One of just 140 to 150 known examples of a 1794 Flowing Hair Dollar B-1, BB-1, R.4, XF45 PCGS. CAC drew 58 bids before reaching its final result of $528,000 USD to lead Heritage’s November 16-19 U.S. Coins Signature Auction to over $10 million.
This is a new record for a 1794 dollar in XF condition; the previous highest price was $368,000. This specific coin last sold for $264,500 in the Heritage 2006 Long Beach Auction.
Another highlight was a 1796 No Stars Quarter Eagle, BD-2, MS62 that atrtacted more than 50 bids before going for $492,000. One of an estimated surviving population of about 100 to 125, this coin had been off the market for 16 years, and is one of just four graded in 62 (one in 62+), with only two higher.
An 1808 Capped Bust Left Quarter Eagle, MS63 tied for the second-finest graded example of the rarest United States coin type drew a winning bid of $360,000. John Dannreuther and PCGS estimate the surviving population at 125 to 150 specimens in all grades, and PCGS and NGC combined have certified only 113 specimens, which naturally includes a number of resubmissions and crossovers.
A first-year-of-issue 1795 13 Leaves Eagle, BD-2, High R.4, MS61 PCGS. CAC went for $204,000.
One of just 425 examples struck of an 1879 Flowing Hair Stella, Judd-1635, Pollock-1833, JD-1, R.3, PR63 PCGS sold for $144,000. Although it was once believed that as many as 700 examples of the 1879 Flowing Hair stella may have been struck, research by Roger Burdette published in the Journal of Numismatic Research suggests that production was limited to 425. The first 25 coins were struck in December 1879 and/or January 1880. Another 100 examples were struck in March 1880, followed by 300 more in May. The coins were sold to members of Congress as parts of sets, with the goloid metric dollars (Judd-1617 and Judd-1629) for $10. They were later offered to collectors for $15.
A 1932 Double Eagle MS65 PCGS — the second-rarest late-date (from 1929 through 1932) Saint-Gaudens $20 double eagle gold coin — saw 53 bids before selling for $168,000. A majority of the mintage was held in U.S. Mint and Treasury Department vaults to serve as currency reserves until FDR’s gold recall took effect the following year. In 1933, the coins in government custody were melted into gold bars and shipped to Fort Knox. None were released to Federal Reserve Banks for circulation and only 175 examples were ever available to the general public, either through sale to collectors by the Treasury or in exchange in normal transactions with the Philadelphia Mint Cashier. Numismatist Roger W. Burdette estimates the surviving population at about 95 examples in all grades today.
To browse the rest of the auction results, in addition to the 1794 Flowing Hair dollar, click here.
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