September U.S. Coin Auction Highlights

As the auction season recommences after a brief lull, NGC-certified coins again take center stage in the upcoming sales. Pre-sale announcements include selected highlights for upcoming auctions can be found below.

Bowers And Merena Auctions Beverly Hills Rarities Sale - September 13, 2008

Heritage’s Long Beach Signature® Auction - Sept 17-21, 2008

Sonny Henry’s Coin & Currency Auction - October 4, 2008

Bowers And Merena Auctions Beverly Hills Rarities Sale - September 13, 2008

Bowers and Merena Auctions will host their Beverly Hills Rarities Sale on Saturday, September 13, 2008, at The Tower Beverly Hills, prior to the Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Collectible Expo. Lot viewing for the entire auction is scheduled for Thursday through Saturday, September 11-13. The catalog includes more than 900 exceptional coin rarities.

Topping the list of highlights is a very special new discovery, Lot 681, an August Humbert, $50 Gold piece of the Reeded Edge, 880 THOUS (K-5, Rarity-5) variety graded MS-65 * by NGC. It is the only Humbert gold coin of any denomination with an NGC grade of MS-65 *. No Humbert gold coins of any denomination or variety have been graded finer than MS-65.

1893-S Morgan $1 NGC MS65. Click to view lot.

A legendary Gem Mint State 1893-S Morgan also stands out as Lot 497. With just 100,000 pieces produced, the 1893-S has the lowest business strike mintage in the entire Morgan Dollar series (discounting the unknown 1895). Also worthy of special mention is Lot 850, an 1861-S Liberty Double Eagle, Paquet Reverse, in NGC AU-55. It is the rarest Type I Double Eagle struck in the San Francisco Mint with just 19,250 examples released and only 90 to 100 coins believed to exist today, not a single one of which is Mint State. It is also rarer than all other Type I Twenties with the exception of the 1854-O, 1855-O, 1856-O, 1859-O and 1860-O. The NGC Census is 12 with 10 finer, the finest of which grade AU-58. There are also no Uncs known to PCGS.

"This is a great selection of coins and this new discovery Humbert is one that will be remembered and talked about for years to come," said Steve Deeds, president of Bowers and Merena. "I’ve been in this business for 40-plus years now and I know that finds of this magnitude are rare."

1924 Peace $1 NGC MS68. Click to view lot.

Auction Highlights:

• Lot 29: 1867 Indian Cent. Proof-67 * RD Cameo (NGC).
• Lot 35: 1869 Indian Cent. Proof-67 * RD (NGC).
• Lot 53: 1896 Indian Cent. MS-68 RD (NGC).
• Lot 162: 1928-S Buffalo Nickel. MS-66 (NGC).
• Lot 201: 1840-O Seated Liberty Dime. No Drapery. Greer-102. Small O. MS-65 (NGC).
• Lot 258: 1898 Barber Quarter. Proof-69 Ultra Cameo (NGC).
• Lot 414: 1880 Morgan Silver Dollar. Proof-68 Cameo (NGC). CAC.
• Lot 497: 1893-S Morgan Silver Dollar. MS-65 (NGC).
• Lot 555: 1924 Peace Silver Dollar. MS-68 (NGC).
• Lot 619: 1928 Hawaiian Sesquicentennial. Proof-65 (NGC). OH.
• Lot 681: 1851 Augustus Humbert. $50 Gold. Reeded Edge, 880 THOUS. MS-65 * (NGC).
• Lot 792: 1797 Capped Bust Right Eagle. Large Eagle. MS-61 (NGC).
• Lot 845: 1859-O Liberty Double Eagle. AU-58 (NGC).
• Lot 847: 1860-O Liberty Double Eagle. AU-58 (NGC).
• Lot 850: 1861-S Liberty Double Eagle. Paquet Reverse. AU-55 (NGC).

The complete auction and lot viewing schedule as well as the catalog in its entirety are available on the Bowers and Merena website at www.bowersandmerena.com, and interested bidders are also invited to request a printed catalog by calling 800-458-4646.

Heritage’s Long Beach Signature® Auction - Sept 17-21, 2008

Pair of NGC-Certified 1839-O Capped Bust, Reeded Edge Halves In Heritage’s Sept. Long Beach Signature® Auction

Dallas, TX. A pair of NGC-certified Proof 1839-O Capped Bust, Reeded Edge half dollars – two of only four confirmed extant – lead the many rarities included in Heritage’s Long Beach Signature® Auction, being held Sept 17-21, 2008. A pair of NGC-certified 1879 $4 stellas (Judd-1635, Pollock-1833) with Flowing Hair will also be sold.

"Among the great rarities included in the Long Beach auction," commented Heritage President Greg Rohan, "the pair of 1839-O Capped Bust, Reeded Edge Proof half dollars will keep seasoned numismatists talking for decades. Typically years pass between auction appearances of this ultra-rarity, as you might expect with only four confirmed examples extant. It is just short of miraculous to have two in one auction: Lot 2163: PR62 NGC, and Lot 2164: PR63 NGC. Other silver rarities include substantial offerings of Gobrecht dollars, Trade dollars, and Seated quarters and halves. In such a strong market, we predict that many records will be set."

"Gold rarities also abound," concluded Rohan. "A pair of 1879 $4 stellas (Judd-1635, Pollock-1833) with Flowing Hair, and certified by NGC, vie for center stage: Lot 3570 is PR64 Star Cameo, and Lot 3571 is PR65 Cameo. A pair of early $5s from The Laredo Collection is also significant: Lot 3575 is a 1795 $5 Small Eagle (BD-1), certified MS62 NGC, and Lot 3587, an 1805 $5 Close Date (BD-2), MS65 NGC. One of the most fascinating lots in the auction is a newly discovered error rarity: Lot 3227 is an 1831 quarter eagle struck on a dime planchet. The error, graded Good 6 by NGC, obviously circulated for decades as a dime with no one noticing the curious reverse."

Seclected Highlights, Heritage’s Sept. 2008 Long Beach Signature® Auction:

Lot 173: 1806 cent, S-270, B-1, R.1, MS64 Brown NGC.
A remarkable large cent, this is the single finest certified by NGC; as a comparison, the incredible Walter Husak Collection auctioned by Heritage on February 15, 2008 contained ‘only’ an AU50!

Lot 1300: 1903 Jefferson Gold Dollar, PR67 Ultra Cameo NGC.
One of two gold commemoratives struck to help offset the cost of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, held in St. Louis to celebrate the 100th anniversary of this monumental event.

Lot 1555: 1792 half disme, Judd-7, Pollock-7, R.4, VF35 NGC.
The famous 1792 half disme is one of the most coveted issues in all of American numismatics, and is rightly an important piece of history as well as a numismatic rarity.

Lot 1699: 1885 10C PR69 Cameo NGC.
From a proof mintage of 930 pieces, this spectacular coin is a numismatic miracle, and certainly the finest known.

1916-D Mercury 10C NGC MS65. Click to view lot.

Lot 1742: 1916-D Mercury dime, MS65 Full Bands NGC.
The entire mintage of 264,000 dimes was produced in November 1916, when production at the Denver Mint was devoted to quarters.

Lot 1815: 1796 quarter XF40 NGC, High 6. B-2, R.3.
The Draped Bust, Small Eagle quarter dollar is a single year design and the first year of issue for the denomination, and this is an attractive, well balanced representative.
From The Menlo Park Collection.

Lot 1950: 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter, MS66 Full Head NGC.
Ex: Richmond Collection, this Premium Gem first-year 1916 quarter is virtually the finest quality obtainable, with silver-white surfaces and deeply frosted texture.

Lot 2163: 1839-O 50C Capped Bust, Reeded Edge PR62 NGC.
Substantially rarer than the 1838-O proof half dollars are the similarly designed 1839-O proof halves. With two of only four confirmed extant examples in this auction, this will be a historic event.

1839-O Capped Bust 50C NGC PF63. Click to view lot.

Lot 2164: 1839-O 50C Capped Bust, Reeded Edge PR63 NGC.
Relatively little is known about this enigmatic issue, one of the hidden jewels of the numismatic world; two things are certain--they are indubitably specially struck coins and there are only four confirmed examples extant. The current auction is a landmark event in that we are offering two pieces! The present specimen is the Breen Proof Encyclopedia Plate Coin. Ex: Krouner Collection; George Byers Collection.

Lot 2246: 1848 50C PR64 NGC.
This extraordinarily rare 1848 proof half dollar, pedigreed to the Eliasberg Collection, is the second finest known. From The Sundance Collection.

Lot 2294: 1896 50C MS67 Star NGC.
The 1896 has one of the lowest business strike mintages (950,000 pieces) in the Barber half dollar series, and this is tied with just one other for finest known.

Lot 2432: 1839 Pattern Gobrecht $1 Name Omitted, Judd-104 Restrike, Pollock-116, R.3, PR64 NGC. Silver. Die Alignment IV.
Two hub changes were made to the 1839 dollars: the addition of feathers along the eagle's neck, and the effacement of Gobrecht's name from the base of the rock.

Lot 2474: 1858 $1 PR65 Cameo NGC.
This brilliant Gem possesses icy devices that exhibit obvious contrast with the unperturbed and glassy fields of this proof-only issue.

Lot 2979: 1903-S $1 MS66 NGC.
A beautiful example of this sought-after date, with only one other certified finer.

Lot 3058: 1925-S $1 MS65 NGC.
The 1925-S is surprisingly rare in MS65 grade, and none have been certified finer.

1831 $2.50 Quarter Eagle Struck on a Dime Planchet NGC G6. Click to view lot.

Lot 3227: 1831 $2.50 Quarter Eagle Struck on a Dime Planchet, Good 6 NGC.
This is undoubtedly the most strikingly obvious and interesting error we have ever handled, all the more fascinating because it circulated for decades without notice.

Lot 3571: 1879 $4 Flowing Hair, Judd-1635, Pollock-1833, PR65 Cameo NGC.
The 1879 four dollar stella is often considered the most popular gold pattern of all time, except for those who collect them as part of the regular coinage as well!

Lot 3587: 1805 $5 MS65 NGC. Close Date, Breen-6445, BD-2, R.4.
The BD-1 and BD-2 1805 half eagle varieties are the so-called Perfect 1, Close Date types, sharing a common obverse with different reverses. From The Laredo Collection.

Lot 3646: 1844-D $5 MS64 NGC.
Gold was discovered in the Appalachian regions of Georgia and North Carolina during the 1820s, and several private mints were established near the gold fields to allow the miners to avoid the risk and expense of shipping their gold overland to Philadelphia. This is a breathtaking coin, with none certified finer.

Lot 3833: 1801 $10 MS63 NGC. Breen-6843, Taraszka-25, BD-2, R.2.
Amazingly, the large emission of 44,344 1801-dated tens occurred with only two die pairings. From The Mississippi Collection.

Lot 3904: 1874 $10 MS65 NGC.
This With Motto Liberty eagle issue is impressively detailed with creamy luster that enlivens the beautifully preserved surfaces; none certified finer.

1914-S Saint-Gaudens $20 NGC MS67. Click to view lot.

Lot 4448: 1914-S $20 MS67 NGC.
This is the single finest coin certified.

The complete catalog of over 9,000 items can be viewed online at coins.ha.com.

Sonny Henry’s Coin & Currency Auction - October 4, 2008

1969-S Doubled Die 1c NGC MS63 BN

One of the most dramatic and rare Lincoln cent doubled dies is featured in Sonny Henry’s upcoming Coin & Currency Auction. The 1969-S Doubled Die Obverse Lincoln cent, graded NGC MS63 BN. Doubling is very strong on all the obverse lettering, as well as the date. Undoubtedly the mint removed this die from commission very early and caught almost all the coins made with it. Despite being discovered almost 40 years ago, only about two dozen pieces have been found, and most have been in circulated condition.

According to Sonny Henry’s, auction records have proven that for those with the financial ability and appreciation, the 1969-S doubled die is the undisputed "King" of the Lincoln Cent set. This piece is the finest graded by NGC with brown color designation,, ranking it very high among the two dozen or so known pieces. A piece for those who want the "King."

This will be offered on For more information visit www.sonnyhenryauctions.com or call Sonny Henry's Auction Service at (815) 539-6300.