Buy the slab, not the coin? Not exactly, but the latest Showcase Auction of US Coins in Early Holders from Heritage Auctions focuses on those coins that have been encapsulated in PCGS or NGC holders for an especially long time. These coins have a reputation for frequently being undergraded, and the slabs themselves are popular, hence this offering. Bidding is open now at Coins.HA.com, continuing through a live session scheduled for Tuesday, September 6 at 6 PM CT.
Included are over 700 lots of coins in PCGS Green Label holders, PCGS first-generation rattler or “clacker” holders, NGC “fatty” holders, NGC Green Label holders, and even a few first-generation ANACS holders. 104 of the coins have received the CAC green label, designating them as among the finest of their numerical grade, and another 12 bear the coveted CAC gold label, signifying that CAC believes the coin to be undergraded by at least one point.
Attracting a great deal of interest already is lot 91286, a 1921 half dollar graded MS65 by PCGS, one of the three big key dates in the Walking Liberty half dollar series. Although a few issues rival this date in conditional scarcity at the Gem level, MS65 examples of the 1921 are nonetheless exceptionally elusive, and in the many years since this coin’s encapsulation in a first generation “rattler” holder, a mere six coins have been assigned numerically finer grades at PCGS and NGC combined. This example displays softly frosted cartwheel luster and a hint of light champagne toning. Liberty’s branch hand and the eagle’s trailing leg exhibit minor softness as usual, but the overall eye appeal is excellent.
Other outstanding offerings in this auction include:
- 1926-S 1C MS65 Red and Brown NGC
- 1919 25C MS67 Full Head PCGS. CAC
- 1920-D 25C MS65 Full Head PCGS. CAC
- 1917-S 50C Obverse Mintmark MS65 PCGS
- 1918-S 50C MS65 PCGS
- 1920-S 50C MS65 PCGS
- 1795 $1 Draped Bust, Off-Center, B-14, BB-51, XF45 NGC
This auction will remain open for bidding until September 6 at Coins.HA.com.
