 lots, all 2021 American Gold Eagle and 2021 American Silver Eagle bullion coins. Off the bat, auction prices were strong. Stack’s Bowers offered individual pieces from the sets as individual […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Tom Bender is a good client of mine as well as a friend, and it was with great interest that I followed the sale of his Carson City gold and gold dollar sets in the recent Heritage 2022 (post) ANA auction. Before I discuss my dozen […]
Biding is now live at GreatCollections.com for the opportunity to acquire a stunning Proof 1913 Saint-Gaudens $20 gold double eagle. Certified and graded as PR 66 by PCGS, this high-grade coin also received a green CAC sticker, meaning that CAC considers it a strong example of the grade. A notable rarity, this particular coin is […]
The finest of three known Proof 1825/4/1 Capped Head Left half eagles sold for a record price of $4.08 million USD in the Stack’s Bowers Galleries Summer 2022 Global Showcase Auction, nearly doubling the pre-sale high estimate. It set a new record as the most valuable pre-1834 Proof United States gold coin ever sold at […]
Previous record was $2.16 million, also at Heritage An exceedingly rare 1927-D Double Eagle MS66 PCGS, part of The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part IX, soared to a record $4.44 million USD at Heritage Auctions US Coins Signature Auction. The result shattered the previous record for the 1927-D Double Eagle of $2.16 million at […]
Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) is collaborating with Stack’s Bowers Galleries to encapsulate a select number of 2021 American Eagle silver and gold coins marking the transition between old and new designs on these popular United States Mint bullion coins. These American Silver Eagles and American Gold Eagles were struck in small batches of 500 […]
Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) is proud to have certified 1,000 American Gold Eagles and American Silver Eagles from a historic transition in the coins’ designs. Known as the 2021 American Eagle at Dusk and at Dawn 35th Anniversary coins, they are being offered by the US Mint through Stack’s Bowers Galleries on September 1, 2022. Bidding is […]
Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) is partnering with Heritage Auctions to certify one of the most famous coin collections assembled in the last 50 years. Heritage Auctions has selected PCGS to grade and encapsulate hundreds of coins from the cabinet of Harry W. Bass, Jr., a philanthropic collector who built one of the largest coin […]
By Christopher Maisano – Numismatist, Stack’s Bower Galleries …… The 1851-D gold dollar is a conditionally rare and historic issue that attracts heavy interest from U.S. gold enthusiasts. The Stack’s Bowers Galleries stand-alone catalog for the Georgia Gold Rush Collection of Dahlonega Coinage features an 1851-D gold dollar that offers extraordinary technical quality and eye […]
“Duke of Carson City Coins” among most important in all of U.S. numismatics A passion can be sparked by any number of factors. In the case of renowned U.S. coins collector Tom Bender, a call to his brothers renewed his interest in a hobby handed down from his father. “I started collecting coins as a […]
By Christopher Maisano – Numismatist, Stack’s Bower Galleries …… Stack’s Bowers Galleries is pleased to present a noteworthy conditionally rare example of the historic 1852 Humbert $10 in our August Global Showcase Auction. Lustrous and frosty, the surfaces of this Gold Rush coin display remnants of luster and the appearance is impressively smooth for the […]
The United States Mint is pleased to announce the public auction on September 1 of special limited editions of 2021 American Eagle at Dusk and at Dawn 35th Anniversary One-Ounce American Eagle Bullion Coins. These limited-edition coins marking the transition between old and new designs were produced during a special April 2021 ceremony. The event […]
By 1904, the United States’ large format gold double eagle had begun to fall in popularity and had practically ceased to circulate. As a result, production far outstripped demand, and while gold coins were still used in many of the western states, most US citizens would not use gold coins in regular commerce. This was […]
After 24 years of research and competitive buying, collector Craig Krueger is ready to part with “The Deadwood Collection” By CoinWeek ….. Collector Craig Krueger’s relationship with the 1856 gold dollar began in 1997. A collector his entire life, Krueger took the advice of a leading dealer, who told him to narrow his focus […]
If one commemorative coin is good, then two coins are twice as good–or so the reasoning goes with these often exploited issues. The Grant Memorial gold dollar is a good example of this principle at work. The backers of this issue noted the success of the Alabama and Missouri programs (both 1921) in selling the […]
August 22-28 event also features collections of James R. McGuigan, Christopher J. Salmon and Tom Bender In their classic reference Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins 1795-1933, Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth call the 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle “a legendary rarity — the rarest regular-issue gold coin of any denomination of the 20th century.” Add […]
In this episode of the CoinWeek Live Stream on YouTube, noted coin expert Russ Augustin (AU Capital Management/RARCOA) joins Charles Morgan to discuss common date $20 Gold Coins. We cover a wide range of issues in this video. Whether you stack coins (a term Russ was unfamiliar with before this stream), collect coins, or […]
Currently listed for auction at GreatColle ctions is one of the finest Proof 1912 $2.50 quarter eagle gold coins available. Collectors should be aware of this exciting opportunity to bid on an extreme conditional rarity graded as PR 67+ by PCGS and approved by CAC with a green sticker. While the 1912 Matte Proof finish […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner As part of the Auraria Collection of Dahlonega gold coinage, I recently had the pleasure of selling one of just four known Uncirculated 1855-D gold dollars to a collector in the Upper Midwest. Graded MS61 by PCGS, this coin exhibits an especially sharp strike for the […]
Stack’s Bowers Galleries is thrilled to present the finest of three known Proof 1825/4/1 Capped Head Left half eagles in their Summer 2022 Global Showcase Auction, offered as part of the Mocatta Collection of U.S. Gold Rarities. Graded Proof-67 Cameo by PCGS and awarded a CAC sticker for superior quality, it boasts a magnificent provenance […]
For the past 40 years, an advanced collector attended hundreds of major coin shows and spent countless hours on the phone with dealers trying to acquire the very best Proof Gold coins issued for just eight years in the early part of the 20th century. He was meticulous and demanded the very best quality, and […]
By Rusty Goe …… Anthony Ray Arnold–Tony to those who know him–achieved success, serving the United States admirably, during his 29-year naval career. During retirement, he fulfilled a goal that sort of just evolved when he added the 107th piece to his well-matched Carson City coin collection. Enlisting in the US Navy in July 1960 […]
By Bullion Shark LLC …… The Saint-Gaudens $20 doublea eagle and $10 eagle gold coins were introduced in 1907 after years of discussion, design, model creation, and production problems–not to mention the controversy about the initial lack of the motto, “In God We Trust”. President Theodore Roosevelt’s plan to redesign U.S. coinage then shifted […]
Brian Hendelson Collection features unique 1910 Experimental Finish and 1921 Satin Finish Saints, documents signed by Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln Described by researchers as “one of the most important recent discoveries in 20th century American numismatics,” the unique Experimental Finish 1910 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle will be displayed alongside one of the two known Satin […]
The $810,000 coin joins 17 others that brought six-figure results in the Long Beach Expo/Summer FUN US Coins Signature Auction A 1907 Rolled Rim Ten Dollar MS66 PCGS sold for $810,000 to lead Heritage Auctions’ Long Beach Expo/Summer FUN US Coins Signature Auction to $17,958,884 July 14-17. The auction was a virtual sellout by […]
History of the 1861 Dahlonega Gold Dollar During the lead-up to the Civil War, branch mints in the southern United States began preparing for the war. While the Treasury Department decided not to send any additional bullion, the Philadelphia Mint shipped two pairs of dies to the mint in Dahlonega, Georgia. But two weeks after […]
Description: On July 30, 2015, the United States Mint will issue a 1 ounce .9999 gold coin struck in high relief and bearing the notional denomination of $100. This high-relief gold coin was not specifically authorized by Congress, but instead will be issued under the authority granted under 31 U.S.C. § 5112(i)(4)(C), which gives the […]
Proceeds from the auction, which begins in the fall, to benefit Dallas nonprofits working with children, homeless people, the hungry and more Heritage Auctions announced Wednesday that it has been selected to offer one of the most revered and valuable rare-coin collections in numismatics history: The Harry Bass Core Collection. The historic assemblage of […]
By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… Link to Part I In Part I, I began a date-by-date analysis of the very popular Indian Head Half Eagle series. This week, we conclude the series by examining those coins struck from 1911 to 1929. There are some real “killers” in this series, but […]
By Bullion Shark LLC …… In 1982, the United States Mint commemorative coin program was revived after a long hiatus with the launch of the extremely popular 1982 George Washington silver dollar, which sold a remarkable number of coins, including over 2,000,000 Uncirculated and almost 5,000,000 Proofs — numbers that have not been seen for […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner In my many years of specializing in rare United States gold coins, beginning in 2018, nothing has had as profound an impact on San Francisco issues as the Fairmont Hoard. In my opinion, the addition of hundreds if not thousands of significant San Francisco half eagles, […]
By Mike Byers …… A unique gold Buffalo Nickel has been sold by Mike Byers Inc for $400,000 USD to the JDG Trust, owner of several #1 ranked PCGS registry sets of Buffalo Nickels. Below are images and the original Mint Error News article on this unique item. As amazing as it sounds, this is […]
By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… Recently, I discussed the very popular Indian Quarter Eagle series. The Indian Quarter Eagle set consists of just 15 coins and can be completed with moderate effort and modest funds. This week, I will start with a date-by-date analysis of the Indian Half Eagle series. The […]
The story of America’s $2.5 gold Indian, also known as the Pratt-Bigelow quarter eagle, is at its core, a story of two presidential cousins. Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt were responsible for the inception and termination of the series. In a 1904 letter, Theodore Roosevelt called 19th-century US coinage “atrocious hideousness” and began his crusade to […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Part One: Half Eagles The April 2022 Stack’s Bowers sale of the Fairmont/”Hendricks” set of Liberty Head half eagles, eagles, and double eagles has been analyzed by a number of numismatic sources, myself included. All of the articles have focused on what was included in this […]
By Bullion Shark LLC …… If you hear someone refer to “gold eagles”, you might think of the American Gold Eagle issued since 1986. But from the time that the first U.S. gold coins were issued in 1795, an eagle, or $10 gold coin, has been the base unit denomination for American gold coinage. Moreover, […]
Stack’s Bowers Galleries is thrilled to announce the incredible JBR Set of $5, $10, and $20 Gold Coins from the Fairmont Collection, a landmark feature of their August 2022 Global Showcase Auction. Comprising nearly complete runs of each denomination beginning in 1834, the JBR Set exhibits an astounding combination of Condition Census and Everyman quality […]
First-time offerings of California Fractionals and other important items recovered from the legendary “Ship of Gold” California Gold Rush-era treasures recovered from the fabled “Ship of Gold”, the SS Central America that sank in 1857, will be offered for the first time in the Pre-Long Beach Auction by Goldberg Coins & Collectibles on June […]
Sesquicentennial Exposition of 1926 – When you think of ways to honor your country, what do you think of? For nations around the world, from the far reaches of history to today, one answer has been beautiful commemorative coins. In ancient times, commemorative coins were even used to spread news throughout a country. The […]
It took about 100 years for the 1841 quarter eagle to be widely recognized as one of the most intriguing and enigmatic of all U.S. gold coins. Mint records show no 1841 P-mint quarter eagles were produced in any format (Proof or circulation strikes). Yet, “The Little Princess” does indeed exist, and this issue ranks […]
The United States Mint will accept orders for the 2022 American Eagle One Ounce Gold Uncirculated Coin beginning on June 16 at noon EDT. Production is limited to 9,000 coins, and orders are limited to one coin per household for the first 24-hour sales period. Struck in 22-karat gold, the American Eagle One Ounce Gold […]
Even if the only significant attribute of the 1930-S Indian Head $10 gold piece was that it claimed one of the lowest mintages in the series, that would certainly be enough to explain the strong collector demand. Just 96,000 coins were struck. However, what makes this late-date key so challenging is its status as a […]
Stack’s Bowers Galleries is excited to present their June 2022 Showcase Auction of United States Coins and Numismatic Americana, the official Auction for the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Summer 2022 Expo. This sale marks the firm’s first return to the Summer Whitman Expo since 2019 and tremendous excitement is anticipated from both collectors and dealers. […]
By Bullion Shark LLC …… In 1879 and 1880, the United States Mint struck two design types of $4 gold coin patterns that are known as Stellas. To understand why these coins were originally proposed and why they were never minted for circulation, one must understand what was going on in the United States and […]
By Doug Winter for PCGS …… The coin market has been evolving quickly over the past 24 months. Here are five collecting trends that I see making a big impact in the rare date gold market in 2022. The Return of the 12-Piece Type Set This collecting trend died in the 1980s, but it is […]
By Bullion Shark LLC …… Coin collectors have long been fascinated by famous shipwrecks of vessels that were carrying lots of valuable coins, such as the SS Central America (the “Ship of Gold”), which had almost half a million ounces of gold coins when it went down in 1857 due to a hurricane. Or the […]
Currently, GreatCollections is auctioning a rare 1854-O Liberty Gold Double Eagle graded AU 55 by PCGS. This rare opportunity for collectors to acquire one of the key dates in the Liberty Head Double Eagle series should not be overlooked. Bidding on this exceptional coin ends in 16 days on Sunday, June 5, 2022, 7:39:42 PM […]
The incredible Hendricks Set of United States Gold Coins from the Fairmont Collection sold for over $13.6 million USD in the Stack’s Bowers Galleries Spring 2022 Showcase Auction, more than doubling the overall pre-sale estimate. Presented across 506 lots, the coins in the Hendricks Set realized an average value of nearly $30,000, with 17 lots achieving […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner The April 2022 Stack’s Bowers sale of the Fairmont/”Hendricks” coins likely has forever changed the rare date gold market. This is the second article in a multi-part series that will focus on this sale and the specific coins that it contained. * * * Some “Hendricks” […]
By Bullion Shark LLC …… We recently discussed what an unusual year 1922 was in the history of U.S. coinage, but 1921 was also a year that still fascinates collectors. That is because almost every coin struck that year later became a key or semi-key coin in its respective series. And like the numismatic situation […]
Legend Rare Coin Auctions’ (LRCA) Regency 51, featuring the first parts of the Dale Friend Collection and Glorious Patterns Collection, took place on the evening of April 28, 2022. The sale began with the first portion of the Dale Friend Collection, including his collection of early silver dollars. From the day the sale went live, […]
By Christopher Maisano – Numismatist, Stack’s Bower Galleries …… Rainbow Proof Barber Quarter Proof Barber quarters are known for low mintages, as well as their beauty and desirability. Although produced in small numbers, Barber quarters come on the market more often than one would expect, and Cameo contrast, Gem grades, and brilliant or nicely toned […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Liberty Head half eagles were produced from 1839 until they were discontinued in 1908. This long-lived series is becoming popular with collectors who are attracted to these coins because of their history and rarity. This article is an attempt to make sense of the […]
The United States Mint will begin accepting orders for the 2022 American Buffalo One Ounce Gold Proof Coin on May 12 at noon EDT. The Mint launched the American Buffalo Coin Program in 2006. The one-ounce coin in this program is the first 24-karat gold Proof coin ever struck by the Mint and is the […]
By Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez for PCGS …… First Spouse $10 Gold coins, issued alongside the Presidential $1 coin series from 2007 through 2016, are well respected as worthy collectibles. And with their half-ounce of .9999-fine gold, they are wonderful additions to bullion portfolios. However, the relatively high price point at which these coins were issued during […]
By Bullion Shark LLC …… Though he is most widely known for his masterpiece of numismatic art, the $20 gold double eagle issued from 1907 to 1933 and known by his name, Augustus Saint-Gaudens – the renowned American sculptor – is also responsible for creating the popular $10 Indian Head gold coin – the most […]
Stack’s Bowers Galleries sold nearly $37 million in United States coins and paper money in their Spring 2022 Showcase Auction, surpassing pre-sale estimates by nearly 60% and setting hundreds of records in the process. The sale was highlighted by a quartet of gold treasures including the $1.1 million 1907 Rounded Rim $10 and the $840,000 […]
The theme of this year’s event is “Dynamic Designs, Artistic Masterpieces.” By Jim Bisognani – NGC Weekly Market Report …… This morning, as I emerged from slumber and made my way to my workspace, I was greeted with another blustery and rainy day here in New Hampshire. But by midday, Mr. Sun has […]
The theme of this year’s event is “Dynamic Designs, Artistic Masterpieces.” By Jim Bisognani – NGC Weekly Market Report …… This morning, as I emerged from slumber and made my way to my workspace, I was greeted with another blustery and rainy day here in New Hampshire. But by midday, Mr. Sun has made […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner The Huberman Collection of Three Dollar Gold was the epitome of a fresh deal. Formed over a 35+ year time frame, this set had coins that ranged the gamut from pedestrian to amazing, and it had the eclectic feeling that these increasingly rare out-of-the-woodworks sets tend […]
By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… Collecting a complete set of any series of United States gold coins is a formidable task. Very few accept the challenge, as most series contain several “stoppers” that make completion almost impossible. Consider Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles as an example. The series starts with the 1907 High […]
A high-grade Indian Head Eagle gold coin certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) realized $840,000 USD in the Stack’s Bowers Spring 2022 Auction on April 5, 2022. Graded NGC MS 68, the 1907 Wire Rim Indian Head Eagle is among the finest examples known and is surpassed only by a single coin in the NGC Census. Off […]
Greatest U.S. Gold Coin Collection Ever Assembled to be Sold at Auction The American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation announced on April 13 that the Harry W. Bass, Jr. collection of U.S. gold coins and patterns on display at the Edward C. Rochette Money Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado, […]
By Doug Winter for PCGS …… Stack’s Bowers Galleries recently sold at auction a U.S. gold coin that I think really sums up the new, ultra-robust area of the market. The coin was an 1888 Liberty Head Half Eagle graded PCGS MS65. It was exceptional and by a mile the best example of this unheralded […]
By Bullion Shark LLC …… The Saint-Gaudens $20 Double Eagle gold coin issued from 1907 to 1933 is almost universally viewed by collectors of American coins and numismatists as the most beautiful U.S. coin ever struck, especially when it comes to the 1907 Ultra High-Relief versions that display the full majesty and beauty of this […]
By Blanchard and Company, Inc …… Blanchard and Company, one of the nation’s leading tangible asset firms, made numismatic history again following this week’s public auction of the Zito Family collection. Included were two 1907 $10 Indian pieces that shattered previous auction records. These coins–an NGC MS68 1907 $10 Indian Wire Edge and a CAC […]
By Sanjay Gandhi for PCGS …… PCGS launched the “Everyman Mint State” category a few months ago, and it continues to grow at a steady pace. Many collectors have thanked us for creating a more “budget-friendly” category. To date, we have over 225 members participating within the Everyman Mint State Set Registry. These sets […]
Bidding is now open in Heritage’s Showcase Auction of Modern Collectible US Coins and Bullion, with the concluding live session scheduled for 6 PM CT on Monday, April 11. This auction focuses primarily on American bullion coinage, along with a small but important selection of modern commemorative coinage. Well-established as the key to the American […]
By David Provost for CoinWeek ….. Author’s Note: My intention for this series of “stories” is to present lesser-known information about the US commemorative coins series derived from my original research in the records of Congress and/or the reports and correspondence of the individual coin sponsors. The information presented will not simply be a […]
By Mike Byers for Mint Error News …… Unique Gold Buffalo Nickel 1913 Type 2 5¢ with Test Cut Struck on a $5 Gold Planchet (8.33 g) NGC AU 53 As amazing as it sounds, this is a 1913 Buffalo Nickel struck on a U.S. $5 Gold planchet. This unique discovery surfaced in 2019 […]
By Mike Byers for Mint Error News …… Unique Gold Buffalo Nickel 1913 Type 2 5¢ with Test Cut Struck on a $5 Gold Planchet (8.33 g) NGC AU 53 As amazing as it sounds, this is a 1913 Buffalo Nickel struck on a U.S. $5 Gold planchet. This unique discovery surfaced in […]
By Jim Bisognani – NGC Weekly Market Report …… As I wheeled the trash barrel out last week, I was greeted with far-from-springlike conditions. A biting arctic wind more typical of late January was howling, leaving temps in the 20s. The positives: It was sunny and, for now (I may regret saying it later), all […]
By David Provost for CoinWeek ….. Author’s Note: My intention for this series of “stories” is to present lesser-known information about the US commemorative coins series derived from my original research in the records of Congress and/or the reports and correspondence of the individual coin sponsors. The information presented will not simply be a […]
Stack’s Bowers Galleries is honored to present the Dr. Paul and Rosalie Zito Collection, a standout offering in their Spring 2022 Official Auction of the Whitman Coins and Collectibles Expo. The Zito Collection was formed through private transactions that began in September 1995 and ended in August 2003. During those eight years, the Zitos assembled […]
$20 Double Eagle Gold Coins Stack’s Bowers Galleries is excited to announce the incredible Hendricks Set of $20 Double Eagles from the Fairmont Collection, a landmark feature of their Spring 2022 Showcase Auction. Spanning the Liberty Head and Saint-Gaudens series from 1850 through 1927, the $20 double eagles from the Hendricks Set exhibit the superior […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Many of the ultra-rare coins we sell never make it onto the DWN website. Every now and then, we let you go “behind the curtain” to see some of the truly special coins we sell to clients. These are typically individuals who have active want lists […]
Previous price spikes sparked new interest in hobby – let’s hope that happens again By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… I began my career in numismatics in the mid-1970s. At the time, precious metal prices played a relatively small role in the market for rare coins. Gold sold for around $150 […]
The hobby perseveres in a war zone, and a quick look at the pre-1933 US gold coin market By Jim Bisognani – NGC Weekly Market Report …… As the war in Ukraine rages, I felt duty bound to take a look at some of that besieged country’s numismatics. As this European nation is a […]
The 1984 sale of the Amon G. Carter Jr. Family Collection was loaded with opportunities By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… In the past couple of years, there have been numerous amazingly great collections sold at auction. According to the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG), over $550 million in rare coins crossed […]
The United States Mint is pleased to announce the sale of the 2022 American Eagle Gold Proof Coins beginning on March 17 at noon EDT. Orders are limited to one coin per household for the first 24 hours from the on-sale date and time. Struck in 22-karat gold at the West Point Mint, these popular […]
GreatCollections is offering the second-finest known example of the 1860-S Liberty Gold Half Eagle for sale in their upcoming auction. Graded as MS 61 with a green CAC sticker, the coin is placed in a Gold Shield PCGS holder. At the time of publication, the lot has 58 bids, with the current high bid of […]
Sunday Auction #1212 from David Lawrence Rare Coins (DLRC) is now live and features over 600 total lots – including more than 15 Vault Values, over 150 No Reserve Lots, and 30 D.L. Hansen $10 Liberty Eagles. Included in the variety of fantastic PCGS-, NGC-, and CAC-approved items in this week’s sale is a flawless […]
An 1879 Flowing Hair Stella sold for $184,500 USD to lead Heritage Auctions’ Long Beach Expo US Coins Signature Auction to $16,503,414. The event drew 3,560 bidders from around the globe, and yielded perfect sell-through rates of 100% by value and lots sold. The 1879 Flowing Hair Stella, Judd-1635, Pollock-1833, JD-1, R.3, PR65 Cameo NGC […]
By Christopher Maisano – Numismatist, Stack’s Bower Galleries …… This exceptional 1802/1 half eagle will be featured in the Rarities Night session of the Stack’s Bowers Galleries Spring 2022 Showcase Auction. The coin is impeccable for the grade with the nicest eye appeal one could desire from a choice AU piece. There are only the […]
The Saint-Gaudens $20 gold double eagle is one of the most famous of all American coin types, acclaimed as one of the most beautiful and artistic numismatic designs ever realized in the United States. Its existence came only at the insistence of President Theodore Roosevelt, who sought for years to beautiful America’s humdrum coin designs. […]
Stack’s Bowers Galleries is thrilled to announce the incredible Hendricks Set of half eagles from the Fairmont Collection, a landmark feature of their Spring 2022 Showcase Auction. Spanning the Classic Head and Liberty Head half eagle series from 1834 through 1908, the Hendricks Set exhibits the superior quality and completeness that has become a hallmark […]
The United States Mint will open sales for the 2022 National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin Program on February 24 at noon EST. The 2022 National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin Program honors the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, an institution that commemorates U.S. service members who have been wounded […]
One of the oldest and most highly regarded US military honors — the Purple Heart — is being recognized with the release of the 2022 Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin program from the United States Mint. Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) is excited to announce an exclusive partnership with the National Purple Heart Honor […]
By Christopher Maisano – Numismatist, Stack’s Bower Galleries …… In 1866, the United States Mint produced a minuscule amount of Proof $3 gold pieces, just 30 in total. They struck 25 pieces on January 15 of that year and sprinkled in another five on June 8. Estimates range from 12 to 22 examples surviving […]
By Charles Morgan for CoinWeek ….. 1794 Flowing Hair Cent (Head of 1794) in AU58 to MS63 The Flowing Hair cent was produced starting at the end of 1793 and continuing through 1796. An American interpretation of–and, to my eye, an improvement upon–Augustin Dupré’s Libertas Americana medal, the Flowing Hair cent was the third and […]
One-Of-A-Kind $10 1863 Judd-349 Worth $1,250,000 Highlights Legend Rare Coin Auctions Regency Auction 51 $20 1865 Judd-452 Available For Private Sale At $5,500,000 Through Legend Numismatics Legend Numismatics and Legend Rare Coin Auctions (LRCA) are pleased to announce that two truly unique numismatic rarities with long and storied pedigrees–the $10 1863 J-349 eagle and […]
On September 3, 1857, SS Central America began a voyage from Panama to New York City carrying very important cargo: thousands of freshly minted gold coins from California, desperately needed by New York banks that were facing an economic crisis. Six days later, the ship found itself in the grips of a Category 2 hurricane […]
By Victor Bozarth for PCGS …… In parts one, two, and three of this four-part series, I discussed the early Europeans’ unsuccessful search for gold in what became the United States. Despite both Hernando de Soto and Francisco Vázquez de Coronado being “on top of gold” during their expeditions, neither was able to close the […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner If you are like most circa 2022 coin collectors, you’ve never experienced a true bull market. You may have some experience with market segments that have increased in price over time in an orderly fashion, or you may have had the ideal scenario of being able […]
By Victor Bozarth for PCGS …… In parts one and two of my four-part series, I detailed the early European explorers who failed in their search for gold in the future United States. In part two, I discussed the discovery of gold in North Carolina in 1799. Also discussed was the evolution of mining, from […]
On February 14, 2022, NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company) will reveal 123 coins recovered from the SS Central America shipwreck, now certified and preserved for posterity. Known today as the “Ship of Gold”, Central America sank during a hurricane in 1857 while carrying an enormous treasure of gold bars and coins from the height of the […]
By Victor Bozarth for PCGS …… In part one of this series, I discussed the early European explorers who, despite numerous attempts, never located any gold in the United States. As we learned, from 1492 through 1799, there was no substantial gold find in the continental U.S. In part two, I am detailing the early […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Here are five collecting trends that I see making a big impact in the rare date gold market in 2022. The Return of the 12-Piece Type Set From time to time, I still see a relic from the 1980s: 12-piece US gold type sets housed in […]
By Victor Bozarth for PCGS …… Despite being here for nearly 300 years, no quantifiable gold was ever located by early European explorers in the land that became the continental United States. Virtually all discovery missions to the New World by European powers in the 15th and 16th centuries were funded with the hope […]
The United States Mint announces that the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) will hold a teleconference public meeting February 15, 2022. The purpose of the meeting is to conduct business related to the CCAC’s responsibility to advise the Secretary of the Treasury on themes and designs pertaining to United States coinage. Agenda: Review and discussion […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Using the revised population estimates in the third edition of my book, it is possible to make some interesting observations and conclusions regarding Dahlonega coinage. As an example, it is possible to estimate the average number of survivors for each denomination, the percentage of […]
Whitman Publishing announces the upcoming release of A Guide Book of Quarter Eagle Gold Coins, by Q. David Bowers. The new 448-page book is volume 26 in Whitman’s “Bowers Series” of numismatic references. It will debut in March 2022, available from booksellers and hobby shops nationwide, for $29.95 USD. In the meantime, it is available […]
The Carson City Mint operated from 1870-1893, producing some of the most sought-after coins in US numismatic history, ranging from dimes to double eagles, and Heritage is pleased to present a Showcase Auction covering many of the outstanding products of this western mint. This auction will be open for bidding exclusively at coins.HA.com until Monday, […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner As recently as 2019, when I wrote my annual State of the Dated Gold Marker report, it was harder to list the “hot” areas of the market than it was the “not hot” areas. Fast forward to December 2021 and I’m hard-pressed to include a single […]
By James McCartney – Director of Consignments and Numismatics, Stack’s Bowers Galleries …… The 1861-S Paquet Reverse is perhaps the most famous collectible Type I double eagle even among those who do not specialize in the series. Anthony C. Paquet was born in Hamburg, Germany on December 5, 1814, and arrived in Philadelphia in 1848. […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Even the most available pre-1933 United States gold coin has some degree of “rarity”. A coin like a 1924 or 1927 Saint-Gaudens double eagle might have a total population in the 10,000s and this certainly does not mean it is rare but in comparison […]
By Q. David Bowers – Co-Founder, Stack’s Bowers ….. A Remarkable Find In August of 1908, two boys named James McFarland and John May were swimming in the Little Blue River in Thayer County, Nebraska. While resting on a small sandbar near the limestone bluff, John May kicked up a gold coin. It turned out […]
Legend Rare Coin Auctions (LRCA) is pleased to announce that the firm’s 50th Regency Auction will be a very important numismatic event, offering a spectacular selection of American numismatic treasures anchored by three powerful collections. The cabinets that make up the highlights of the sale are the Young-Dakota Collection of Proof Morgans; the Naples Collection […]
1863 Seated Dollar once owned by MLB Hall of Famer Andre Dawson also reaches six figures A spectacular 1879 Flowing Hair stella drew nearly four dozen bids before selling for $264,000 to lead Heritage Auctions’ US Coins Signature Auction to $5,004,466 in total sales December 16-19. More than 2,100 bidders swarmed to the event, […]
Sunday Auction #1202 from David Lawrence Rare Coins (DLRC) is now live and features over 500 total lots – including more than 25 Vault Values and 100 No Reserve Lots. Included in the variety of fantastic PCGS-, NGC-, and CAC-approved items in this week’s sale is a stunning everyman slider 1795 H10c PCGS/CAC AU58+; a […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner In my experience, any double eagle from New Orleans is very rare in properly graded MS62 and higher grades. When you add the parameters of being slabbed by PCGS and approved by CAC, you are talking about an extremely rare commodity. 1851-O $20.00 PCGS MS62, as […]
‘King of the Small Eagle type’ headlines Bob R. Simpson Collection at Heritage Auctions There is an adage in the oil and gas business about “going back to the well.” Simply put, as long as a well remains productive, why would anyone pack up and look elsewhere for oil? That concept has served Bob […]
Iconic Saint-Gaudens issue is considered one of the most desirable and valuable coins in numismatics One of America’s greatest coins, the 1907 Saint-Gaudens Ultra High Relief, has changed hands for a record $4.75 million in a private transaction between GreatCollections Coin Auctions of Irvine, California, and Heritage Auctions of Dallas, Texas. The 1907 Saint-Gaudens Ultra […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner I was recently offered a very common but very saleable New Orleans half eagle that should have been very easy to price and purchase. Instead, it turned into a Coin Pricing Fiasco, which, in turn, inspired this quick article. The coin in question is a PCGS […]
Historic gold coin will make rare public appearance, March 10-12 Described by the American Numismatic Association (ANA) Money Museum as “one of the most coveted coins in the numismatic universe,” the ANA’s 1933 Indian Head $10 gold Eagle will be publicly exhibited for the first time in years at the 2022 National Money Show […]
More than 80 bids have been recorded in the sale of an uncirculated 1859-O $20 gold double eagle being offered by GreatCollections.com. Certified MS-60 by PCGS (one of two examples reported in that grade by the service), the top bid on this specimen has broken into six figures at the time of writing. The sale […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner I was recently offered a coin by a dealer who I’m trying to cultivate as a potential source for my network of suppliers. I had told him to stop by my table at any show we were at together, and that I’d eagerly examine what he […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Stack’s Bowers recently sold at auction a United States gold coin that I think really sums up the new, ultra-robust market for this area of the market. The coin was an 1888 half eagle graded PCGS/CAC MS65. The coin was exceptional (I graded it 66, if […]
By Chris Bulfinch for CoinWeek ….. All of the American Gold Eagle $10 quarter-ounce bullion coins mistakenly struck with an unfinished Proof obverse die were struck on August 24, according to a press release from Todd Martin, Deputy Chief of Corporate Communications for the United States Mint. The date on which the errors were struck […]
Heritage Auctions’ November 11-14 US Coins Signature Auction was rich with numismatic must-haves, from the earliest U.S. coins to Old West wonders to modern marvels. Collectors responded accordingly: More than 3,000 bidders spent $11,432,236 during the near-complete-sell-out four-day event, setting one world record and exceeding expectations on numerous occasions. In fact, during the very first […]
By Bullion Shark LLC …… In 2017 to mark the 225th anniversary of the founding of the United States Mint in 1792, a $100 gold Liberty coin struck in high relief (that was also issued in 2018 in a 1/10th-ounce size) was issued. It was also issued later in a series of silver medals. That […]
A shoot-out straight out of the Old West drove the final price of a 151-year-old gold coin to a world record Thursday night at Heritage Auctions, as an 1870-CC $20 Liberty sold for $1.62 million USD. Heck of a way to kick off the auction house’s four-day US Coins Signature Auction. Bidders fought long and […]
Three anchor consignments feature very important gold offerings Boutique numismatic auction house, Legend Rare Coin Auctions (LRCA), will close out its 2021 Regency Auction series with a major event on Thursday, December 16. Four “named” collections will anchor the sale, and three of these focus on gold coins. This powerful offering represents the largest […]
Heritage Auctions recently featured The Redding Collection of Quarter Eagles in one of their Showcase auctions – a collection deep in both dates and varieties. Now, bidding is open on Part 2 of the Redding Collection, a fine collection of two other small-denomination gold series – Gold Dollars and Three Dollar Gold coins. Bidding on […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner I originally published this article in June 2010, and since it’s been a long time since I’ve written anything about San Francisco double eagles, I have revised it as of October 2021. As these coins have become increasingly popular over the course of time (they are […]
Sunday Auction #1195 from David Lawrence Rare Coins (DLRC) is now live and features 490 total lots – including 15 Vault Values and 201 No Reserve Lots. Included in the variety of fantastic PCGS-, NGC-, and CAC-approved items in this week’s sale is a rare large cent 1813 1c PCGS MS62 BN; a key date […]
By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… For the latest installment from the “Dark Corner“, I will review a certified “fake” example of the scarce 1796 Gold $2.50 No Stars quarter eagle. With a reported mintage of just 963 and the only one of its type in the series, even a low-grade or […]
US Gold Coins By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… Between 1795 and 1933 a total of 36 major US gold coin types were issued for circulation. In my May 2017 article on collecting US gold by type, I touched on these. In this follow-up, I’m going to discuss each type in more detail with suggestions […]
By Louis Golino, special to CoinWeek ….. Gerald Medel, owner of Lakeside Coins in El Cajon, part of San Diego County, California, recently made the most exciting coin discovery of his 17 years in the business: a major new modern U.S. gold error coin – the stuff that numismatists’ dreams are made of, the first […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner If you’re a regular visitor to my site, you’ve likely noticed a considerable number of gold dollars listed (and many sold). The reason for this preponderance of gold dollars is a combination of buying a wonderful specialized collection around a month before the recent ANA show, […]
The California Gold Rush may have been set off by James Wilson Marshall’s January 24, 1848 discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill, but the commercial extraction of oro fino in California had already been underway for eight years by this time. This fact is important to understand because contrary to popular belief, the 1848 “CAL” […]
After four decades, the value increases for Eliasberg’s Carson City gold coins warrant attention By Rusty Goe ….. The Eliasberg Brand As each decade passes, the significance of the Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. brand in numismatics escalates. Although many great collectors existed before Eliasberg burst onto the scene, many were contemporary with him, and […]
By Ben Orooji – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers Galleries …… After a stellar August 2021 ANA sale in which Stack’s Bowers Galleries sold over 50 million dollars of numismatic treasures and with numerous record-breaking prices achieved, we are ready to do it again this November. Already consigned is this beautiful low-mintage 1888 half eagle […]
As of today at noon EDT, the United States Mint is accepting orders for the newly redesigned 2021 American Eagle One Ounce Gold Uncirculated Coin. Production is limited to 9,100 coins. Orders are limited to one coin per household for the first 24-hour sales period. Struck in 22-karat gold, the American Eagle One Ounce Gold […]
A new die variety of California Fractional Gold Dollar has been discovered by Ken Glickman, an avid collector and researcher of California Fractional Gold for more than two decades. The new variety has been confirmed by California Fractional Gold specialists Ronald J. Gillio, Robert D. Leonard, Jr., and John Pack. The new variety designation for […]
A new die variety of California Fractional Gold Dollar has been discovered by Ken Glickman, an avid collector and researcher of California Fractional Gold for more than two decades. The new variety has been confirmed by California Fractional Gold specialists Ronald J. Gillio, Robert D. Leonard, Jr., and John Pack. The new variety designation for […]
Redding Collection of Quarter Eagles The Redding Collection of Quarter Eagles is open for bidding now at Coins.HA.com. This often-overlooked denomination is exceptionally well-represented in this Showcase offering, with most dates from 1834 onward and many collectible die varieties available to the highest bidder. Bidding on this auction will continue through the live session, scheduled […]
Nine 1820 half eagle varieties exist to challenge collectors. Four of those die marriages have a Square Base 2, and five varieties feature a Curved Base 2. Despite a large total mintage of 263,806 pieces, only one variety (BD-3) can be considered somewhat available. All other 1820 varieties are either rare or very rare. The […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Many collectors of United States gold want to collect with a purpose and with a goal. However, these collectors don’t necessarily care to be specialized or ultra-specialized. In this case, collecting by type is a perfect fit. * * * There are literally thousands of […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Gold dollars make for a fascinating set in which to specialize. They were produced from 1849 through 1889, and there are three types that include coins that range from rare to ultra-common. What sets this denomination apart from other gold denominations from this time period is […]
Sunday Auction #1188 from David Lawrence Rare Coins (DLRC) is now LIVE and features 320 total lots including 20 Vault Values and 50 No Reserve Lots. Included in the variety of fantastic PCGS-, NGC-, and CAC-approved items in this week’s sale is a finest known 1871 2c PCGS Proof 67 RD; a boldly contrasted 1867 […]
A Gem Proof 1913 double eagle realized $336,000 in the Stack’s Bowers Galleries August 2021 ANA Auction, setting a new record as the most valuable Proof With Motto Saint-Gaudens double eagle ever sold at auction. This $336,000 result more than doubles the prior record for the date and represents over three times the current Greysheet […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner The Stack’s Bowers (and Heritage) ANA auctions were historically significant in this most unusual year as they were held the week after the in-person convention. From a purely selfish point of view, I was happy about this. First, I wouldn’t have to put in any 16-hour […]
By Bullion Shark LLC …… The following six U.S. coins are those that have sold for the highest amounts to date at auctions. For of them traded hands most recently in sales that occurred in 2020 or 2021. 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle – PCGS MS65 CAC At a special auction held on June 8, 2021, […]
Over $31 million USD in United States coins and Americana was sold in the Stack’s Bowers Galleries August 2021 ANA Auction, contributing to over $50 million in prices realized across all product categories. Hosted from Griffin Studios, Stack’s Bowers Galleries’ state-of-the-art auction venue in Costa Mesa, California, this sale set a record as the most […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner In recent years, prices for average (“B” quality) to above-average (“B” to “B+” quality) Charlotte and Dahlonega half eagles have increased due to strong collector demand. I used to be able to come back from a show (remember those?) with four or five very decent Very […]
Sunday Auction #1186 from David Lawrence Rare Coins (DLRC) is now live and features 400 total lots including 25 Vault Values and 75 No Reserve Lots. This week’s auction includes a variety of fantastic PCGS-, NGC-, and CAC-approved items. Featured in this week’s auction is the Abbeville Collection of Dahlonega Gold. A complete set of […]
Sunday Auction #1186 from David Lawrence Rare Coins (DLRC) is now live and features 400 total lots including 25 Vault Values and 75 No Reserve Lots. This week’s auction includes a variety of fantastic PCGS-, NGC-, and CAC-approved items. Featured in this week’s auction is the Abbeville Collection of Dahlonega Gold. A complete set of […]
By David Provost for CoinWeek ….. Author’s Note: My intention for this series of “stories” is to present lesser-known information about the US commemorative coins series derived from my original research in the records of Congress and/or the reports and correspondence of the individual coin sponsors. The information presented will not simply be a […]
What didn’t sell at the World’s Fair of Money offers hints on where to look for bargains right now By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… By now, anyone who stays connected with the hobby, through social media or online chat rooms, knows that the recently completed ANA World’s Fair of […]
A 1921 Roman Finish Double Eagle certified by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), realized over $2 million in a Heritage Auctions sale on August 18, 2021. This is the 11th NGC-certified ultra-rarity to realize more than $1 million at auction this year, underscoring the demand for NGC-certified coins and the strength of the numismatic market. Double Eagle Proofs […]
By CoinWeek …. On Sunday, August 22, bidding ends at GreatCollections.com for this High Relief Flat Edge MCMVII Saint-Gaudens $20 double eagle, graded MS-65 by PCGS and sealed in a Gold Shield holder. While not a key date insofar as the totality of the series is concerned, the 1907 High Relief Saint–the date of which […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner The 13 “late date” With Motto New Orleans Liberty Head eagles struck from 1888 to 1906 are a popular subset for collectors. None of these issues are rare from an absolute sense, and a decent set of Uncirculated graded coins (MS60 to MS62) is completable for […]
By Ron Guth ….. Once upon a time, long before the COVID pandemic, and well before the internet took much of the business online, rare coin auctions were exciting events held in crowded rooms. Bidding was active, sometimes feverish, and members of the audience scanned the room and craned their necks to see who was […]
By David Provost for CoinWeek ….. Author’s Note: My intention for this series of “stories” is to present lesser-known information about the US commemorative coins series derived from my original research in the records of Congress and/or the reports and correspondence of the individual coin sponsors. The information presented will not simply be a […]
The United States Mint will accept orders for the 2021 American Liberty High Relief Gold Coin beginning on August 19 at noon EDT. Each coin contains one ounce of 99.99 percent fine, 24-karat gold. Mintage is set at 12,500 coins, with orders limited to one per household for the first 24 hours of sales. American […]
George T. Morgan’s 1878 $10 pattern in gold, Judd-1581, is one of the rarest issues in the U.S. pattern series. Only two examples of Judd-1581 were struck in 1878 and one of those coins has been sequestered in the collection of the Connecticut State Library for more than a century. Heritage Auctions is privileged to […]
By David Provost for CoinWeek ….. Author’s Note: My intention for this series of “stories” is to present lesser-known information about the US commemorative coins series derived from my original research in the records of Congress and/or the reports and correspondence of the individual coin sponsors. The information presented will not simply be a reworking of […]
By Mike Byers for Mint Error News …… Unique 1873 Closed 3 $5 Experimental Finish NGC SP 64 NGC has certified this unique 1873 Closed 3 Five Dollar gold piece as a Specimen strike. It is the only such piece certified by either PCGS or NGC. It has the visual characteristics of a highly contrasted […]
Described as “quite a spectacular coin,” the second-finest-known 1927-D Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle has been sold for nearly $ 3,090,000 by Witter Coin of San Francisco, California. Once part of the legendary Eliasberg Collection, it is graded PCGS MS66+ CAC. “I’ve always wanted to handle a 1927-D Saint since I was a kid collecting coins. It […]
The United States Mint will begin accepting orders for the 2021 American Eagle One-Tenth Ounce Gold Two-Coin Set Designer Edition on August 5 at noon Eastern Time. Production of this set is limited to 5,000 units, with orders limited to one set per household for the first 24 hours of sales. The coins in this […]
By Chris Bulfinch for CoinWeek ….. Silver and gold American Eagle bullion coins struck at the West Point Mint by United States Mint Director David J. Ryder will be available to collectors later this year. 500 four-coin sets marking the series’ 35th anniversary, called the American Eagles at Dusk and at Dawn set, will be […]
By Chris Bulfinch for CoinWeek ….. Silver and gold American Eagle bullion coins struck at the West Point Mint by United States Mint Director David J. Ryder will be available to collectors later this year. 500 four-coin sets marking the series’ 35th anniversary, called the American Eagles at Dusk and at Dawn set, will be […]
By David Provost for CoinWeek ….. Author’s Note: My intention for this series of “stories” is to present lesser-known information about the US commemorative coins series derived from my original research in the records of Congress and/or the reports and correspondence of the individual coin sponsors. The information presented will not simply be a reworking of […]
First public display of this historic coin since its $18.9 million record-shattering auction, courtesy of its anonymous new owner and GreatCollections The world’s most valuable and famous rare coin, the 1933 Double Eagle previously owned by King Farouk of Egypt and shoe designer Stuart Weitzman, will be publicly exhibited for four days at the […]
The world’s most valuable coin was sold by Sotheby’s in June 2021 for nearly $19 million The 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, which broke an all-time record in June 2021 as the most expensive coin ever traded in public auction, was recently encapsulated by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS). This comes after PCGS graded the […]
The United States Mint is pleased to announce the beginning of sales for redesigned 2021 American Eagle Gold Proof Coins on July 29, at noon EDT. Orders are limited to one coin per household for the first 24 hours from the on-sale date and time. Struck in 22-karat gold at the West Point Mint, these […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… Beginning in 1877, the denomination listed on the double eagle was expanded from TWENTY D. to TWENTY DOLLARS, ushering in the Type 3 design that would be used until the series conclusion in 1907. These three decades witnessed some of the lowest mintages of the entire […]
The Dahlonega Mint struck numerous gold coins that can add a unique twist to your collection Contrary to popular belief, the first significant discovery of gold in the United States was not in California in 1848 but in the lower Piedmont area of North Carolina in 1799. Conrad Reed, the son of a local farmer, […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner The 1854-O is the second-most-available No Motto half eagle from the New Orleans Mint. According to the 2020 edition of my book Gold Coins of the New Orleans Mint, 1838-1909, there are 225-275+ known – with as many as 80-100 in AU grades, plus […]
Heritage Auctions World Headquarters in Dallas will host the July Summer FUN auction although lot viewing will take place at the Expo in Orlando. Highlights include an 1884 Trade dollar (Ex: Norweb), some great early type coins, plus plenty of branch mint gold. The Premier Session is Tuesday evening, July 13, followed by a robust […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner In recent years, I’ve come across a number of new collectors who are “CAC only” buyers. In the past, I’ve dealt with many collectors who are “CAC preferred” when it comes to coins, but these new collectors absolutely insist every coin they buy must be CAC-approved. […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… For the numismatist assembling a set of Saint-Gaudens double eagles, the later issues present a formidable challenge, even when the 1933 double eagle is excluded. Most were struck at the mints, then immediately set aside in Treasury vaults where they sat until the early 1930s when […]
The California territorial is one of the great rarities of the pioneer series GreatCollections has been selected to auction the unique 1855 Wass Molitor Twenty Dollar gold coin, Kagin K-8a, graded AU-50 by PCGS and approved by CAC. One of only four known examples of this extremely rare Large Head Wass Molitor Twenty, it […]
One of the Showcase auctions now open for bidding from Heritage Auctions is the July 22 California Fractional Gold Showcase Auction, a selection of 58 pieces of California fractional gold. These very small coins, privately struck in California from the 1850s to the 1880s, were minted in both octagonal and round shapes. Obverses commonly depict […]
The 1921 Proof Double Eagle discovered in 2006 and the recently discovered 1854-S Half Eagle will both be exhibited at the 2021 Summer FUN Convention Not known to exist until 2006, the 1921 Roman Finish Proof Saint-Gaudens $20 double eagle authenticated and graded NGC PF64+ CAC will be publicly displayed in July for the […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Early US gold is defined as quarter eagles, half eagles, and eagles struck between 1795 and 1834. These issues have long been very popular with collectors. They are mostly collected by type, but a few well-heeled individuals specialize in date sets of specific denominations. As a […]
The 1933 Double Eagle reigns today, but other rarities could one day hold numismatics’ top spot By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… The 1933 Double Eagle that realized $18,900,000 USD in a Sotheby’s sale earlier this month was stunning news for the numismatic community. The final hammer price shattered the previous […]
By CoinWeek ….. On Sunday, June 27, bidding ends at GreatCollections.com in a landmark auction for an important U.S. gold rarity. The auction listing is the company’s one millionth; the coin is an 1864 gold eagle Proof, graded PF 65 Ultra Cameo by NGC and CAC approved. In total, 50 Proof coins were struck […]
By CoinWeek Staff Reports ….. On Tuesday, June 8, Sotheby’s set an auction record for a rare coin that would have been inconceivable even days ago, achieving $18.9 million USD for the only legal-to-own 1933 double eagle Saint-Gaudens $20 gold coin. The coin, the highlight of fashion shoe designer Stuart Weitzman’s “Three Treasures”, brought spirited […]
This rundown of the different types of Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles could be the start of an amazing coin collection By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… Over the years, I have been asked dozens of times what coins a new collector should consider buying. Often, it is a bullion buyer who has […]
Historic sunken treasure finally back in The Big Easy after 167-year journey that included being submerged more than 7,000 feet underwater when SS Central America sank in 1857 A unique, sunken treasure gold coin that made its way from New Orleans to the California Gold Rush and then to the Panama railroad before going […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner It’s pretty obvious to specialists that the two rarest No Motto New Orleans eagle $10 gold coins in higher grades (in this case, AU55 and better) are the 1841-O and the 1859-O. But there’s a lot of competition for the number three (and four) […]
CoinWeek Podcast #159: The Infamous 1933 Double Eagle (with David Tripp) Mobile phone users. Stream this podcast for free by downloading the podomatic app or subscribe to the CoinWeek Podcast on iTunes. This week on the CoinWeek Podcast, numismatic researcher and author David Tripp joins us to talk about the 1933 Double Eagle. You know that […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Heritage Auctions conducted a massive sale last month in place of what would have been the annual Central States Numismatic Society (CSNS) show. I didn’t count the number of lots, but I know it took me about five minutes (plus a handmade organizational chart… sigh) to […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… The 1861-S Paquet Reverse is perhaps the most famous collectible Type I double eagle and is recognized well beyond the specialists of the series. Anthony C. Paquet was born in Hamburg, Germany on December 5, 1814, and arrived in Philadelphia in 1848. In early 1857, he […]
Super Sunday Special: No Interest 90-Day Layaway David Lawrence Rare Coins Auctions (DLRC) is proud to present our May Super Sunday Sale ending Sunday night, May 23. This special auction event boasts an elite group of highlight offerings including the Rockville $3 Gold Collection, over 50 newly deaccessioned pieces from the greatest collection of […]
Stack’s Bowers Galleries is excited to announce their June 2021 Showcase Auction, the first event to be hosted at the state-of-the-art auction gallery in the firm’s new Costa Mesa, California headquarters. Live bidding will take place on June 10 and 11, with Internet Only Sessions held the following week from June 14 through 16 on […]
May 15 Classic Commemoratives Auction Open for Bidding Among the current auction offerings from Heritage Auctions is a special month-long auction dedicated to classic US commemorative coinage minted during the period 1892-1954. This auction, with material intended for collectors of all budgets, is available exclusively through Coins.HA.com. Bidding is open now, with the concluding live […]
Today, most collectible coins are certified before they are sold at auction. The complete process of certification — authentication, grading, and encapsulation in a protective holder — boosts buyer confidence, precipitates competitive bidding, and ultimately results in higher prices realized. Yet one particular coin of utmost value and legendary status will cross the auction block […]
Venerable auction house Sotheby’s is pleased to announce that John Albanese of CAC (Certified Acceptance Corporation) has verified as meeting its strict grading criteria, the PCGS MS 65 grade of Stuart Weitzman’s 1933 Double Eagle, and has assigned it a green sticker to designate that the coin is strong for its grade. The Weitzman 1933 […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner The $5 gold half eagles struck at the Philadelphia Mint from 1866 through 1877 include a number of low-mintage issues that, while undeniably rare, are curiously underappreciated. I regard some of the issues as among the best values in all of the rare date gold market. […]
By Jay Turner for PCGS …… Discoveries of rarities, especially in the United States gold coin series, can occur in Paris submissions as tons of United States gold moved its way to Europe. Recently submitted in a three-coin box was an 1859-O Liberty Head $20. The 1859-O $20 is a rare coin, with only 9,100 […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner This is the third installment of a new feature (the first two can be found here and here). My plan is to do these on a fairly regular basis; perhaps two or three times per month. I am always looking for topics, so if you have […]
Counterfeit 1911-D Quarter Eagle By Max Spiegel – Numismatic Researcher, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… The 1911-D is the key Indian Head quarter eagle. Read about two unusual alterations and how NGC experts discovered these two type of counterfeits. Chased Mintmark There are a number of methods used by counterfeiters to add a mintmark to a […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Stack’s Bowers sold another group of Liberty Head half eagles sourced from the Fairmont Collection in their recent March 2021 Las Vegas auction. There were numerous nice collector-grade coins but no rarities, and virtually no coins that would sell for over $10,000. All the coins were […]
Professional Coin Grading Service Grades the Only Legally Obtainable 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, to be Sold by Sotheby’s in June 2021 Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) was selected by Sotheby’s in New York to officially certify and grade the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, a gold coin once owned by King Farouk of Egypt that […]
Professional Coin Grading Service Grades the Only Legally Obtainable 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, to be Sold by Sotheby’s in June 2021 Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) was selected by Sotheby’s in New York to officially certify and grade the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, a gold coin once owned by King Farouk of Egypt that […]
Outstanding Example of Rare Gold Coin Graded PCGS MS68 An extraordinary 1907 Saint-Gaudens Ultra High Relief Double Eagle graded PCGS MS68 by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) has traded hands for $4,112,500 to become one of the most valuable gold coins ever sold. The coin was purchased by an anonymous collector in a private […]
By Mark Ferguson for PCGS …… Popularly regarded as America’s most beautiful coin and affectionately known in numismatics as the “Saint”, the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle is attributed to one man, sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907). Unbeknownst to most people, it took a team of sculptors to produce the gold coin’s design. The obverse design, which is […]
The finest known 1822 half eagle sold for $8.4 million USD in the Stack’s Bowers Galleries March 2021 Las Vegas Auction, setting a new world record in the process. Graded AU-50 by PCGS, this historic $5 coin from the D. Brent Pogue Collection was offered March 25 in the firm’s Rarities Night session. It is […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Welcome to the second installment of this new feature (the first one can be found here). My plan is to do these on a fairly regular basis; perhaps two or three times per month. I am always looking for topics, so if you have any suggestions, […]
By Jeff Garrett for CoinWeek ….. When asked to write an article about 10 coins I would love to own, my thoughts immediately turned to my popular book 100 Greatest U.S. Coins. Most of the coins in that book have great stories, and that is what draws me to coins I would love to own. […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner The 1838-C is among the most sought-after Classic Head half eagles. It is both a one-year type and a first-year-of-issue. It is not an especially scarce date but it is extremely difficult to find Choice, as evidenced by its low populations at both PCGS and CAC. […]
Scientist Evans will show items from the legendary SS Central America during free online Newman Numismatic Portal Symposium A sound only a few have heard in 164 years will be used to signal the start of a free online presentation as part of a Newman Numismatic Portal Symposium at 1 pm Eastern on Sunday, […]
By Christopher Bulfinch for CoinWeek ….. Well, CoinWeek’s recently-published 1933 Saint-Gaudens $20 double eagle story will need an update now that the New York Times has reported that the only legal-to-own example of the notorious never-issued gold coin will be auctioned by Sotheby’s on June 8 after being held in a private collection for […]
By Blanchard and Company, Inc …… In the Oregon Territory during the California Gold Rush years – one important thing was missing – there was no official currency. Instead, settlers, trappers, farmers, sailors, and merchants relied upon barter to conduct their business in the Pacific Northwest. And those with a zest for risk-taking chose to […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… The 1849 quarter eagle is a rare and underrated Philadelphia Mint issue from the early days of Christian Gobrecht’s Coronet, or Liberty Head, design type. The mintage of 23,294 quarter eagles in 1849 was subject to considerable circulation and attrition upon release, leaving just about 115 […]
One of the Month-Long auctions now open for bidding at Heritage Auctions is the March 15 California Fractional Gold US Coins Special Monthly Auction, a selection of 176 pieces of California fractional gold. These very small coins, privately minted in California from the 1850s to the 1880s, were minted in both octagonal and round shapes. […]
The United States Mint will begin accepting orders for 2021 American Eagle Gold Proof Coins on March 11 at noon EST. This is the last year these coins will be offered with the current designs. American Eagle Gold Proof Coins are collector versions of the official United States Mint American Eagle Gold Bullion Coins. Struck […]
The United States Mint will begin accepting orders for 2021 American Eagle Gold Proof Coins on March 11 at noon EST. This is the last year these coins will be offered with the current designs. American Eagle Gold Proof Coins are collector versions of the official United States Mint American Eagle Gold Bullion Coins. Struck […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner I’m beginning a new series about United States gold coins entitled Five Brief Takes. These are going to be brief (or not-so-brief) observations I have made in my day-to-day business of buying and selling choice and rare US gold. If you would like to see a […]
Rare and spectacular vintage US gold coins certified by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) achieved extraordinary results in a Heritage Auctions sale of US coins from the Paramount Collection, held February 24, 2021. The top lot was a 1907 Ultra High Relief, Lettered Edge $20 graded NGC PF 68 (lot 3802) that realized an astounding $3.6 million. […]
The 1933 double eagle $20 gold coin is one of American Numismatics’ most notorious coins. Only one surviving specimen was ever monetized and made legal to own, yet an uncertain number of examples still exist. When the United States made the controversial decision in 1933 to suspend the gold standard that it had based its […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner I can’t think of a single branch mint gold coin that has performed as poorly from a price perspective as the 1855-C gold dollar. Back around 2005 through 2008, these routinely traded in AU55 for $10,000-12,000 USD. Today, certain pieces in AU55 holders now bring only […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… The Proof 1870 quarter eagle is a tremendous rarity in all grades and only an estimated 10 to 12 survivors are known from a mintage of just 35 examples. Researcher John Dannreuther notes that the first delivery of 25 coins occurred on February 3, while the […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner On January 20, Heritage Auctions sold Part Three of the Bob Simpson Collection. As with the first two sales, the majority of the coins were non-gold but what few gold coins that were available tended to be spectacular. By analyzing the prices realized, we can get […]
Only Specimen in Private Hands Stack’s Bowers Galleries will present at public auction the finest known 1822 half eagle, the D. Brent Pogue Collection coin. It is a legendary American treasure, the only example in private hands of what is acknowledged as the key to a collection of American gold coins. This exceptional coin […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Three Dollar gold pieces struck during the Civil War are very popular with collectors and sell for significant premiums in higher grades. But, in my opinion, the Reconstruction Era dates are better values; to simplify, we’ll target the 1866 through the 1870 so we have the […]
Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) recently had the privilege of certifying the Paramount Collection, an incredibly vast collection of US, world and ancient coins of the highest caliber. The collection was submitted to NGC for authentication, grading and encapsulation in anticipation of its sale by Heritage Auctions — an amazing opportunity for the hobby’s most advanced […]
Strong Prices Achieved for Other PCGS-Certified Rarities Many important rare coins graded by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) fetched record-breaking prices and hammered other notable bids at the landmark Bob R. Simpson Collection Part III sale offered by Heritage Auctions on January 20, 2021. Leading the way is an ultra-rare 1804 Plain 4 Draped […]
by CoinWeek IQ…. A great numismatic rarity was interred in the northeast cornerstone of the second San Francisco Mint on May 25, 1870, during a Masonic ceremony covered by the press. Struck especially for the event using modified dies, the 1870-S $3 gold coin joined a number of other extraordinary numismatic rarities in a copper […]
The Bob Simpson Collection, as offered by Heritage Auctions, features so many amazing pattern rarities that it is hard to choose a few favorites. However, one 1852 gold annular pattern coin from the upcoming February Long Beach Auction #1327 really stands out due to the large hole in the center of the coin–this design is […]
Part 2 of the Steve Studer Collection, open for bidding now through February 9, features a wide assortment of collector coins in denominations ranging from three-cent silver to double eagles. All of the coins being offered have dates from the period 1838-1861, and the vast majority, including all of the silver coins, were struck in […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Liberty Head gold coins from the Philadelphia Mint were struck from 1838 through 1908 in six different denominations. There are hundreds of individual issues and they range from extremely common to extremely rare. These coins tend to be less desired than their branch mint counterparts for […]
David Lawrence Rare Coins announces the Super Sunday Sale, featuring a wide variety of Gold Rarities and Selections from the D.L. Hansen Collection David Lawrence Rare Coins (DLRC) is proud to announce the upcoming Super Sunday Sale, featuring a wide variety of Gold Rarities and more selections from the D.L. Hansen Collection, one of […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… The 1905 Liberty Head half eagle is an underrated 20th-century issue that is desirable at all levels of preservation. A mintage of only 302,200 makes it scarcer than many late-date issues, representing a steep drop from the 392,000 Philadelphia strikes of 1904. While readily available […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner With a few exceptions, I’ve written a “hot/not” article at the end of the year for the better part of the last decade. Some years this is an exercise in futility because everything seems tepid from a price standpoint. And during strong markets, I think it […]
FUN U.S. Coins Auction features remainder of Donald G. Partrick Collection and Bob R. Simpson Collection Part III Jan. 20-24 “The World’s Most Famous Coin” and a selection of seven-figure rarities could make numismatic history in Heritage Auctions’ January 20-24 U.S. Coins Auctions held in Dallas and on HA.com. “We expect nothing short of […]
Legend Rare Coin Auctions and the Central States Numismatic Society have announced a new auction relationship beginning in 2021 for the CSNS Convention. Legend Auctions will be an official auctioneer of the CSNS Convention, bringing their 500-lot, boutique-style Regency Auctions to a new audience through the Central States Numismatic Society. “We are thrilled and honored […]
The Stack’s Bowers Galleries December Showcase Auction marked a magnificent conclusion to the firm’s 2020 auction season. The firm has now auctioned eight of the top 10 highest-priced United States coins sold in 2020, including three lots that exceeded $1 million USD in December. Hosted at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach, California, the […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Formed by a Nevada specialized collector over the last decade or so, the Big Mo set of Civil War coinage was likely the single finest set of these issues ever assembled. The non-gold (and certain gold coins) was sold a few months ago and the remaining […]
By David Lawrence Rare Coin Internet Auctions …… Auction #1148 from David Lawrence Rare Coins (DLRC) is now live and features 325 coins – including 56 items from the Tantalizing $2 1/2 Gold Collection plus 40 Vault Values and over 50 No Reserve Lots. This week’s sale also showcases a variety of other incredible PCGS-, […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… The eagerly sought 1909-O half eagle is the only Indian Head or Saint-Gaudens gold coin attributed to this Southern coinage facility. With just 34,200 pieces produced, the 1909-O Indian is also the lowest mintage circulation strike of its type and survivors are in strong demand at […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner In February 2020, I purchased an important Condition Census 1879-CC eagle from the Jacobson Collection sale conducted by Heritage. Housed in a PCGS AU58 holder, this coin cost me $55,200 USD. When I purchased the coin, I believed it was a really good deal and that […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner The Dahlonega Mint opened in 1838 as a result of the North Georgia gold rush. The difficulty of transporting gold ore to Philadelphia for deposits and/or coinage made this former backwater a viable location for the production of coinage. The Mint was opened until 1861 when […]
By CoinWeek Staff Reports …. If you’re still interested in purchasing the Mayflower 400th Anniversary Silver Reverse Proof medal, then we have some bad news. As of Thursday morning (November 19), the medal was still available on the United States Mint’s website at catalog.usmint.gov. But by the time of publication, the Mint lists the item […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner As a companion piece to the Sunnyvale Collection of Classic Head half eagles that they offered for sale in mid-October 2020, Douglas Winter Numismatics (DWN) creating a guide for assembling a set of these interesting coins. * * * Classic Head half eagles were struck from […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… The 1797 is the scarcest date in the Capped Bust Right, Small Eagle $10 gold series of 1795 to 1797. Specialist John W. Dannreuther provides an estimated mintage of 1,250 to 3,615 coins, with only 55 to 65 extant in all grades. Stack’s Bowers Galleries is […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… The mintage for the 1889 $3 gold piece was just 2,300 coins all delivered in December, down more than 50% from the previous year’s total. It was the final circulation-strike for the denomination and only about 200 to 250 Mint State examples can be accounted for, […]
Despite its low mintage of just 10,000 coins, the 1892-O half eagle is a coin that doesn’t receive a lot of love, even from New Orleans gold specialists. This is likely because it is lumped in with the 1893-O and the 1894-O, which are much more available. The rarity profile of the 1892-O is far […]
Important Gold Rarities, All Condition Census Pieces, Will Excite Collectors Legend Rare Coin Auctions is proud, honored, and excited to offer 31 gold coins that make up the second and final portion of the BigMo Collection of Civil War Coinage. A world-class offering of gold coins struck 1861-1865, every coin is within the condition […]
By David Lawrence Rare Coin Internet Auctions …… The newest Sunday Internet Auction from David Lawrence Rare Coins is now LIVE! Auction #1142 features 300 coins plus 30 Vault Values and 50 No Reserve Lots. This week’s sale is full of incredible PCGS-, NGC-, and CAC-approved items including a later die state 1796 1c PCGS […]
Heritage Auction’s mid-October sales of US coins are in the book, and when everything was complete, every lot in both auctions sold, and more than $10 million USD in coins found their ways to new owners. October 14-17 saw an auction of the collection of long-time dealer Maurice Storck raise in excess of $3.7 million, […]
By Blanchard and Company, Inc …… On a Sunday morning in 1865, a paddle steamer called Brother Jonathan departed Crescent City Harbor, California. The ship was the idea of Edward Mills from New York. His original aim was to create a route from New York to Chagres, Panama as the first leg of a two-leg […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… Even though the New Orleans Mint had produced double eagles in both 1850 and 1851, the coiners were still working out many of the difficulties in producing such a large gold piece. The emphasis seemed to have been placed on quantity over quality, leaving many […]
By Mike Garofalo for PCGS …… The first United States Mint was built in Philadelphia, which was serving as our nation’s capital city during the period spanning 1790 through 1800 while Washington, D.C. was being built. Even when the federal government was, itself, moved to Washington in 1800, the nation’s only mint remained in Philadelphia. […]
Collecting California fractional gold coins is a fascinating pursuit, as many of the coins are tangible links to one of the most exciting eras of American history By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… Next week, Heritage Auctions will be offering the Maurice Storck Collection. Storck was a coin dealer who was […]
One of the Month-Long auctions now open for bidding at Heritage Auctions is the October 22 California Fractional Gold US Coins Special Monthly Auction, a selection of 100 pieces of California fractional gold. These very small coins, privately minted in California from the 1850s to the 1880s, were minted in both octagonal and round shapes. […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner The auction sale of Part One of selections from the collection of Bob Simpson was recently conducted by Heritage on September 17 in Dallas. While the sale was not notable for its number of gold coins, there were some important pieces included; coins that we will […]
By Bullion Shark LLC …… Although the American Gold Eagle program debuted in 1986 like the American Silver Eagle, it was established under a different 1985 law than the silver coins. The Gold Bullion Act of 1985 that authorized the minting of American gold investment coins in four sizes (1 ounce, ½ ounce, ¼ ounce, […]
GreatCollections is pleased to announce the auction of the Yellowstone Collection of U.S. Gold Coins scheduled for Sunday, October 4. The collection comprises over 100 certified coins that were mostly acquired between 2000 and 2008. The collection includes many rarities, some of which are universally known, including a key-date 1929 Indian Half Eagle, graded PCGS […]
In the last few years, the amount of US gold coins arriving from overseas sources has risen dramatically By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… US gold coins have been a fascination of mine since the start of my career in the 1970s. Back then, there was a high demand and a […]
By Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez for PCGS …… The 1841 $2.50 “Little Princess” Quarter Eagle symbolizes one of the most controversial numismatic reclassifications in recent years. A coin long regarded as a proof-only issue, the 1841 Quarter Eagle was determined by numerous coin experts to have been struck as both a Proof and a circulation strike. The […]
By CoinWeek …. On Sunday, September 27, bidding ends on GreatCollections.com for this 1932 Saint-Gaudens $20 gold double eagle, graded MS-65+ by PCGS and approved by CAC. A total of 1,101,750 double eagles were struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1932 but only about 100 to 150 pieces are thought to have survived to the […]
Half Eagle collecting By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner I’ve written before on collecting a seven-mint set of Liberty Head half eagles. In case you’ve forgotten, the Liberty Head half eagle is the only American coin to have been struck at all seven of the mints that produced vintage US designs. These […]
By CoinWeek …. On Sunday, September 13, bidding ends on GreatCollections.com for this 1857-S Liberty Head $20 Double Eagle gold coin recovered from the shipwreck of SS Republic graded AU-58 by NGC. The certified coin includes a display case and DVD from Odyssey Marine, the company that discovered the shipwreck site in 2003. 970,500 examples […]
The United States Mint and The Royal Mint (United Kingdom) have collaborated to create two limited-edition sets marking the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower voyage. The story of Mayflower is one that connects multiple communities, cultures, and countries. This transatlantic voyage brought 102 Pilgrims and migrants from Europe across the Atlantic and established a new […]
The United States Mint has officially announced the designs for the 2020 End of World War II 75th Anniversary Coin and Medal Program. The designs will be featured on a 24-karat gold coin and a silver medal. The common obverse design depicts an eagle in flight grasping an olive branch, symbolizing peace, in its right […]
By CoinWeek …. On Sunday, September 6, bidding ends on GreatCollections.com for this 1898 Liberty Head $10 gold eagle graded MS-64 by PCGS and approved by CAC. In general, with 812,130 coins having been produced, the 1898 gold eagle struck in Philadelphia isn’t the rarest issue of the series. But like most Liberty Head eagles, […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner In their August 2020 auction, Stack’s Bowers introduced the numismatic world to another facet of the seemingly limitless hoard that is the Fairmont Collection: a comprehensive date run of Liberty Head half eagles. We’ve come to expect large hoards of double eagles from overseas sources, as […]
By Laura Sperber – Legend Numismatics …… Click Here to Check Out Regency Auction 40 NEVER SAW THIS ACTIVITY PATTERN BEFORE Anyone have a hoard of circ $20 Libs? We’re talking five to 10,000 coins. They can be raw too. How about PCGS MS65 and 66 Saints all CAC-approved, also? We are now […]
Legendary financial forecaster’s sale includes ‘virtually untouched’ 1907 Saint-Gaudens High Relief Double Eagle Heritage Auctions strikes gold this fall by offering The James Dines “Original Goldbug” Collection, named for the legendary financial prognosticator who is also an esteemed numismatist. Mr. Dines, who rose to forecasting fame in the 1950s and ’60s, has spent more […]
Numismatic experts weigh in on the “gold rush” of 2020 By Jim Bisognani – NGC Weekly Market Report …… Gold trading above $2,000 is truly a significant milestone — one that finds the precious metal enjoying a huge amount of attention in the mainstream media. Many veteran numismatists knew this lofty summit would be […]
By Jay Turner for PCGS …… It has been a long-known and open secret that tons of United States gold coins are in Europe, especially France. Anyone who has gone to the coin shops on the Rue Vivienne and surrounding areas in Paris can simply look at the window displays and see gold coins from […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Type One Liberty Head double eagles, struck from 1850 through 1866, are today one of the most popular gold coins from the standpoint of date collecting. Despite the presence of numerous mid-to-high five-figure and even a few six-figure issues, many serious date collectors of these coins […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Type One Liberty Head double eagles, struck from 1850 through 1866, are today one of the most popular gold coins from the standpoint of date collecting. Despite the presence of numerous mid-to-high five-figure and even a few six-figure issues, many serious date collectors of these […]
Now open for bidding at Heritage Auctions is our month-long Music City Gold and Platinum Auction. Bids will be accepted through Saturday, August 29, when the auction will conclude with a live session starting at 6 pm CT. The Music City Gold and Platinum Auction features outstanding issues from the American Eagle, Gold Buffalo, and […]
Over $13.94 million in United States coins and Numismatic Americana was sold in the Stack’s Bowers Galleries August 2020 Las Vegas Auction, contributing to overall prices realized of $21,739,851 USD for the sale across all categories. The auction was held August 5-7 at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino alongside the PCGS Members Only Show, with […]
The United States Mint will accept orders for the Barbara Bush First Spouse Gold Coin starting on August 20 at noon EDT. This product is one of several being offered to honor former President George H. W. Bush and First Spouse Barbara Bush in accordance with Public Law 116-112 (Link to PDF). Struck in one-half […]
By Blanchard and Company, Inc …… In 1854, United States Mint Chief Engraver James B. Longacre reached a milestone in his career. For the first time, he would choose the design for a piece of currency: in this case the three-dollar gold coin. Much of the currency up to that point favored designs that referenced […]
By CoinWeek …. The key to the Indian Head quarter eagle series, bidding ends Sunday, August 16 at GreatCollections.com for this “Strong D” 1911-D certified MS-63 by PCGS. It is part of the P. Hall Collection of Indian Head Quarter Eagles. With only 55,680 pieces minted, the 1911-D $2.50 gold quarter eagle features the lowest […]
Finest Known Oregon $5 Gold Coin by Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Douglas Winter Numismatics (DWN), based in Portland, recently purchased the single finest known example of the rare 1849 Oregon “Beaver” five-dollar gold piece, graded MS62 by PCGS. The firm bought this coin at the recently-held Stack’s Bowers August 2020 auction […]
By Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez for PCGS …… The Indian Head Quarter Eagle and Half Eagle were struck from 1908 through 1929 as continuations of two gold denominations that trace back to the 1790s. The Indian Head gold coins of $2.50 and $5 face values, designed by noted Boston artist Bela Lyon Pratt, are beautiful on the […]
Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®) has certified hundreds of additional selections from the incomparable collection of Donald G. Partrick. Incredibly, this stunning group of coins includes two Brasher Doubloons, fabled rarities that rank among the most prized coins in all of numismatics. The centerpiece of the Partrick Collection is undoubtedly the finest-known New York-Style Brasher Doubloon: […]
Impressive key-date double eagles were among the 10 vintage US coins certified by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®) that each realized over $100,000 at Heritage Auctions’ US Coins Signature Auction on August 4, 2020. They were led by a rare 1870-CC Liberty Head Double Eagle graded NGC AU 50 that realized $312,000 USD. It is one […]
Ten Affordable Pioneer Gold Types By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Yes, it takes deep pockets and lots of patience to specialize in Territorial or Pioneer gold. There are numerous six-figure coins, many of which are either almost never available or come with lots of problems. But there are a number of […]
By Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez for PCGS …… The recently found 1870-CC Liberty Head Double Eagle now graded PCGS VF30. Images courtesy PCGS. We’ve all heard the stories from coin dealers of folks who bring coins into the shop for appraisal or sale only to tell them the pieces they delivered were worth far less than the […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… Over $1.2 million in California Gold Rush coins will be sold by Stack’s Bowers Galleries in their August 2020 Las Vegas Auction, scheduled to be held August 4-7. A highlight from this group is a rare octagonal $50 gold coin struck by the United States […]
ALL GOLD PRICED UNDER $7,500.00 IS ON FIRE By Laura Sperber – Legend Numismatics …… As of 3 PM Friday, July 24, gold is at $1,897.95 USD and is climbing. We do not think there is a single coin dealer who has more than one or two GEM gold coins if that. Legend Rare […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Douglas Winter Numismatics (DWN), a Portland, Oregon firm specializing in choice and rare United States gold coinage, recently sold the single-finest-known example of the 1855 Wass, Molitor & Company Small Head $20.00, graded MS62 by PCGS and approved by CAC. The coin was sold to a […]
By Stack’s Bowers …… The Pogue Specimen Proof-66 Cameo (PCGS) CAC – Among the Finest Known 1879 Four-Dollar Gold Stella. Flowing Hair. Judd-1635, Pollock-1833. Rarity-3. Gold. Reeded Edge. Proof-66 Cameo (PCGS). CAC. Over the years, the Stella has achieved near-legendary status among numismatists. Though classed as a pattern, the Stellas have long been […]
The United States Mint struggled to find a popular finish for gold proof coins throughout the early 20th century Renaissance of American coinage that Roger W. Burdette has chronicled in his popular writings. Various types of sandblast and satin finishes were adopted at different times, and even more experimental finishes were briefly tinkered with, but […]
Seller a suspect in another counterfeits case Acting on a tip from the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF), federal and local California law enforcement agents now are investigating the attempted sale of $400,000 worth of counterfeit coins – including a fake example of the historic 1879 Coiled Hair gold $4 “Stella” that brought $300,000 at […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Thanks to reader M.R. from Virginia, who suggested this interesting concept, I’m going to be writing a series of blogs over the coming months entitled: When Did (Subject) Become Popular? The concept of these blogs is pretty simple. I’ll select an area of the rare date […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… The Coinage Act of April 2, 1792 authorized the production of three gold denominations at the newly established United States Mint, including the $10 eagle, the $5 half eagle, and the $2.50 quarter eagle. While the half eagle and eagle were first struck in 1795, it […]
1863 Round Liberty Gold 25¢ California Fractional Gold BG-820 Overstruck on 1860/50 BG-819 NGC MS 61 UNIQUE DISCOVERY COIN By Mike Byers for Mint Error News …… This is a unique 1863 California Fractional Gold 25¢ overstruck on a previously struck 1860/50 Gold 25¢. In fact, it is the only known overstruck California Fractional […]
The 1831 Capped Head Left half eagle claims a substantial mintage of 140,594 pieces, split between just two die varieties. The upcoming August 2 – 4 ANA Worlds’ Fair of Money US Coins Signature Auction from Heritage features one such piece, graded MS64 by PCGS and representing the slightly more available BD-2 variety, recognizable by […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner In 2016, I wrote about Gem Type One double eagles, inspired by my purchase of a PCGS/CAC MS65 1860 double eagle (which was the undisputed finest known for the date). I then asked the question: Just how rare are non-shipwreck Gem Type One double eagles? My […]
Counterfeit Coin Detection by Max Spiegel, NGC ….. The raised spikes at the rim of this 1912 $10 Indian Head Eagle are one detail collectors can use for counterfeit coin detection. It is no surprise that United States gold coins have long been the target of counterfeiters. A wave of deceptive forgeries appeared […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… At the time of issue in 1915, the round version of the Panama-Pacific Exposition $50 did not sell as well as the more unusual octagonal style. The result was that a greater percentage of the mintage was returned to the Mint for melting. Of the […]
The Stack’s Bowers Galleries June 2020 Auction continued the trend of exceptional prices realized recently demonstrated in their March Santa Ana and May Hong Kong auctions. Over $5 million USD was realized in the June sale across United States coins, tokens, and medals, achieving 114% of the pre-sale estimate on sold lots (all prices listed […]
By Ron Guth – The Numismatic Detective Agency ….. One of the more interesting puzzles facing researchers and publishers is how to orient coin images for visual purposes. In other words, how should a coin be oriented or rotated so that it appears consistent throughout a publication or across publications? For most coins, especially modern […]
By Ron Guth – The Numismatic Detective Agency ….. One of the more interesting puzzles facing researchers and publishers is how to orient coin images for visual purposes. In other words, how should a coin be oriented or rotated so that it appears consistent throughout a publication or across publications? For most coins, especially […]
Two rare Indian Head eagles, representing the first and last years of the issue, led Heritage’s June 4-7 Long Beach Signature Auction of US coins to total sales over $11 million USD. The corresponding June 5 Pinnacle US Rarities Collection Currency Auction added close to $900 thousand, bringing the total results for the weekend close […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… Proof 1897 Quarter Eagle The 1897, along with the 1898 and 1899, is the most consistently well produced and attractive Proof Liberty Head quarter eagle from the 19th century. Specialist John Dannreuther goes as far as calling this era the “pinnacle of [the] Mint’s gold Proof […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner In a recent (April 2020) Heritage Auction, I purchased a very interesting 1840-O Narrow Mill half eagle graded MS62 by PCGS. This coin, which I bought for $19,200 USD, lends itself to a number of discussions. 1840-O $5.00 PCGS MS62. Image courtesy Douglas Winter Numismatics (DWN) […]
A fascinating corner of US numismatic history is in the spotlight as the latest Month-Long Heritage Auction focuses on Fractional gold. These small coins, privately minted in California during and after the gold rush by various minters, come in denominations of 25 cents, 50 cents, and one dollar, and in both round and octagonal shapes. […]
The silver and gold coins are valued at over $60,000 Two of the most famous U.S. coins ever minted are being auctioned by GreatCollections for the benefit of the Andre’ F. Toce Sr. Family Foundation, a non-profit that has donated to a variety of causes, including supporting orphaned children in Africa and safe houses […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner I recently sold a really nice 1810 Large Date Large 5 half eagle graded MS62+ by PCGS and approved by CAC. As I was writing the description of the coin before putting it up for sale on my website, I came to the conclusion that, for […]
Heritage Auctions is proud to offer a true rarity as part of the US Coins Signature Auction, which has been moved from Long Beach to Heritage Auctions’ global headquarters in Dallas, June 4-7 due to the cancellation of the Long Beach Expo. One of only 50 pieces released and around 40 estimated to survive today, […]
Gold $2.50 Quarter eagles were struck for the first time in 1796 and three die varieties are known for the date. This coin represents the extremely rare BD-1 variety, with the No Stars obverse and the arrowheads extending to the base of the I in UNITED on the reverse. The Harry W. Bass Jr. Museum […]
1878 Three-Dollar Gold Piece Description Astonishing Superb Gem 1878 Three-Dollar Gold From the D. Brent Pogue Collection 1878 Three-Dollar Gold Piece. MS-67 (PCGS). CAC. A magnificent Superb Gem 1878 Three-Dollar Gold with lovely golden-orange, powder blue and pinkish-rose patina. Sharply struck and frosty in finish, tt ranks among the finest not only of the […]
1878 Three-Dollar Gold Piece Description Astonishing Superb Gem 1878 Three-Dollar Gold From the D. Brent Pogue Collection 1878 Three-Dollar Gold Piece. MS-67 (PCGS). CAC. A magnificent Superb Gem 1878 Three-Dollar Gold with lovely golden-orange, powder blue and pinkish-rose patina. Sharply struck and frosty in finish, tt ranks among the finest not only of the […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… Struck from 1795 through 1804, the Capped Bust Right gold eagles are among the most beautiful and desirable coins to emerge from the early United States Mint. At 33 mm, the planchet is impressive and Robert Scot’s allegorical portrait of Liberty on the obverse is […]
No official documentation on the striking of Proof or Specimen 1907-D Liberty double eagles has ever come to light, but at least three examples have been certified by the leading grading services in recent years, two specimen strikings at NGC and a single proof at PCGS. The unique Proof has been mentioned in the literature […]
No official documentation on the striking of Proof or Specimen 1907-D Liberty double eagles has ever come to light, but at least three examples have been certified by the leading grading services in recent years, two specimen strikings at NGC and a single proof at PCGS. The unique Proof has been mentioned in the literature […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… Proof gold coinage provides a special focus in United States numismatics, usually combining incredible visual appeal and extreme rarity. The Proof Liberty Head eagle is among the most popular but also the most challenging series in this category, with many annual mintages well below 50 pieces. […]
1835 Classic Head $5 Gold Eagle Description The Sole Finest 1835 Classic Head $5 MS-65 PL (NGC) McCloskey-3 Variety 1835 Classic Head Half Eagle. McCloskey-3. First Head, Small Date. MS-65 PL (NGC). This magnificent Gem 1835 Classic Head $5 gold half eagle is fully impressed with satin textured devices that offer appreciable contrast to well-mirrored […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner I’ve been a full-time professional coin dealer since 1981 and I’ve been through numerous down markets. My experience has proven that there is no such thing as a “recession-proof” coin. Even the best coins go down during bad markets, and these represent great buying opportunities for […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… Over 30 years ago, United States gold coin specialist David Akers wrote, “the 1862 is the most underrated three dollar gold piece in choice uncirculated condition [from] the 1860s.” This statement remains as true today as it did then. Writing in 2005, Q. David Bowers […]
Flowing Hair Stella By CoinWeek …. On Sunday, April 26, bidding ends at GreatCollections.com for this 1879 $4 Gold Flowing Hair Stella, graded Proof-65+ Ultra Cameo by NGC and approved by CAC. NGC has graded 240 total examples of the 1879 Flowing Hair Stella (out of 425 originally minted), regardless of grade or designation. This […]
The convention might be canceled, but Heritage Auctions’ presentation of nearly 3,000 lots of U.S. Coins ( including the 1858 Proof Liberty Eagle ) is right on schedule for the Central States Numismatic Society (CSNS) auctions, 23-24 & 26. Heritage is hosting the sales at its Dallas headquarters and worldwide on HA.com. CSNS organizers canceled […]
In response to the financial stresses and uncertainties of the Civil War, the government suspended specie payments late in 1861. Precious metal coinage was widely hoarded after that time and rarely seen in circulation in the eastern part of the country. As a result, gold coinage at the Philadelphia Mint was somewhat limited during the […]
GreatCollections on CoinWeek …. On Sunday, April 19, bidding ends on GreatCollections.com for this Proof 1863 Three-Dollar Gold Piece graded PR-66+ and certified Deep Cameo by PCGS and approved by CAC. It is the single-finest known example of the Proof issue. Only 39 Proof 1863 Three Dollar Gold pieces were produced at Philadelphia, and of […]
United States Classic Gold Coins of 1834-1839 Buy the book before the coin. Sage advice if there is a book to buy. Every coin series in U.S. history has a book dedicated to it except one: Classic Gold. Minted from 1834 to 1839 and falling between the series of the old standard preceding it […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… With only 197,250 pieces produced, the 1911 Saint-Gaudens $20 double eagle gold coin has one of the lowest mintages among circulation strike issues of the entire series. However, perhaps more important than the original mintage is how many coins have actually survived from the meltings […]
Pogue VII Sale By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner You couldn’t have picked a more dire set of circumstances faced by Stack’s Bowers for their various March coin and paper money auctions. After the Covid-19 virus cancelled the Baltimore coin show, the firm grappled with the difficult questions forced by the crazy […]
NGC PR64 Ultra Cameo CAC, the only specimen known to exist outside of museums, will headline Central States Numismatic Society auction An 1858 Liberty Head eagle, one of the most historic U.S. gold coins ever minted and the only specimen known outside of museums, will headline Heritage Auctions’ U.S. coins offerings during the Central States […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Liberty Head gold eagles are a favorite series at Douglas Winter Numismatics and we have a decades-old tradition of handling exceptional coins from this series. With the recent offering of the Harvey Jacobson Collection by Heritage Auctions in last month’s February 2020 Long Beach sale, we […]
Auction Ends Thursday Evening, March 12 Stack’s Bowers Galleries is proud to present their Precious Metals Auctions, a new auction platform for buying bullion with no buyer’s fees. The interest in bullion has seen a steady increase over the past several years, as interest in this historically stable investment category grows. Bullion is available […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner No Motto Liberty Head eagles were struck from 1838 through 1866. They were made at the Philadelphia, New Orleans, and San Francisco Mints in quantities ranging from small to quite large. One thing that links these issues is their rarity in higher grades. There is no […]
Historic coin is “coming back home” A small gold coin with a face value of $2.50 when it was struck in northern Georgia in 1830 sold for a record price of $480,000 USD to an anonymous Georgia collector in an auction in Atlanta Thursday night, February 27, 2020. It is one of the finest […]
Heritage’s February 20-23 Long Beach US Coins Signature Auction is now in the books! This official auction of the Long Beach Coin and Collectibles Expo realized a healthy total of over $13 million, highlighted by an 1875 Eagle that brought $360,000 USD. All prices realized include a 20% Buyer’s Premium. The 1875 eagle in this […]
Heritage’s February 20-23 Long Beach US Coins Signature Auction is now in the books! This official auction of the Long Beach Coin and Collectibles Expo realized a healthy total of over $13 million, highlighted by an 1875 Eagle that brought $360,000 USD. All prices realized include a 20% Buyer’s Premium. The 1875 eagle in this […]
By John Brush – President, David Lawrence Rare Coins (DLRC) …… The story of the D.L. Hansen Collection has been written several places and as we wind down the challenge of collecting an example of every circulation strike piece from the United States Mint, there are a few pieces that have eluded our grasp in […]
These numismatic supernovas shine bright in the greatest collections By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… Very few United States coins inspire the awe and fascination of the 1879 and 1880 $4 gold coins, otherwise known as “Stellas”. These enigmatic coins are far beyond the financial reach of most collectors. But that […]
By Ron Guth ….. Number of lots: 184 Total prices realized (unofficial): $3,219,696 USD Average price per lot: $17,498.35 Price of the least valuable lot (1896 $10 in PCGS MS63 OGH CAC): $930 Price of the most valuable lot (1875 $10 in PCGS AU50): $632,500 The Harvey Jacobson, Jr. Collection On February 20, 2020, Heritage […]
The latest month-long internet coin auction from Heritage features the Mackinaw Collection, consisting primarily of gold double eagles and half eagles with a smattering of other issues. Unusually, this auction also includes a few pieces of currency, which follows closely from the story of how the collection was assembled. This auction is open for bidding […]
Description: Acclaimed as one of the most beautiful and artistic numismatic designs ever realized in the United States, the Saint-Gaudens $20 gold double eagle is one of the most famous of all American coin types. Its existence came only at the insistence of President Theodore Roosevelt, who sought for years to beautiful America’s humdrum coin […]
One of just 100 1875 Liberty Eagle. U.S. Gold Coin minted for circulation will be sold as part of a $10 Liberty set which is rarely completed An 1875 $10 Liberty Eagle, the famous regular issue U.S. gold coin with the lowest circulation mintage ever recorded, highlights more than 2,000 lots in Heritage Auctions’ […]
One of just 100 1875 Liberty Eagle. U.S. Gold Coin minted for circulation will be sold as part of a $10 Liberty set which is rarely completed An 1875 $10 Liberty Eagle, the famous regular issue U.S. gold coin with the lowest circulation mintage ever recorded, highlights more than 2,000 lots in Heritage Auctions’ […]
Varieties of the 1839 $10 eagle are known with the Liberty Head design as seen on coins from 1838 (along with large letters on the reverse), as well as with the Liberty Head design as seen in 1840 and small letters on the reverse. The Type of 1838 $10 eagle is considerably more available and […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback about my previous article on appearance rarity. It is my contention that CAC has now seen enough coins that we can make important observations about how rare (or not rare) a specific issue is in regards to its appearance. […]
More than 300 historic U.S. $10 coins in display of unparalleled set A never-before-seen exhibit of United States $10 eagle gold coins from the extensive Tyrant Collection will be publicly displayed at the February 20-22, 2020 Long Beach Coin, Currency, Stamp & Sports Collectibles Expo. The unprecedented display, “Eagles of The Tyrant Collection”, will […]
2020 American Gold Eagle Sweepstakes by Bullion Shark LLC …… Bullion Shark is proud to announce its sweepstakes for a 2020 $5 Gold Eagle! One lucky winner will receive this stunning American Gold Eagle $5 piece that was struck in .999 pure gold by the United States Mint! This is a $200 value! This is […]
By Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez for PCGS …… As many numismatists know, several extremely rare United States coins are worth millions of dollars apiece and can ever only be owned by a tiny handful of collectors at any single time. These include famous trophy coins such as the 1913 Liberty nickel, the 1894-S Barber dime, and the […]
US Gold Coins By Bullion Shark LLC …… Pre-1933 United States Gold coins are way too cheap – or at least, that is our opinion. Years ago, premiums over spot gold were significantly higher than they are today. Premiums over spot for common-date $20 Saint Gaudens, Gold Liberties, and Gold Indians were sometimes north […]
Results also in from NYINC World and Ancient Coin Auction Heritage Auctions will be offering an 1851 $50 Augustus Humbert Slug, graded NGC AU50, at the February Long Beach official auction. This piece of California Gold Rush history survived the past 160+ years with only the slightest trace of wear and no major issues. […]
The United States Mint announces 2020 revisions to include price increases for the Platinum Proof coins within the Numismatic Gold, Commemorative Gold, Platinum, and Palladium Products Grid. US Mint Price Increases The complete 2020 Pricing of Numismatic Gold, Commemorative Gold, Platinum, and Palladium Products Grid will be available on a PDF Table Based on Spot […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner Lost amidst all the hoopla at the recent 2020 FUN Show and auctions was the sale of one of the most remarkable US gold coins I have seen in a while. This coin was a totally fresh-to-the-market 1872-CC Liberty Head eagle graded MS62 by NGC, and […]
Stack’s Bowers Galleries is pleased to announce Part VI and Part VII of the now legendary D. Brent Pogue Collection. The Pogue Collection will forever be known as an incredible assembly of the very finest early American coins from 1792 through the 1830s. The five sales already completed featured this portion of the collection, almost […]
Dahlonega and Charlotte Half Eagles by Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner CAC has introduced a number of new shifts in the taste of buyers. A collector who focuses on rare CAC-approved coins is, in effect, an appearance rarity buyer. By this, I mean we now have an entire class of collectors who […]
Gold Coins By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com ……CoinWeek Content Partner Instead of the tired “what was hot/what was not” end-of-the-year articles that I typically hammer out, I’d like to try a new approach. What series sold best for my firm Douglas Winter Numismatics in 2019 and what were some of the gold coins specific dates—and […]
1908-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle. MS-62 (PCGS). This example, offered as Stack’s Bowers Galleries’ Direct Coin of the Week, is a scarce and desirable Mint State preservation for this key date 20th-century double eagle gold issue. Vividly patinated in medium-gold coloration, both sides also sport full mint luster in a softly frosted texture. Well produced with […]
The 1796 No Stars quarter eagle shares a reputation with its later sibling, the 1808 quarter eagle, as among the most significant and rarest gold type coins of any denomination. Both are single-year types, with low mintages (an estimated 963 pieces for the 1796 No Stars, and 2,710 coins for the 1808). The 1796 No […]
Take the scenic route when collecting circulated coins By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… The most common advice any experienced numismatist will dispense is “buy the best you can afford.” I have shared this particular nugget of wisdom many times myself. In practice, it usually means trying to decide if you […]
A lost coin is found and lessons are learned in a numismatic holiday caper By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… Last week, I experienced one of the most amazing events of my 45-year numismatic career. While I have often said that every day in my profession is like the Antiques Roadshow, seldom […]
Our January 8-13 FUN US Coins Signature Auction features, among many other highlights, the finest PCGS-graded example of the 1926-S double eagle, a piece rich in history as well as technical and aesthetic merit. The 1926-S was once considered the third-rarest date of the Saint-Gaudens double eagle series. When legendary Fort Worth coin dealer B. […]
By CoinWeek …. On December 22–GreatCollection’s last Sunday online auction for the year 2019–bidding ends on this 1838-C Classic gold quarter eagle, graded MS-61 by NGC. The 1838-C Classic, or Classic Head, quarter eagle gold coin was among the first pieces struck at the Charlotte Mint, the first branch of the United States Mint built […]
Description: The Saint-Gaudens $20 gold double eagle is one of the most famous of all American coin types, acclaimed as one of the most beautiful and artistic numismatic designs ever realized in the United States. Its existence came only at the insistence of President Theodore Roosevelt, who sought for years to beautiful America’s humdrum coin […]
The 1827 Capped Head Left half eagle claims a mintage of 24,913 pieces, with just a single variety known for the date. This was the only use of the obverse die, but the reverse was used to strike the extremely rare BD-2 variety of 1826 and the very rare BD-1 1828/7 variety as well. The […]
By CoinWeek …. Sunday evening on December 15, bidding ends on GreatCollections for this Proof 1903 Liberty Head Gold Half Eagle, graded PR-66 CAM in a gold shield holder by PCGS and approved by CAC. A rare coin due to its mintage of 154, as of this writing PCGS reports a grand total of […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… I define a “Trophy Coin” as one that suitably combines rarity, appearance, and a great story in one neat package. Trophy coins aren’t necessarily the rarest pieces within a specific series; for example, a 1907 High Relief is far from the rarest issue in the […]
Rare and high-quality gold coins were the focus as Heritage’s December 5-7 Signature auction of US coins reached $9.5 million in prices realized. Combined with two auctions of world coins and currency taking place in Hong Kong at the same time, the total prices realized for the weekend eclipsed $15 million. (After-auction sales are still […]
By Mike Byers for Mint Error News …… Major mint errors on U.S. gold coins are extremely rare. And of these, there are only a few known that are double or triple struck. One phenomenal example is this double stuck 1904 $20 rotated 180 degrees in the collar. Considerable detail remains from the initial strike […]
The 1827 Capped Head Left half eagle claims a mintage of 24,913 pieces, with just a single variety known for the date. This was the only use of the obverse die, but the reverse was used to strike the extremely rare BD-2 variety of 1826 and the very rare BD-1 1828/7 variety as well. The […]
More than 300 historic U.S. $10 coins in unparalleled set’s display at February 2020 Long Beach Expo By Goldberg Auctioneers …… A never-before-seen exhibit of United States $10 Eagle gold coins from the extensive Tyrant Collection will be publicly displayed at the February 20-22, 2020 Long Beach Coin, Currency, Stamp & Sports Collectibles Expo. […]
By Blanchard and Company, Inc ….. In the wild days of the California Gold Rush (1848-1855) the supply of gold surged in the United States. This influx reinvigorated Congress’s interest in producing a gold coin dollar. Originally, the idea to issue a one-dollar gold coin came from Alexander Hamilton, the Secretary of the Treasury. For […]
By CoinWeek …. On Sunday, December 1, bidding ends on GreatCollections.com for this 1808/7 Capped Bust Left $5 gold half eagle, graded MS-65 by PCGS and pedigreed to both the Norweb and D. Brent Pogue collections. It is the single-finest-known example–at both PCGS and NGC–of this early half eagle overdate variety. While no auction records […]
By Blanchard and Company, Inc ….. In 1851, a U.S. postage stamp cost three cents. America was growing fast at this time and the California Gold Rush prompted the development of new U.S. gold coins. The Mint Act of February 21, 1853 authorized a $3 coin struck in gold. This gold coin matched up with […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… Links to Earlier Parts: $1 Gold | $2.50 Quarter Eagle | $3 Gold | $5 No Motto Half Eagle * * * The motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added to the reverse of the half eagle in 1866 which created a second type of […]
National Numismatic Collection Visit By Charles Morgan for CoinWeek ….. On Wednesday, November 13, 2019, the curator of the National Numismatic Collection (NNC) Dr. Ellen Feingold, former ANA President Jeff Garrett, and the NNC staff welcomed more than two dozen Friends of the Smithsonian for a private viewing of more than 2,000 gold coins from […]
National Numismatic Collection Visit by Charles Morgan for CoinWeek ….. On Wednesday, November 13, 2019, the curator of the National Numismatic Collection (NNC) Dr. Ellen Feingold, former ANA President Jeff Garrett, and the NNC staff welcomed more than two dozen Friends of the Smithsonian for a private viewing of more than 2,000 gold coins […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… The 1795 $10 eagle is among the most iconic issues to emerge from the early United States Mint. We are thrilled to present an exceptional example in lot 3177 of our November 2019 Baltimore Auction. Graded AU-53 (PCGS), this lustrous BD-4 eagle represents an important […]
By CoinWeek …. From Sunday, November 10, bidding ends on GreatCollections.com for this 1927 Saint-Gaudens $20 Gold Double Eagle, graded MS-67 by PCGS. At almost three million pieces minted, the 1927 double eagle is one of the most common of the Saint-Gaudens series. But not that anyone is complaining; the 1927 comes exceptionally nice for […]
By Q. David Bowers for Whitman Publishing …… The second edition of Q. David Bowers’ Lost and Found Coin Hoards and Treasures, one of the most exciting coin-collecting books of recent years, has been released by Whitman Publishing. The 480-page hardcover book is available online and in bookstores and hobby shops nationwide. Here, Bowers discusses […]
Heritage’s upcoming December 5-8 US Coins Signature Auction in Dallas features a coin profile extremely rare variety of a very rare coin, the BD-3 variety of the 1833 half eagle. This coin is graded MS61 by NGC, and its pedigree includes the Norweb collection. It may be the sole representative of the variety available to […]
Or, Why One Bad Auction Result Shouldn’t Take Down Price Levels on Specific Coins By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… As a dealer, I’ve seen it dozens–if not hundreds–of times. A fairly scarce issue has been selling for, say, $5,000 USD for the last few years. Oh, sure, there’s been […]
Or, Why One Bad Auction Result Shouldn’t Take Down Price Levels on Specific Coins By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… As a dealer, I’ve seen it dozens–if not hundreds–of times. A fairly scarce issue has been selling for, say, $5,000 USD for the last few years. Oh, sure, there’s been […]
DLRC Auction Highlights by David Lawrence Rare Coin Auctions …… Our Sunday Internet Auction #1087 offers a registry quality gem Seated Liberty quarter, a rare proof only Morgan dollar, a beautiful Liberty Gold $20, and a popular territorial Humbert $50. Don’t miss those and other exciting PCGS-, NGC-, and CAC-certified pieces. In all, there’s a […]
By CoinWeek …. As part of GreatCollections.com’s weekly online coin auction, bidding ends Sunday (October 20) for this Proof 67 1914 Indian Head $2.50 quarter eagle gold coin. Along with the Indian Head $5 half eagle, the Indian Head quarter eagle’s distinctive incuse design, created by Boston sculptor Bela Lyon Pratt, was initially unpopular with […]
By Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez for CoinWeek ….. Just 20 miles off the coast of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, a shipwreck dating back to the early 1840s could yield a cache of rare gold coins from the Dahlonega and Charlotte Mints. Divers have already brought up a number of rare coins from the sunken remains of the […]
Looking at the values of US gold coins over the last 15 years, lightly circulated is key By Jim Bisognani – NGC Weekly Market Report …… There’s an adage that goes something to the effect: Old age is always 15 years older than I am. I recognize much veracity in this, for no matter what your present […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… You may or may not have noticed that my firm has been far more active in selling Territorial gold coinage in the last year than in the past. While I’m not ready to become a major player in this area, my interest has been piqued […]
DLRC Auction Highlights by David Lawrence Rare Coin Auctions …… Our Sunday Internet Auction #1086 offers a nice assortment of different gold coins, including a piece from the SS Republic shipwreck, and a Registry-quality 1907-D $10 gold eagle, which is tied with one other piece as the finest known. Don’t miss those and other exciting […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… Production of half eagles began at the newly opened mint in 1854. Coins produced through the first part of 1866 lacked the motto IN GOD WE TRUST on the reverse. * * * The 13 No Motto half eagles form an essentially incompletable set […]
DLRC Auction Highlights by David Lawrence Rare Coin Auctions …… The David Lawrence Sunday Internet Auction #1084 offers three incredible commemorative and pioneer gold issues, a Pan-Pac Octagonal, a Humbert and an Assay. Don’t miss those and other exciting PCGS-, NGC-, and CAC-certified pieces. In all, there’s a vast selection of over 250 New Items, […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… $20,000 Gold Theft-Suspects Identified Rochester, Minnesota police are investigating the theft of $20,000 USD in gold coins from Med City Coins. Two white males with heavy accents entered the store flashing a large amount of cash and wanting to buy gold coins. […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… Just five Three Dollar gold pieces were made at the San Francisco Mint, and this includes one issue–the 1870-S–that is unique. This is an easy set to complete although all San Francisco Threes are rare in higher grades. * * * Let’s take a quick […]
Scarce in all grades, the 1853 Dahlonega quarter eagle is rare in Mint State and unknown any finer than the MS62 level, assigned by NGC to a coin that we will be offering in our October 15-18 Dallas Signature auction. The latest Doug Winter reference pegs the number of surviving pieces in all grades at […]
By CoinWeek …. On Sunday, August 25, bidding ends on GreatCollections.com for this 1911 Indian Head $10 gold eagle graded MS-68 by NGC. In circulated and even lower Mint State condition, the Philadelphia issue 1911 Indian Head eagle is often collected as a type coin. With an original mintage of 505,500, the 1911 is one […]
DLRC Auction Highlights by David Lawrence Rare Coin Auctions …… Our Sunday Internet Auction #1079 offers a special registry-quality Proof Franklin, a key date Carson City Morgan 1889-CC and a pair of scarce early gold $5 half eagles. Don’t miss these and other exciting PCGS-, NGC-, and CAC-certified pieces. In all, there’s a vast selection […]
By Ron Guth ….. Disclaimer: The author is an independent reporter. He has no affiliation with Stack’s Bowers and he has received no compensation from them (or anyone else) for this analysis. On August 15, 2019, Stack’s Bowers conducted their Rarities Night session of 497 U.S. coins, plus an additional session of 41 United States […]
The World’s Fair of Money is underway! All that glitters isn’t always old gold coins By Jim Bisognani – NGC Weekly Market Report …… The so-called dog days of summer are at hand. Although the overall coin market has been, at best, status quo for most of the year, the metals market and gold coins truly […]
Carson City Mint Double Eagles By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… Carson City Mint double eagles can be neatly divided into three tiers of rarity. The third tier includes the common dates (1874-CC, 1875-CC, 1876-CC, 1882-CC, 1883-CC, 1884-CC, 1889-CC, 1890-CC, 1892-CC, and 1893-CC), while the second-tier coins are a bit less available but still reasonably […]
By Blanchard & Company …… The United States expanded its reach in 1803 with the Louisiana Purchase. For $15 million the U.S. acquired 828,000 square miles from France. The additional land doubled the size of the country. Soon after, President Thomas Jefferson took the initiative to find out what awaited in that great wilderness. […]
Heritage is pleased to present an important selection of U.S. gold coins from The Joan Zieg Steinbrenner Collection, a highlight of our official auction of this year’s ANA World’s Fair of Money, to be held in Chicago August 14-18. The finest of these coins will be offered during Platinum Night on Wednesday, August 14. Joan […]
By CoinWeek …. Tomorrow on Sunday, August 11, bidding ends for this 1908 Saint-Gaudens No Motto $20 double eagle gold coin, graded MS-66+ by PCGS and approved by CAC. The coin is just one of several highlights that will close at this week’s GreatCollections Certified Coin Auctions sale. At the time of publication, the price […]
Ten answers to the question: What coins should I pursue in U.S. Coin Collecting ? By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… I often have conversations with others about the growth of numismatics. Most, if not all, agree on the importance of attracting young people to the hobby. Not long ago, I spoke with […]
By Atlas Numismatics …… Atlas Numismatics will be attending the 2019 ANA World’s Fair of Money, August 13-17, 2019 being held in Rosemont, Illinois (Chicago). If you would like us to bring any specific items to the show for you to see in person, please contact us at your earliest convenience. Atlas Numismatics will be […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… A total of 22 different quarter eagles were struck from 1854 through 1879. With the exception of one issue (the 1854-S) this is a completable series, although as we see below there are a number of these issues which are rare in Uncirculated. * * […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… In the Arlington Collection Concierge Sale (which I am currently offering on my website), there are a number of really exceptional coins. One of my favorites is a PCGS/CAC MS63 1857-C half eagle that I sold to a Midwestern collector This coin–about which I will go into detail in a few […]
Only four examples of the 1837 Classic Head Proof quarter eagle are known to numismatists today. One of those coins is located in the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution and a second example is in impaired condition. Heritage Auctions is privileged to present the finest known example of this landmark early proof rarity […]
Impressive book provides previously undisclosed information about fabulous Gold Rush sunken treasure of fabled “Ship of Gold” By California Gold Marketing Group …… Never before revealed information about the greatest American treasure ever found, the tons of California Gold Rush-era coins, ingots, and gold dust recovered from the 1857 sinking of SS Central America, […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… Only seven gold dollars were made at the San Francisco Mint, but no less than three design types are represented; this includes two one-year types. The three types are as follows: Type One: 1854 only Type Two: 1856 only Type Three: 1857 through 1860 and […]
At the Heritage Summer FUN Signature Auction one of the highlights was a PCGS-graded MS63 example of the 1804 half eagle, variety BD-7. At R.4, this is the most collectible variety of the three 1804 Small Over Large 8 half eagles (the variety is better described as Normal 8 over Large 8). The upright of […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… For new collectors of vintage United States gold coins, one of the most puzzling questions to ask is: What should I collect? The answer, of course, depends on your budget, but it also depends on which sort of collection you are going to build: a […]
Historic, Gold Rush-era San Francisco Half Eagle will be featured Museum Showcase display courtesy of ANA Governor Brian Hendelson By Classic Coin Company …… The fourth known 1854 San Francisco Mint Liberty Head Half Eagle, discovered just last year and subsequently sold at auction for $2.16 million, will be publicly exhibited for the first […]
As gold’s price shows strength, will it spark a wider interest in coins? By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… Then I began my career in numismatics in the mid-1970s. At the time, precious metal prices played a relatively small role in the market for rare coins. Gold sold for around $150 to $200 […]
By David Lawrence Rare Coins …… Our Sunday Internet Auction #1069 offers a stunning large cent, a one year type quarter, various beautiful gold examples and a countless number of PCGS-, NGC-, and CAC-certified pieces. In all, there’s a vast selection of 300 New Items, featuring 90 No Reserve Lots and 20 Vault Value Items. All […]
Gold rarities were the highlights as Heritage’s June 6-9 Signature Auction, held in conjunction with the Long Beach Coin and Collectibles Expo, raised close to $8.4 million for its consignors. All prices realized include a 20% Buyer’s premium. A 1797/5 half eagle with the large eagle reverse brought $192,000 when the hammer fell in the […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… Starting around May 2018, one of the most amazing hoards of United States gold coins I have ever seen started appearing for sale. Graded by PCGS and marketed by Stack’s Bowers, this massive group–likely containing tens of thousands of coins–consists of eagles and double eagles […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… Starting around May 2018, one of the most amazing hoards of United States gold coins I have ever seen started appearing for sale. Graded by PCGS and marketed by Stack’s Bowers, this massive group–likely containing tens of thousands of coins–consists of eagles and double […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …… Proof early American copper coinage is one of the most fascinating and intensely pursued series in numismatics. Mint records are largely unclear on these half cents and large cents, leaving much of the production statistics to be drawn from the surviving populations. Most issues are […]
By CoinWeek …. In not quite two weeks, bidding ends on this 1912 Indian Head $5 gold half eagle, graded Proof 67 by NGC, on GreatCollections.com. According to the Red Book, only 144 Proof half eagles are known to have been minted at Philadelphia in 1912. This falls somewhere in the middle for Proof Indian […]
By Blanchard & Company …… For millennia, people have buried and hoarded coins for various reasons. In ancient times, many coin hoards were buried during wartime. Other coin hoards began in the wake of the Great Depression by those who distrusted banks and paper money and preferred to store their life savings at home. […]
The 2019 American Numismatic Association (ANA) World’s Fair of Money® will be held in Chicago on August 13-17, 2019, and once again Heritage is the official auctioneer. Here is just a taste of what will be offered: The Joan Zieg Steinbrenner Collection of gold rarities includes the extraordinary John Jay Pittman 1843 three-piece gold proof […]
By David Lawrence Rare Coins …… Our Sunday Internet Auction #1063 includes a selection of over 350 New Items featuring with 100 No Reserve Lots and 50 Vault Value Items. All lots will begin closing at 8pm EST on Sunday, May 5. The first highlight coin is a 1904-S $1 PCGS MS63. This piece is a […]
United States $20 gold coins were extremely useful in foreign trade during the last half of the 19th century. Double eagles were immediately recognizable to European and Latin American trade partners and their weight and gold content were reliably guaranteed, making them ideal as a medium of exchange. On the other hand, 20 dollars was […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… For collectors and dealers alike, accurately pricing a coin remains perhaps the most difficult process in all of numismatics. This shouldn’t be the case as there are numerous price guides who offer years of experience and expertise to assist collectors and dealers. Unfortunately, none of […]
By David Lawrence Rare Coins …… Our Sunday Internet Auction #1061 includes a selection over 500 New Items along with 100 No Reserve Lots and 30 Vault Value Items. We have three very exciting shipwreck items featured that are sure to garner much attention. All lots will begin closing at 8 pm EST on Sunday, April […]
By James McCartney – Senior Numismatist, Stack’s Bowers …….. Our May 2019 Baltimore Auction will feature an exceptional selection of United States colonial coinage, including many popular issues and an impressive set of New Jersey coppers from the Collection of Larry L. Terrell. Highlights of our colonial offering include a pair of unique gold […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… At DWN, I get to handle many interesting coins. Some make it to the website; others don’t. In this article, I thought I’d share images and impressions of three particularly interesting coins that I handled in March 2019. * * * 1. The World’s Most […]
It isn’t often that we’re able to feature a collection of three dollar gold pieces in one of our auctions, but three dollar gold pieces form the great majority of the Chinook Collection, a part of the April 25-28 Central States Numismatic Society US Coins Signature Auction. Our consignor is an avid fisherman and outdoorsman […]
By Ron Guth ….. James A. Stack is well-known among collectors of high-quality U.S. coins because of the disposition of his collection in several auctions in the late 1980s and the early ’90s. Had his collection been sold in a single sale, it would have ranked as one of the greatest of the 20th century. […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… Part One: Gold Dollars Through Three Dollar Gold The once-in-a-generation collection of U.S. coins being assembled by Dell Loy Hansen and David Lawrence Rare Coins gives numismatists an unusual opportunity to determine the condition rarity of many issues. Assuming that Mr. Hansen is placing an […]
Many Double Eagles are selling for close to melt value, making these classic gold coins easy to acquire By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… I have been an observer of numismatic market trends for over 40 years. During that time, rare coins have risen and fallen sharply many times. Historically, the […]
The 1868-S double eagle has an undistinguished mintage of 837,500 pieces, and circulated examples can be found with little difficulty. The problem arises when an attractive Mint State coin is needed for a type or date/mintmark collection. This condition difficulty is explained by two major factors in the post-Civil War United States economy. First, gold […]
Even collectors on a budget can attain this goal By Jim Bisognani – NGC Weekly Market Report …… Well, it’s finally here. Spring, that is. I don’t want to jinx it, but the season does appear to be changing here in New England, and boy am I excited for the transition. The numismatic market is also showing […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… The 19 different Liberty Head double eagles struck at the Carson City Mint between 1870 and 1893 form one of the most popular series in American numismatics. * * * In recent years, values have soared for these coins due to shrewd promotions and legitimate […]
By Stack’s Bowers Galleries …… We are excited to offer an impressive selection of over $1 million in rare gold coins in our upcoming March Collectors Choice sale, set to close on March 20, 2019. The coins comprise Liberty Head $10, Liberty Head $20 and Saint-Gaudens $20 gold pieces dated from 1847 to the early […]
A substantial mintage for the time of 53,176 Capped Bust Right half eagles occurred in 1802, all using leftover obverse dies from the previous year that have a 2 punched over the final digit in the date. Eight die varieties are known for the date. In our current March 14-16 Dallas Signature Auction we are […]
Small denomination gold coinage was seldom seen in circulation after World War I, as people had become accustomed to using the more convenient paper money for everyday transactions. Large denomination gold coins still had a role to play in foreign trade and as backing for paper currency so double eagles were produced regularly throughout the […]
Our busy January/February coast-to-coast swing is complete, and we look forward to returning to our world headquarters in Dallas (3500 Maple Avenue) for the next U.S. Coins Heritage Signature event. We see strong prices in many areas, limited only by enough high-quality coins coming to auction. It is a good time not only to buy […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… Over the last decade, I have become more and more interested in low-grade examples of No Motto San Francisco gold. By “low grade”, I mean coins in the AG3 to VF35 range, and by “No Motto” I am referring to the Liberty Head design type […]
By David Lawrence Rare Coins …… Our Sunday Internet Auction #1053 includes a selection of 450 New Items including 142 coins in the Hot Springs Gold Collection along with 150 No Reserve Lots and 25 Vault Value Items. The Hot Springs Gold Collection features numerous examples of key date pieces in the $2.5, $5, and $10 […]
America’s first gold rush took place in the Piedmont area of North Carolina and Georgia in the 1820s and ’30s. The expanding economy of the region desperately needed a more dependable medium of exchange than the miner’s gold dust could provide. To fill this need, Christopher Bechtler, a German-born goldsmith and watchmaker, established a private […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… The New Orleans Mint produced Liberty Head half eagles from 1840 through 1857, and again from 1892 through 1894. There were a total of 16 different issues constituting three distinct types. These types are as follows: No Motto Small Letters Reverse (1840-1843) No Motto Large […]
By Joël van Dam – Owner, Joëlnumismatics, for MA-Shops.com …… My previous blog about the Morgan Dollar was a small success. It seems that there is a significant amount of interest in information about coins from the USA. This is not strange because these coins have several attractive aspects to them. This large interest in […]
Gold was the story in California as Heritage’s December 13-14 Beverly Hills Signature Auction raised in excess of $6.5 million for its consignors. Post Auction sales continue and may add further to this total. All prices realized include a 20% Buyer’s Premium. The six highest valued coins in the auction were all gold rarities, led […]
CoinWeek IQ: Analysis and Insights from the editors of CoinWeek.com and the industry’s leading experts. Collecting gold coins is a pinnacle activity in our hobby, but many people shy away from it due to the perception of the high cost involved. But is collecting gold coins really beyond the means of the average collector? […]
By Q. David Bowers – Co-founder, Stack’s Bowers …… Double eagles have always been one of my favorite series. The first one I ever owned was an 1855-S when I was a teenager in the early 1950s. Graded perhaps EF-40, it was fascinating to hold. Where had it been in the past hundred years? How […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… The odd denomination Three Dollar gold piece was introduced in 1854, ostensibly to facilitate large purchases on three cent stamps. This denomination proved cumbersome almost immediately and it soon lost popularity. It somehow limped along until it was abolished in 1889. Amongst collectors, this […]
By David Lawrence Rare Coins …… Our New Year’s Eve Sunday Internet Auction #993 features 38 exciting coins from The Champagne Gold Collection. This amazing collection of gold coins offers some unique opportunities for the advanced collector. A well-rounded assortment of key dates, low population pieces, and impressively difficult to locate coins is an offering […]
APMEX, Inc., the nation’s largest Precious Metals e-retailer, is pleased to announce the 2018 American Gold Buffalos are now available to pre-order. As an authorized purchaser, APMEX is able to buy Gold Buffalo coins directly from the U.S. Mint, meaning APMEX customers will be among the first to receive their coins in January. In 2006, […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… CoinWeek Content Partner …… Sure, size matters – but collectors have long appreciated gold dollars, the smallest size and denomination in the annals of American gold coin issues. * * * The United States gold dollar was made from 1849 through 1889 in three distinct types and was struck […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… The decision to collect this series should not be made lightly as Liberty Head double eagles have the distinction as being among the most difficult and longest-lived series in all of 19th/early 20th century American numismatics. Specializing in 20 Libs requires patience, a healthy budget (although there are ways […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… The decision to collect this series should not be made lightly as Liberty Head double eagles have the distinction as being among the most difficult and longest-lived series in all of 19th/early 20th century American numismatics. Specializing in 20 Libs requires patience, a healthy budget (although there are […]
By Greg Reynolds for CoinWeek ….. The loss of SS Central America in September 1857 had a major impact on the history of the United States. Although a recession had already started in 1856, and a major insurance company failed in August, the loss of this ship caused upheaval in financial markets and exacerbated what […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com …… Between 1795 and 1933 a total of 36 major gold types were issued for circulation. In my May 2017 article on collecting US gold by type, I touched on these. In this follow-up, I’m going to discuss each type in more detail with suggestions on how and what to […]
By Harvey Stack – Founder, Stack’s Bowers …… CoinWeek continues to post Harvey Stack’s wonderful series of blogs on not only the building of one of the all-time greatest coin collections but also how the relationship between Josiah K. Lilly and the Stack family grew over time. This week’s entry compiles parts 29 and […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldcoins.com CoinWeek Content Partner …… Collectors who like completable themed sets don’t have a ton of options if they’re on a budget. Sure, there’s the Indian Head quarter eagle series; it is completable but the 1911-D is an expensive hole to fill. Or there are esoteric “subsets” like the San […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldcoins.com CoinWeek Content Partner …… Many collectors of United States gold want to collect with a purpose and with a goal. However, these collectors don’t necessarily care to be specialized or ultra-specialized. In this case, collecting by type is a perfect fit. There are literally infinite ways by which to collect […]
The United States Mint will open sales for the 2017 American Eagle One Ounce Gold Uncirculated Coin (product code17EH) on June 1 at noon Eastern Time (ET). This coin is a collector version of the Mint’s American Eagle Gold Bullion Coin. Struck at the United States Mint at West Point, the obverse features a version […]
By Harvey Stack – Founder, Stack’s Bowers …… CoinWeek continues to post Harvey Stack’s wonderful series of blogs on not only the building of one of the all-time greatest coin collections but also how the relationship between Josiah K. Lilly and the Stack family grew over time. This week’s entry compiles parts 19 and […]
The United States Mint 2017 American Buffalo One Ounce Gold Proof Coin (product code 17EL) will be available for purchase beginning on May 11 at noon Eastern Time (ET). Produced since 2006, this .9999 fine, 24-karat gold coin features designs that are based on the original 1913 Type I Buffalo nickel designed by James Earle […]
1810 Capped Bust half eagle one rare coin among many to be offered by Stack’s Bowers in Baltimore… By James McCartney, Numismatist & Cataloger – Stack’s Bowers ….. This week’s featured highlight from our official June 2017 Baltimore Expo Auction is an extreme rarity from the Capped Bust half eagle series that has been called […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldcoins.com CoinWeek Content Partner …… The term “Early American Gold Coins” generally refers to the quarter eagles, half eagles and eagles produced at the Philadelphia Mint between 1795 and 1834. By its very nature, early American gold attracts well-heeled collectors. There aren’t many interesting issues available anymore in the sub-$10,000 USD […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldcoins.com CoinWeek Content Partner …… The half eagle denomination was produced virtually uninterrupted from 1795 through 1929. During this 130-year period only one issue–the 1887–was struck in only a Proof format. For reasons still unknown, no business strike half eagles were made in 1887 and a total of just 87 coins […]
The middle of the Capped Head series offers a trio of scarce-to-rare 1818 half eagles, including two of the most famous reverse die blunders of the entire half eagle series. The popular STATESOF variety (BD-2) attracts much of the attention, although the equally interesting BD-3 die marriage, with its overpunched denomination, is arguably the greater […]
Coin Rarities & Related Topics: News and Analysis regarding scarce coins, markets, and coin collecting #369 A Weekly CoinWeek Column by Greg Reynolds ….. Liberty Head half eagles (U.S. $5 gold coins) were minted from 1839 to 1908. The ‘No Motto’ type was covered in Part Nine of this series. The ‘With Motto’ type dates from […]
Coin Rarities & Related Topics: News and Analysis regarding scarce coins, markets, and coin collecting #369 A Weekly CoinWeek Column by Greg Reynolds ….. Liberty Head half eagles (U.S. $5 gold coins) were minted from 1839 to 1908. The ‘No Motto’ type was covered in Part Nine of this series. The ‘With Motto’ type dates from […]
At the 2016 American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money, CoinWeek caught up with Douglas Winter. Doug is an acclaimed author, blogger, and leading dealer in rare gold coins. His website is www.raregoldcoins.com. In this CoinWeek IQ video, Doug shares valuable tips that gold coin collectors need to know to purchase gold coins with original surfaces. Doug discusses […]
By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com ……. Of the three denominations of gold coins struck at the Carson City Mint, perhaps the most popular to collect by date are the half eagles. Of the 19 issues produced between 1870 and 1893, all are obtainable in reasonably high grades. But some of these are rarer than most […]
Only Proof Certified by PCGS By Q. David Bowers – Stack’s Bowers Galleries …… David Akers: “My favorite Pittman Collection coin” One of the most marvelous of the D. Brent Pogue Collection coins is this ultra-quality 1833 Large Date half eagle, Proof-67–the only Proof of this date ever certified by PCGS. The combination of high […]
By Bruce Smith Sr. Portfolio Director and Numismatic Writer – Blanchard and Company…. I write quite a bit about finding what I call “opportunity specie” in the rare coin market. Undervalued coins. Sleeper coins. Pedigree coins. Old holder coins. CAC coins. Blue chip coins. All represent strong opportunity for smart resourced investors. Combine any of […]
Coin Rarities & Related Topics: News and Analysis regarding scarce coins, coin markets, and the coin collecting community #242 A Weekly CoinWeek Column by Greg Reynolds… U.S. Three Dollar Gold coins were minted from 1854 to 1889. There is just one design type of this denomination. In addition to the fact that some non-rare […]
Coin Rarities & Related Topics: News and Analysis regarding scarce coins, coin markets, and the coin collecting community #241 A Weekly CoinWeek Column by Greg Reynolds Liberty Eagles were minted from 1838 to 1907. There are three types or subtypes. Gobrecht, also called ‘Head of 1838,’ Eagles were produced during just two years, 1838 […]
Wrapping around the top of the design is the legend: UNITED · STATES · OF · AMERICA. Wrapping around the bottom of the design is the denomination: ONE DIME. Two five-pointed stars separate the legend from the denomination. The W mint mark of the West Point Mint is located to the right of ONE. The motto “E PLURIBUS UNUM” (OUT OF MANY, ONE) appears to the right of the fasces, slightly below center. Below the motto, the coin’s composition and weight is described: AU 24K (.9999 Fine) 1/10 OZ. The field is slightly dish-like.
In the last few weeks, gold has finally started to move in a positive direction as it briefly topped $2,000 USD for the first time in months. Tensions over global conflicts have once again made gold look attractive as a safety play. Almost daily we have clients calling and asking about how to buy gold to protect their assets. It will only take one headline crisis for gold to move to the next level.
