Among other U.S. coin highlights, Heritage Auctions sold the finest-certified 1815 B-1 quarter dollar (CACG MS67), ex Colonel E.H.R. Green, for $126,000 USD as part of its December 14-17 US Coins Signature Auction. The entire sale saw a final total result of $5,654,911.
The 1815 issue was the first quarter to feature engraver John Reich’s Capped Bust design. A second specimen of the B-1 graded NGC MS67 is generally considered to have less eye appeal than the quarter sold in last week’s auction.
An MS64 1927-S Saint-Gaudens $20 gold double eagle was another high-achieving coin from the sale. Even after the repatriation of double eagles from foreign banks in the latter half of the 20th century, the 1927-S remained one of the rarest issues of the Saint-Gaudens type. The example in Heritage’s December sale earned a hammer price of $108,000.
A tied-for-finest 1853-D Liberty Head half eagle (PCGS MS64+ CAC) from the Dahlonega Mint in Georgia achieved a record result of $90,000; the previous record for the date was $86,500.
A 1915-S Panama-Pacific Round Fifty Dollar (NGC MS63+) went for $78,000 after dozens of bids. Both the round and octagonal $50 gold commemoratives are extremely desirable entries in the classic U.S. commemorative coin series, and the round Pan-Pac $50 is in especially high demand from collectors.
Collectors also heavily pursued a 1864-S Liberty Head $10 gold eagle (NGC XF40) that eventually sold for $57,600. The Civil War-era 1864 is the rarest $10 from the San Francisco Mint and the second-rarest Liberty gold eagle overall. Only 2,500 pieces were struck, and after circulating out West, PCGS CoinFacts believes that only 22 to 26 survive in all grades today.
For more information about the highlights above–including the 1815 B-1 quarter dollar–or to view the remaining lots, click here.
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