The 1873 Liberty double eagle, with an Open 3 in the date, was produced in greater numbers than its Closed 3 counterpart. Its availability as a Type Two double eagle makes it a popular choice with type collectors. Of course, the coins circulated heavily at the time of issue and high-grade examples are elusive. Of note is the fact that an MS64 example would likely cost well in excess of $20,000. Listed at $5,750 in the PCGS price guide, $6,600 in the NGC price guide and $6,000 in Trends.
We have ten coins available @ $4,600 each
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Only 45 proof Liberty eagles were struck in 1884, the lowest production total for any gold denomination that year. Thirty pieces were delivered for inclusion in the proof sets on January 19, with another 15 coins delivered at intervals throughout the year. The proof sets were almost all broken up in the early-mid 20th century, due to pressure from date collectors seeking an example of the double eagle, which was a proof-only issue. PCGS CoinFacts estimates the surviving population of the proof eagle at 16-20 examples in all grades. This is a spectacular looking example with extraordinary eye appeal. Unpriced in both the NGC and PCGS price guides in this grade and designation. It is tied with one other for highest graded by NGC, while PCGS hasn’t graded a Deep Cameo higher than PR65.
Offered at $121,000
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The twenty cent denomination is one of the great failures in American numismatics. There was never any great need for it. Its use was limited to the West, where consumers would often pay a quarter for items worth a bit (one reale, or 12.5 cents) and receive a dime back in change. Copper did not circulate in the Pacific states, so consumers were often shortchanged by two cents. The twenty cent denomination was suggested by Nevada Senator John P. Jones as a way of solving that problem. It never caught on, and the denomination was abandoned for circulation in 1876, one year after it was first introduced. The 1875-S is the most plentiful issue in the short-lived series, claiming a mintage of 1.1 million coins. The NGC census stands at just 8 with 1 higher. Listed at $24,200 in both the CDN CPG and NGC price guide.
Offered at $22,000
We do business the old fashioned way, we speak with you.
California Gold Rush-era relics from the shipwreck of the S.S. Central America were among the top sellers in Heritage’s Jan. 29-Feb. 3 Long Beach Signature Auction, held in conjunction with the Long Beach Coin & Collectibles Expo.
Altogether, prices topped $11 million, with after-auction sales continuing through Feb. 6. Of the six top lots, five were gold ingots found in the S.S. Central America shipwreck, highlighted by the very large size 174.04-ounce Harris, Marchand & Co. gold ingot.
This is the sole ingot from the firm’s Marysville office recovered in the shipwreck, and it is distinctive enough to warrant a significant writeup in Q. David Bowers’ A California Gold Rush History. It sold for $528,000.
Additional gold ingots in this auction included a Kellogg & Humbert 97.19- ounce, which brought $204,000; a Blake & Co. 19.30-ounce, $156,000; a Blake & Co. small-sized 14.31-ounce, $144,000; and a Justh & Hunter 50.50-ounce, $121,333.
A pair of Panama-Pacific $50 gold commemoratives, each graded MS64, further represented California highlights, having been minted in San Francisco and commemorating the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The rarer round piece brought a sale price of $114,000, while the iconic octagonal coin sold for $81,000.
Bringing the highest price for coins was the ever-popular 1879 Flowing Hair Stella, this one graded PRF64 Deep Cameo by the Professional Coin Grading Service.
Technically a pattern, this piece has been enthusiastically collected as a regular issue since its manufacture, most likely due to its odd denomination. It exchanged hands for $210,000.
Additional highlights included:
All prices realized reported here include a 20% buyer’s premium.
