Stack’s Bowers Galleries continued to prove its leadership in the Numismatic Americana market with their March 25, 2024 record-breaking sale of the Richard Margolis Collection Part I. Formed over 60 years by an important American professional numismatist and researcher, the Margolis Collection was led by the only intact 1779 (1789) John Stewart at Stony Point medal available to collectors. As the only example of the rarest Comitia Americana medal in private hands, the MS-62 (PCGS) bronze example saw frenzied competition selling for $900,000 USD – a new world record for any bronze medal ever sold at auction (all prices include the buyer’s premium).
The Stewart at Stony Point is now the most valuable original Comitia Americana medal ever sold, the most valuable Paris Mint medal ever sold, and the most valuable 18th-century medal of any kind ever sold. The Stewart medal was awarded by the Continental Congress to Maj. John Stewart for actions at Stony Point on the Hudson River; two other Comitia Americana medals were awarded for the action as well, one each to Gen. Anthony Wayne and French engineer Lt. Col. Francois DeFleury.
The top prices realized in the sale also included a particularly choice silver 1776 (1783) Libertas Americana medal graded MS-62 (PCGS) at $180,000; a rare PCGS AU-58 (ca. 1789) John Paul Jones medal in silver at $90,000; and a very high grade PCGS MS-63 ca. 1787 Nathanael Green at Eutaw Springs medal in bronze at $84,000.
Three important pieces each realized $72,000: A superb MS-63 BN (PCGS) bronze DeFleury at Stony Point medal; a beautiful silver ca. 1777 George III Lion and Wolf medal graded AU-55 (PCGS); and an extremely rare bronze (ca. 1790) Benjamin Franklin / Lord of Lightning medal graded MS-64 BN by PCGS.
“Historic American medals, and numismatic Americana of all kinds, continue to be very strong in the auction marketplace,” noted cataloger John Kraljevich. “When a well-formed long-time collection like that formed by Richard Margolis comes to market, every collector competes to take something home. And the prices achieved reflect that.”
While the first portion of the sale featured Margolis’ Betts medals and other historic American medals, the second portion included Margolis’ world-class collection of portrait medallions of American historical figures produced by Nini, Wedgwood, and others. The selection of Nini terracottas included a number plated in Margolis’ 2015 reference Benjamin Franklin in Terra-Cotta: Portrait Medallions by Jean-Baptiste Nini at the Chateau of Chaumont. A large 1778 portrait terracotta of Franklin, Margolis-19, led this group at a final price of $31,200.
Complete prices realized for The Richard Margolis Collection Part I can be found at StacksBowers.com. For information regarding Stack’s Bowers Galleries auctions or to learn more about consigning to an upcoming sale contact the firm at 800-458-4646 or [email protected].
* * *
