PCGS Gold Hot in Heritage's May 2008 Long Beach $26.5 Million Auction

Dallas, TX. A 1794 dollar certified VF30 PCGS (Lot 800) tied for the top prices realized of $161,000 in Heritage Auction Galleries’ May 28-30, 2008 Signature® Auction in Long Beach. Total prices realized for the American coins exceeded $19 million and ancient and world coins realized an additional $7.5 million.

Lot 2201: (1797) New York Theatre Penny Token, D&H-Middlesex-167, Rulau-E-NY-892, PR64 Brown PCGS.
Realized: $40,250
The obverse shows THE THEATRE AT NEW YORK (Park Theater), which opened in New York City on Monday, January 29, 1798 with a performance of 'As You Like It.' The token is one of the nicest of the British Conder series. Ex: 2007 Milwaukee Signature Auction (Heritage, 8/2007), lot 1523, which realized $32,200

Lot 2514: 1884-S Morgan dollar, MS63 PCGS.
Realized: $40,250
The 1884-S is the first truly elusive S-mint Morgan dollar one encounters in the series from 1878-S forward

Lot 2723: 1880 Morgan dollar, PR68 Cameo PCGS. Ex: JFS Collection.
Realized: $37,375
In 1880, all of the Philadelphia Mint silver dollars featured the Slanted Arrow Feather reverse, also called Type of 1879; total production of proofs was 1,355 coins

Lot 2270: 1868 Indian cent, MS66 Red PCGS.
Realized: $35,650
The 1868 Indian cent reminds us that sometimes mintage figures can completely obfuscate the truth regarding current rarity; this is one of the three finest certified at PCGS. From The Estate of Robert R. Rollins Collection, Part One

Lot 1822: 1652 Pine Tree Sixpence, Noe-33, MS63 PCGS.
Realized: $34,513
The obverse has pellets flanking the tree trunk, much like the Noe-1 shilling, and suggests that these pieces may have been made at about the same time. Only one example of this variety has been certified finer. Ex: David Proskey (11/28/1903); F.C.C. Boyd; John J. Ford, Jr. (Stack's, 10/2005), lot 136 Q; I FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2007), lot 711. From The Liberty Collection of American Colonial Coinage, Part Three

Lot 720: 1846 half dollar Medium Date, PR63 PCGS.
Realized: $32,200
While mintage figures for the 1846 proof half dollar were not reported, it is likely that no more than a dozen have survived to the present day. Ex: The Thomas S. Chalkley Collection (Superior Galleries, 1/1990), lot 3574. From The Silbermünzen Collection

Lot 771: 1915-S Barber half dollar MS67 PCGS.
Realized: $29,900
A remarkable Superb Gem that has spent approximately one-fifth of its existence housed in the same old green label PCGS holder; its preservation is virtually unimprovable. Ex: Thomas S. Chalkley Collection (Superior, 10/1990), lot 3712. From The Silbermünzen Collection

Lot 1944: 1787 Excelsior Copper, New York Arms, Eagle on Globe Left, Eagle Reverse Eagle Left, AU55 PCGS.
Realized: $29,900
The eagle on the globe faces left, while the large eagle on the reverse gazes right; students of Early American numismatists can promptly name many similarities that the Excelsior coppers share with the legendary Brasher doubloons. This is the single finest certified by PCGS (3/08), and none have been certified by NGC. Ex: Benson Collection Part II (Ira and Larry Goldberg, 2/02), lot 12; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2007), lot 736; From The Liberty Collection of American Colonial Coinage, Part Three

Lot 3579: 1861-S double eagle, MS62 PCGS.
Realized: $25,300
Subsequent to the small production run of Paquet Reverse double eagles, the regular reverse die was used to strike 768,000 coins at the San Francisco Mint in 1861. Only one coin has been certified finer.

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“The strong market is continuing to bring great rarities onto the Heritage auction block,” commented Heritage President Greg Rohan. “Altogether, more than 650 consignors and more than 5,000 bidders participated in our May Long Beach auctions.”

PCGS Highlights from Heritage’s Long Beach Signature Auction:

Lot 800: 1794 Dollar VF30 PCGS.
Realized: $161,000
Struck on the initial day of the production of silver coinage, October 15, 1794, this rarity is a historic relic of America’s earliest attempt to produce large size silver coinage that would compare favorably in weight to the widely circulated Spanish (Carolus) dollars
Ex: George C. Slawson (Stack's, 4/1970), lot 840; 1991 ANA (Bowers and Merena, 8/1991), lot 436.

Lot 308: 1833 quarter dollar PR65 PCGS. B-1. Period after 25 C.
Realized: $149,500
An outstanding specimen of this formidable rarity, as the portrait, eagle, and right-side stars have a needle-sharp strike. Ex: Auction '86 (Superior, 7/1986), lot 1091; Thomas S. Chalkley Collection (Superior, 10/1990), lot 2568, which realized $70,400. From The Silbermünzen Collection.

Lot 942: 1846 Seated dollar PR65 PCGS. Breen-5436.
Realized: $149,500
The proof-only blundered date variety, which Breen describes as "date first entered much too low and oblique, then largely effaced and corrected; parts of upper halves of 846 show in lower halves of final position of date." From The Silbermünzen Collection.

Lot 1647: 1796 half cent, With Pole, AU55 PCGS. C-2, B-2, High R.4. EAC 45.
Realized: $138,000
The 1796 half cent is the classic rarity of the denomination; from a mintage of just 1,390 coins, perhaps 10% exist today. Ex: Julian Leidman; Jim McGuigan; Benson Collection Sale (Goldberg Coins, 2/2002), lot 32; Stuart Levine (2/2002). From The Colonel Steven Ellsworth Collection of U.S. Half Cents.

Lot 799: 1794 Dollar VG10 PCGS.
Realized: $115,000
Of the mere 1,758 pieces struck, approximately 125 individual examples have been traced today, making this first dollar an essential rarity. Ex: John N. Brooks Collection (United States Coin Co., 12/1914), lot 17. From The Northwest Collection.

Lot 321: 1866-S quarter dollar MS66 PCGS. Briggs 1-A.|
Realized: $97,750
This is the finest certified example, of only 28,000 pieces struck; housed in a first generation holder, it apparently has not appeared at auction since it was encapsulated, and twenty years after it was first graded, it remains the single finest certified example. From The Silbermünzen Collection.

Lot 2047: 1792 Roman Head Cent, Baker-19 PR61 Brown PCGS.
Realized: $92,000
The notoriety of the famously rare Roman Head cent was enhanced by Breen's description of its history in his Encyclopedia. Only two have been certified finer. From The Liberty Collection of American Colonial Coinage, Part Three.

Lot 2106: 1739 Broad Axe Higley Copper, Freidus 3.2-D, Breen-244, VF20 PCGS.
Crosby, Pl. VIII, 26. Realized: $92,000
There is an unintelligible undercoin below the weakened 1739 date. Ex: Stack's Henry Da Costa Gomez Collection, Part Two, 6/2004; lot 4004.

Lot 2138: 1776 Continental Dollar, CURENCY, Rare Early Die State, Pewter, MS62
PCGS. Newman 1-C, Hodder-1.A2, Breen-1089, R.3.
Realized: $92,000
The same die pair was used to strike all Continental Dollars that contain the blundered legend CURENCY, but Eric Newman assigned two additional reverse varieties for the two recut reverses.

Lot 295: 1818 quarter dollar MS66 PCGS. B-3, R.2. Breen Die State II.
Realized: $80,500
A magnificent Premium Gem with gorgeous cherry-red, lime-green and canary-gold toning, it is highly probable that this is the finest 1818 Browning-3 in a PCGS holder – as only one coin of this date has been certified finer. From The Silbermünzen Collection.

Lot 307: 1828 quarter dollar PR64 PCGS. B-4.
Realized: $63,250
The Narrow Date variety has less space between the 82, relative to B-1 through B-3. Ex: Thomas S. Chalkley Collection (Superior, 10/1990), lot 2564, which realized $41,800. From The Silbermünzen Collection

Lot 3786: 1860 Clark, Gruber & Co. eagle, MS62 PCGS. K-3, R.5.
Realized: $63,250
A remarkable Mint State example with few peers among PCGS certified examples

Lot 2139: 1776 Continental Dollar, CURRENCY, Pewter, Newman 2-C, MS62 PCGS. Crosby Pl. VIII, 16, Newman 2-C, Breen-1092, R.3.
Realized: $60,375
Struck from perfect dies, without the rust often seen for this die marriage within the rings for Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Hampshire. The second obverse die for the series, which corrects the CURENCY misspelling

Lot 3354: 1796 eagle XF40 PCGS, Breen-6832, Taraszka-6, BD-1, R.4.
Realized: $60,375
The only known die pair for coinage of 1796, with total production for the year of 4,146 pieces (with the majority of these dated 1795)

Lot 1861: 1737 Higley Copper, CONNECTICVT, Freidus 1.2-A, Breen-238, VF25 PCGS.
Realized: $57,500
The CONNECTICVT is the first Higley variety, struck before presumed local complaints compelled the change in the obverse legend, from THE VALVE OF THREE PENCE to VALVE ME AS YOU PLEASE. Ex: F.C.C. Boyd; John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part II (Stack's, 5/2004), lot 268; San Francisco ANA (Heritage, 7/2005), lot 10078; Troy Wiseman Collection, Part Two (Heritage, 1/2007), lot 726. From The Liberty Collection of American Colonial Coinage, Part Three

Lot 180: 1916-D dime, MS65 Full Bands PCGS.
Realized: $57,500
At 264,000 pieces struck, the 1916-D has less than a quarter of the original mintage of its nearest rival, the 1921-D dime. From the Tremont Collection

Lot 1824: 1652 Pine Tree Shilling, Large Planchet, Noe-4, MS64 PCGS. Realized: $51,750
The first N in ENGLAND is reversed, a die engraver's blunder seen during many periods in many countries. Ex: F.C.C. Boyd Collection; John J. Ford, Jr. Collection Part XII, Stack's (10/ Q20 I05), lot 84; Milwaukee ANA Signature, (Heritage, 8/2007), lot 1511. From The Liberty Collection of American Colonial Coinage, Part Three

Lot 3456: 1889 eagle PR64 PCGS.
Realized: $48,875
The 1889 eagle had a production of only 45 pieces, a number that is somewhat on the low side even for the late 1880s and early 1890s. Ex: Bass II (Bowers and Merena, 10/1999), lot 1621

Lot 3216: 1842-C Small Date half eagle, AU58 PCGS. Variety 4-C, the only known dies. Die State II.
Realized: $43,125
The two die states of this variety are easily distinguished by the presence or absence of a rim break at the top of the obverse, over star 7