Bowers and Merena's June Baltimore Auction Exceeds $8 Million in Sales PCGS-Graded 1849 Mormon $2.50 Gold Realizes $53,763

Bowers and Merena Auctions, one of the world's preeminent auctioneers for rare coins and currency, realized more than $8 million as the Official Auctioneer of the June 2010 Whitman Coin & Collectibles Baltimore Expo. The eight-session sale, occurring June 17-19, included more than 6,000 lots of U.S. coins and currency, ancient and foreign coins and foreign paper money.

Prices realized for U.S. coins and currencies amounted to $6,438,778. Ponterio & Associates, a division of Bowers and Merena Auctions, added an additional $1,608,082 in prices realized with ancient and foreign coins and paper money.

"Our highly successful June 2010 Baltimore Auction saw spirited bidding for many different areas of U.S. numismatics," said Steve Deeds, president of Bowers and Merena Auctions. "We presented an old-time collection from Florida comprised of completely original and highly attractive type coins. The captivating collection sold many individual lots far in excess of our pre-sale estimates. For instance, two beautifully toned proof Barber Dimes: lot 1872, an 1898 in PCGS PR66 Cameo, realized $4,025, and lot 1878, a 1902 in PCGS PR64 Cameo, traded hands for $2,358. Lot 1872 essentially doubled our expectations for what an 1898 Barber Dime in PCGS PR66 Cameo would realize at auction."

Additional highlights in the Bowers and Merena Auctions June 2010 Baltimore Auction include:

• Lot 178, 1881 Hawaii Pattern Five Cents, Medcalf-Russsell 2CN-1, PCGS MS64, Secure Holder, realized $28,750
• Lot 1658, 1937-D Buffalo Nickel, FS-901 (FS-020.2), 3-Legged, PCGS MS65, CAC, realized $37,375
• Lot 2030, 1864 Seated Liberty Quarter, PCGS MS67, realized $26,450
• Lot 3411, 1872 Pattern Commercial Dollar, Judd-1217, PCGS PR64 RB, realized $25,875 (one of only three specimens known to exist)
• Lot 3432, 1852 Augustus Humbert $50 Gold, Reeded Edge, K-11, 887 THOUS, PCGS AU55, realized $52,900
• Lot 3443, 1849 Mormon $2.50 Gold, K-1, PCGS VF35 , CAC-Gold Label, OGH - First Generation, realized $53,763
• Lot 3824, 1850-O Liberty Double Eagle, Winter Variety One, Open 5, PCGS AU58, CAC, realized $32,200

For a complete list of prices realized for Bowers and Merena June 2010 Baltimore Auction, visit the firm's Web site at www.bowersandmerena.com or call toll-free at 800-458-4646. Bowers and Merena's next auction is the Boston Rarities Sale in August.

About Bowers and Merena Auctions

Bowers and Merena Auctions was founded in 1983 and has grown to become one of the world's preeminent numismatic auctioneers with more than half a billion dollars in rare coin and currency sales. They continue their service as Official Auctioneer of the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Baltimore Expos three times every year. Bowers and Merena has handled four of the five most valuable United States coin collections ever sold, including the Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. Collection, the Harry W. Bass Jr. Collection, the Garrett Collection for The Johns Hopkins University and the Norweb Collection. In 2008, Bowers and Merena Auctions acquired Ponterio & Associates, Inc., which now serves as Bowers and Merena's auction division for world and ancient coins and currency. Bowers and Merena Rare Coin Galleries offers direct buying and selling of exceptional quality gold and silver rare coins.

For more information about Bowers and Merena and Ponterio & Associates, or to consign to an upcoming auction, call 800-458-4646. For media inquiries, ask for President Steve Deeds for U.S. coins or Director of Currency Auctions Matthew Quinn for U.S. currency. Complete prices realized for all past auctions are available at www.bowersandmerena.com.