04-01-2014 – 11-01-2014
FUN / New York International
Heritage Auctions more than $105 Million of Coins & Currency in One Week
Heritage Auctions, the world’s largest numismatic auctioneer, sold more than $105 million worth of coins and currency Jan. 5-12, 2014, setting records across U.S. Coins, World Coins and U.S. Currency including the most valuable piece of currency on the planet.
‘The number of records broken during the first full week of 2014 is unprecedented in the history of numismatics,’ said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auctions. ‘These results show numismatics is a vibrant and thriving hobby and we are grateful to play a leading role in its growth.’
5100: 1787 DBLN Brasher Doubloon, EB on Wing, W-5840, MS63 NGC. CAC. Realized: $4,582,500.
Two of America’s most famous and valuable rare coins lead the week’s sales when they brought a combined $7.87 million. The first gold coin made for the United States, a Brasher Doubloon hand-struck in 1787 by George Washington’s New York City neighbor, brought $4,582,500 …
5161: 1913 5C Liberty PR64 NGC. CAC. Realized: $3,290,000.
… while a nickel made under mysterious circumstances at the Philadelphia Mint in 1913, and which was famously featured in an episode of the 1970s television show ‘Hawaii Five-O,’ realized $3,290,000.
Both the Brasher Doubloon and the 1913 Nickel were offered during Heritage’s Jan. 8-12 FUN U.S. Coin Signature® Auction in Orlando, Fla., which, along with Heritage’s FUN Currency Signature® Auction and the Adam Mervis Large Cent Collection Auction (also at FUN) generated a record $90+ million in total sales.
This particular Brasher Doubloon had been off the market since it was purchased by a Chicago resident in 1979 for a then-record price of $430,000. It was the subject of a Raymond Chandler book, a Hollywood movie and it was displayed by a previous owner at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City.
5597: 1927-D $20 MS66 NGC. Realized: $1,997,500.
Additional records for U.S. rarities came as a 1927-D $20 MS66 NGC, the nation’s rarest regular-issue coin, set the highest price ever paid for any U.S. coin struck and released for general circulation after 10 determined bidders drove the price to $1,997,500.
17127: Fr. 379b $1000 1890 Treasury Note PCGS Extremely Fine 40. Realized: $3,290,000.
Heritage’s Currency Signature® Auction set a world record for the most valuable piece of currency ever sold when the legendary 1890 $1,000 Treasury Note, popularly referred to as the ‘Grand Watermelon note’ – due to the design of the large zeroes on the reversed side of the bill, resembling watermelons – sold for an astounding $3,290,000. The last time this note was offered at auction was in 1970, where it brought $11,000.
‘Collectors knew this was not a chance that was going to come around again anytime soon, and they bid accordingly,’ said Dustin Johnston, Director of Rare Currency at Heritage Auctions. ‘The result being that this beautiful little piece of paper is now the most valuable of its kind in the world and has a new chapter to add to its legend.’
Also topping the seven-figure mark in the auction was a unique 1882 $500 Gold Certificate, which finished at $1,410,000.
Earlier in the week Heritage’s offering of more than World and Ancient Coins during the annual New York International Numismatic Convention totaled approximately $15 million in sales, led by a stunning and pristine 1822 Pedro I gold 6400 Reis, AU55 NGC realized $499,375. The 1822 Pedro quickly surpassed its $200,000 pre-auction estimate, beating the previous world record for a Brazilian coin at auction two times over.
Additional World Coin rarities include a 1711 Felipe V gold Royal Cob 8 Escudos from Mexico for $293,750, and an 1824 Gold 8 Escudos from Guatemala for $176,250, a record for the type.
The complete FUN US Coin Signature Auction catalogue is available here.
Here you can browse through the FUN US Currency Signature Auction.
And the World & Ancient Coin Signature Auction catalogue is online available too.