World’s most valuable gold coin sells for $9.36 million; five U.S. coins bring more than $2 million each Jan. 21-25
Longtime collectors said goodbye to their treasures and new clients set world record-prices in Heritage Auctions’ January 21-25 numismatic events totaling more than $90.68 million USD.
Total sales of U.S. coins and currency and World coins and paper money reached $90,687,367 during auctions scheduled in lieu of the Florida United Numismatists (FUN) and the New York International Numismatic conventions. Both live events were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic; instead, their auctions took place in Dallas.
“Six coins broke the million-dollar mark and five world records were set – some by new clients who had never before purchased a coin before joining Heritage,” said James Halperin, Co-Founder of Heritage Auctions. “We are truly honored to be chosen to bring these collections to auction, as well as to serve our clients during this unprecedented era.”
Making headlines around the world, the $9.36 million sale of the 1787 New York-style Brasher Doubloon EB on Wing MS65★ NGC CAC, set a world record for the most valuable gold coin ever sold at public auction. The example is the finest of all seven Brasher Doubloons known. The winning bidder spent more than $11.9 million to purchase not only the Brasher Doubloon, but five additional 18th-century coins struck by craftsman Ephraim Brasher – the first time the client ever purchased a coin at auction. Included in these was a 1786 Brasher Lima Doubloon, MS61 NGC CAC, which ended at a world-record $2.1 million.
The Brasher Doubloons came to auction from the Donald G. Partrick Collection, one of several special collections on offer, a list that also included the Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part III. Four coins from the latter collection sold for more than $1 million to set world records:
- $5.28 million: 1804 Plain 4 Eagle, BD-2, JD-1, Judd-33, High R.7, PR65+ Deep Cameo PCGS
- $2.52 million: 1792 Silver Center Cent, Judd-1, Pollock-1, High R.6, SP67 Brown PCGS CAC
- $2.1 million: 1885 Trade Dollar, PR63+ Cameo PCGS CAC, the highest price paid for this specimen
- $1.38 million: 1796 Quarter Eagle, Stars on Obverse, BD-3, High R.5, MS65 PCGS CAC
Simpson’s mint-state example of the 1794 Flowing Hair Half Dollar, MS64+, ended at a world-record $870,000 and his coveted, unique 1943-D cent struck on a bronze planchet, MS64 Brown PCGS, the iconic 20th-century wartime rarity and Holy Grail to error collectors, sold for a world-record $840,000.
U.S. Currency Sets Error Note World Record
Collectors broke out into a bidding war and pushed the auction price of a $20 bill featuring a Del Monte banana sticker to nearly $400,000.
The coveted banknote error sold to a bidder competing on Heritage’s live bidding platform, HA Live. Pre-auction bidding lifted the bids to $210,000. From there, the winning bidder outlasted a determined phone bidder and two other live internet bidders to push the final winning auction price to $396,000. The price sets a world record for any error banknote ever sold. This was just the third time the note had been offered at public auction since its discovery in 2004.
England’s First Gold Coin Tops World Coin and Paper Money Offerings
Heritage’s World and Ancient coin auction presented the finest examples of historical rarities.
One of only a handful of known examples of the first gold coin struck in England sold for $720,000 to lead a diverse offering of world and ancient coins the Henry III (1216-1272) gold Penny of 20 Pence ND (c. 1257) MS63 NGC.
A highly desirable favorite, a 2019 Elizabeth II gold Proof “Una and the Lion” 2000 Pounds (2 Kilos), PR69, Ultra Cameo, NGC, – the first of only four struck – brought $360,000.
Likely the finest 1714 “Royal” 8 Escudos, Mo-J MS66 PCGS, from the Mexico City Mint, sold for $288,000. Almost certainly the finest known, sales of the past few decades have brought to light only a single other example, the Caballero de las Yndias, Ubilla-Sanchez representative, clearly pointing to the fact that even seasoned collectors of the series should not expect to find a more fitting piece for their collections anytime soon.
It was a rare Russian note that took top lot honors among World paper money offerings. A Russia Russian-American Company 25 Rubles ND (1816-1867) Pick UNL Kardakoff 53.7 PMG About Uncirculated 55 sold for $192,000.
In addition to several important collections offered monthly on HA.com, Heritage Auctions’ next Signature sale of U.S. coins is February 18-21, which will include the Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part IV and more than 1,000 lots of special coins.
