NGC-certified Gold and Silver Eagles Set Records at Auction

An American Gold Eagle and American Silver Eagle that were certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company™ (NGC®) have sold for a stunning $100,000 and $85,000, respectively. The "Dawn and Dusk" 35th Anniversary Auction was presented by Stack's Bowers Galleries on September 1, 2022.

The Gold Eagle, which was the first struck with the new T-2 design, set a record for any American Gold Eagle sold at auction. The Silver Eagle, the last struck with the previous T-1 design, set a record for any modern US silver coin sold in a Stack's Bowers auction.

Meanwhile, the first Silver Eagle struck with the new T-2 design sold for $80,000 and the last Gold Eagle struck with the previous T-1 design sold for $77,500. Each of the four coins was graded NGC MS 70, with its striking order attributed on the label.

2021 T-1 and T-2 Silver and Gold Eagles graded NGC MS 70 and attributed as last T-1 or first T-2 struck. They realized (clockwise from top left) $77,500, $100,000, $80,000 and $85,000. Click images to enlarge.

The coins were among 1,000 Gold and Silver Eagles that NGC certified from a historic transition in the coins' designs that took place in 2021. Recognizing their importance to the numismatic community, the US Mint held a special striking ceremony for the final group of Gold and Silver Eagles bearing the original design and the first ones with the new design. The presses were personally operated by David J. Ryder, who was Mint Director at the time, and Mint officials carefully documented the order in which these coins were struck.

"One of my greatest achievements was overseeing the transformation of the Gold and Silver Eagles for their 35th anniversary," said Ryder, who was the 34th and 39th Director of the US Mint and is now one of the most-prominent signers in NGC's Signature Labels program. "We made sure this group of coins captured the excitement that this milestone represents to the numismatic community."

This is the first time that NGC was able to identify the first and last coins struck in a modern US Mint series, and the auction results highlighted the collector value that NGC helped to unlock. NGC's certification and encapsulation of these Gold and Silver Eagles will ensure that numismatic value stays with them even as they trade hands in the future. NGC authenticated, graded and attributed these (including the order of their striking) on a special NGC label created exclusively for these coins. The NGC label shows an eagle from each of the four reverses of these coins:

• the Type 1 (or T-1) Silver Eagle struck from 1986 to 2021 that shows a heraldic eagle, designed by 12th US Mint Chief Engraver John Mercanti
• the Type 1 (or T-1) Gold Eagle struck from 1986 to 2021 that shows a family of eagles, designed by Miley (Busiek) Tucker-Frost
• the Type 2 (or T-2) Silver Eagle struck beginning in 2021 that shows an eagle landing with its wings spread, which was sculpted by Michael Gaudioso
• the Type 2 (or T-2) Gold Eagle struck beginning in 2021 that shows an impressive eagle's head, designed by Jennie Norris

The reverses of the 2021 Gold and Silver Eagles, with the T-1 design at left and the T-2 design at right. Click images to enlarge.

The Gold and Silver Eagles are the flagship bullion coins of the United States. More than 421 million Type 1 Silver Eagles and more than 21 million Type 1 Gold Eagles were struck. Similarly, the Type 2 coins opened a new chapter in numismatic history with a design that could be in use for decades. NGC has certified more than 13 million Silver Eagles and more than 1.8 million Gold Eagles, more than any other third-party grading service.

NGC was selected by Stack's Bowers Galleries to certify the very last 250 of the Type 1 Silver Eagles ever struck as well as the very first 250 of the Type 2 Silver Eagles ever struck. In addition to these historic Silver Eagles, NGC was selected to grade and certify the final 250 of the 1-ounce Type 1 Gold Eagles ever struck as well as the first 250 of the 1-ounce Type 2 Gold Eagles ever struck.

"NGC is honored to have certified these historic coins, whose obverses are rooted in America's numismatic renaissance over a century ago and whose reverses carry on a tradition of excellence in design and execution," said NGC Chairman Mark Salzberg. "I am proud to see these Gold and Silver Eagles, with their important provenance attributed by NGC, make numismatic history with these impressive prices."

Stack's Bowers Galleries waived the buyer's premium for the coins, known as the 2021 American Eagle at Dusk and at Dawn 35th Anniversary coins. Other highlights in the sale included:

• a 2021 T-2 Silver Eagle graded NGC MS 70 and attributed as the Fourth Coin Struck (lot 66) that sold for $18,000
• a 2021 T-2 Gold Eagle graded NGC MS 70 and attributed as the Second Coin Struck (lot 76) that sold for $18,000
• a 2021 T-1 Gold Eagle graded NGC MS 70 and attributed as the Second to Last Coin Struck (lot 75) that sold for $13,000
• a 2021 T-1 Silver Eagle graded NGC MS 70 and attributed as the Fifth to Last Coin Struck (lot 61) that sold for $12,000
• a 2021 T-2 Gold Eagle graded NGC MS 70 and attributed as the Fourth Coin Struck (lot 68) that sold for $12,000
• a 2021 T-2 Gold Eagle graded NGC MS 70 and attributed as the Third Coin Struck (lot 72) that sold for $12,000
• a 2021 T-1 Silver Eagle graded NGC MS 69 and attributed as the Second to Last Coin Struck (lot 73) that sold for $11,000
• a 2021 T-2 Silver Eagle graded NGC MS 69 and attributed as the Second Coin Struck (lot 74) that sold for $11,000