By CoinWeek….
Big coins are on offer this week, as David Lawrence Rare Coins Internet Auction #881 enters the home stretch. The Virginia Beach-based coin company has long offered collectors an easy and simple auction format, weekly auctions with a interesting variety of certified coins for all budgets, many at no reserve, and all with no buyer’s premium. Auction #881 closes on November 8, 2015 at 8pm Eastern.
Collectors looking to add something special to their collection will want to take a look at the following three certified coins, analyzed by CoinWeek’s editors.
1795 Flowing Hair Half Dime PCGS MS66, V-5, LM-8 CAC
Lot 7068. Slate-grey central coloration gives way to sea-foam, gold, and rose-de-sable. Date is recut at “795” Some slight weakness is apparent, but overall, the coin exhibits a strong strike for the issue. Bidders liked this coin to the tune of $76,375 when Heritage offered it on October 27, 2014 in Part II of the Eugene Gardner Collection. Then the coin was in an NGC MS66 holder. Since that time, the coin has crossed over to PCGS and retains the 66-grade.
PCGS reports nine grading events in MS66, two in MS66+, and three in MS67.
Known provenance: Collections of Russell J. Logan & Gilbert J. Steinberg (Bowers and Merena, 11/2002), Eugene Gardner (Heritage 10/2014).
Reserve Price of $97,500
Last Four Auction Hammers:
73,437.50 CAC | 79,312.50 CAC | 76,375.00 (this specimen) | 111,625 CAC
1879-CC Morgan Dollar NGC MS65+
Lot 7232. The Coronet Collection, arguably one of the finest sets of Morgan dollars ever assembled was sold in two auctions over the course of the summer. And while the prices of the coins were strong across the board, one could really make the case that the CC-Morgan dollars stood out, as the market for premium quality coins from the Carson City Mint is always strong.
The 1879-CC that David Lawrence Rare Coins has on offer is fully brilliant and earned the same numeric grade from NGC as the PCGS-graded piece in Coronet. One could split hairs about which coin is better; I prefer the reverse of the present piece. Suffice it to say, both are fully brilliant CC-Mint dollars with premium eye appeal.
NGC reports three grading events in MS65+ and two in MS66. No PL or DMPL above MS65 has been graded by the service.
Reserve Price of $37,500
Last Two Auction Hammers:
$58,750 CAC | $49,937.50 CAC
1799 Bust Dollar, B-21, BB-169 PCGS AU58 CAC
Lot 7230. Middle of the road in terms of die availability, the 1799 BB-169 is mostly found in circulated grades. This AU58 example is one of two that top PCGS’ “Variety” condition census. The Roy Harte Collection specimen is also a BB-169, but not attributed on the holder as such, and therefore, not included in PCGS pop report as such. That coin is graded MS62 by PCGS (#21807194). Two additional Mint State examples are noted by Bowers in The Encyclopedia of United States Silver Dollars, 1794-1804 (2013, Stack’s Bowers Galleries). This is an attractive example with ample luster and a distinctive satin finish. Mild muted colors envelop the surfaces.
This specimen’s labeled pedigree “Hesselgesser / Queller” refers to collectors Dr. Robert Hesselgesser and David Queller. Queller sold the piece for $18,975 at a Heritage Auction in 2008. That sale saw his impressive collection of U.S. Silver Dollars from 1794-1935 bring over $10 million.
Reserve Price of $18,975
