First Heritage Currency auction of 2011, Jan. 6-8, at Tampa FUN Convention
Heritage Auctions, the official auctioneer of the Florida United Numismatists (FUN) Show, will present a substantial number of rare and exceptional notes as part of its Signature® Currency Auction. The auction will consist of three floor sessions, held Jan. 6-8, 2011 in Tampa, FL and one online-only session that will take place Jan. 10, 2011 in Dallas, TX.
Among the scarce items is a newly discovered Fr. 10a $10 1861 Demand Note, the only known example. The recently released 19th edition of Paper Money of the United States listed examples of that Friedberg number as “unknown.” Clerks signed the notes on behalf of the Treasurer of the United States and the secretary of the Treasury and included the handwritten notation “for the.” The process proved to be too cumbersome and the plates were changed to include that wording. All of the handwritten “for the” examples are rare today, with a St. Louis example unknown until now.
A number of exceptional Large Size Legal Tender notes are being offered, including a Fr. 127 $20 1869 Legal Tender graded by PCGS as Gem New 65PPQ. That note is among a large number of outstanding notes being offered as part of The Menlo Park Collection. A Fr. 1072a $100 1914 Red Seal Federal Reserve Note graded PCGS Gem New 65PPQ is also being auctioned as part of the collection.
Also among the Legal Tender offerings is a Fr. 158 $50 1880 Legal Tender graded by PCGS Choice About New 55. A rare note, it is one of only nine examples known. The $50 is new to the census and is being offered publicly for the first time.
Several exceedingly rare replacement notes will be presented, including a Fr. 303* $10 1908 Silver Certificate, one of only three replacement notes known for the type, graded Very Good 10 Net by PMG. The note is new to the census and is being offered to the collecting community for the first time.
An attractive uncut sheet of serial number 2 1882 Brown Backs from Lynchburg, VA is among the Nationals that will be auctioned. The $50-$100 uncut sheet is one of only two known examples from all states. Additionally, the $50 Brown Back is the only known example from Virginia. The $50-$100 1882 Brown Backs Fr. 510/522 from The Lynchburg NB Ch. #1522 are graded About Uncirculated 53 by PMG.
A lovely Campbell, NE- $10 1902 Red Seal Fr. 615 First NB Ch. # (W)8975 graded Fine 15 by PCGS becomes the first reported note from the bank. Among the many new discoveries is a Fr. 830 $20 1915 Federal Reserve Bank Note that becomes only the fourth known example. The Dallas $20 is graded PMG Choice Fine 15.
Another rarity, a Fr. 1383-a Fractional Currency Shield with Green Background, will also cross the auction block. The green background examples are the rarest of the three colors, with approximately ten examples known. The green background is deep and vibrant on this shield and the beautifully framed piece should merit spirited bidding.
The only known example of the Barlett (Bartlett), TX title error will be part of the Nationals session. The title error on the $10 1929 Type 1 Fr. 1801-1 The First NB Ch #5422 was discovered by one of Heritage’s catalogers after the note was consigned. The $10 is graded PMG Very Fine 25.
A stunning set of front and back Die Proofs featuring a Fr. 1500 $1 1928 Legal Tender Note; Fr. 1850-G $5 1929 $5 FRBN; Fr. 1860-G $10 1929 FRBN; Fr. 1870-G $20 1929 FRBN; Fr. 1880-G $50 1929 FRBN; and Fr. 1890-G $100 1929 FRBN will provide an important session highlight. The notes are accompanied by a letter from Secretary of the Treasury William H. Woodin stating that the proofs were furnished to James H. Douglas who served as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under Ogden Mills from February 1932 to June 1933. Douglas also served as Secretary of the Air Force under President Eisenhower. The item was consigned by the Douglas family and is accompanied by a sheet of Fr. 1602 $1 1928-B Silver Certificates. It was the third sheet printed and is the only known 1928-B sheet
Yet another unique note being offered in Tampa is a Fr. 2220-K 1928 $5000 Federal Reserve Note graded by PCGS as Apparent Fine 15. That Friedberg number was previously unreported. The Dallas $5000 note has been locked away in a vault for decades and is being offered at auction for the first time.
One of the highlights of the auction for Small Size enthusiasts is a Fr. 2308* $10 North Africa Mule Star Silver Certificate. PMG assigned a grade of Very Fine 25 to the scarce note.
A number of rare Obsoletes will be included in the FUN auction, among them an Austin, TX- Republic of Texas 25¢ May 1, 1843 PMG Very Fine 20. Exchequer notes were the last paper money of the Republic and were issued from 1842-45. They were closely controlled and diligently destroyed when redeemed due to their being backed by gold, leaving only an estimated two dozen or so examples of all denominations combined for collectors. These important notes were also actually signed by Sam Houston.
Heritage Auctions, headed by Steve Ivy, Jim Halperin and Greg Rohan, is the world’s third largest auction house, with annual sales more than $600 million, and 500,000+ online bidder members. For more information about Heritage Auctions, and to join and gain access to a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit HA.com.
