Auction Action

Spaceflown 2000-W 22-Karat Gold Proof Sacagawea Dollar, PCGS PR69DCAM

In 1999, the United States Mint struck 39 special proof Sacagawea Dollars in 22-karat gold bearing the “W” mintmark. Although these Sacagawea Dollars feature the “W’” mintmark, usually indicative of production at the West Point Mint in New York, it is believed that these coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint – a necessity due to the urgent need to strike these coins for presentation and marketing purposes. Soon after the coins were struck, 12 of the nicest examples were chosen to be flown aboard Space Shuttle Columbia in July 1999 on the first mission helmed by a woman; the remaining 27 coins were destroyed.

Of the dozen Sacagawea Dollars that were whisked into space aboard Mission STS-93 under the command of Eileen Collins, just five of the coins were retained by the United States Mint for their collection. The coins were held in the custody of Fort Knox in Kentucky for many years until early 2025, when the United States Mint consigned numismatic auction house Stack’s Bowers Galleries to sell the coins. With these famous coins being offered to the public for the first time, bidding was fervent when they hit the auction block on September 12, 2025 – leading to truly astronomical prices. One example graded PCGS PR69DCAM hammered for an out-of-this-world sum of $550,001

1857-S S.S. Central America Liberty Double Eagle

In 1857, the historic S.S. Central America was carrying hundreds of passengers, along with millions of dollars in gold and other treasures. On its way from California to New York, it ran into a hurricane that ultimately caused the ship to sink off the coast of the Carolinas. More than 400 lives were claimed, with tons of gold lost to the floor of the Atlantic Ocean.

Some 130 years later, recovery crews located the ship’s wreckage and began bringing up thousands of coins, many of which were 1857-S Liberty Head Double Eagles in dazzling Mint State grades. As the coins were retrieved, many of them were graded by PCGS and earned the S.S. Central America pedigree. On October 26, 2025, GreatCollections offered one of the highest-graded examples of the 1857-S Liberty Head Double Eagle, grading an exceptional PCGS MS67+. This example, currently with a population of only five in that grade and just one grading higher, hammered $286,875 at the auction.

1896 $5 Silver Certificate Fr. 268 PCGS Superb Gem UNC 68 PPQ

The 1896 $5 “Educational” Silver Certificate has a powerful, artistic design on its face. Some consider this impressive and intricate short-lived issue to be one of the most beautiful designs ever produced by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The back offers its distinguished portraits of Civil War Generals Ulysses S. Grant and Phillip Sheridan at left and right. Although numerous uncirculated examples of the Fr. 268 1896 $5 Silver Certificate exist, few have achieved the elevated grade of Superb Gem Uncirculated 68 or higher. PCGS Banknote has graded only three at this level, with none higher. Specimens of this caliber are rare and seldom appear in the marketplace. In May 2025, Heritage Auctions offered this example and it fetched $72,000.

1964 SMS Kennedy Half Dollar, PCGS MS68

In the 1990s, some unusual sets of coins appeared at a Stack’s auction sale. Few collectors at the time knew the status of the coins being offered. The coins were a group of 1964-dated issues with special, distinct finishes characteristic of the Special Mint Set coins produced for collectors in 1965, 1966, and 1967. When these atypical 1964-dated coins appeared on the market, they may have been considered “normal” coins by the plurality of collectors – especially since the coins were only about 30 years old. However, an astute collector happened to recognize the distinctive qualities of these coins, different from regular proofs or business strikes, and bought them at the sale.

As years went by, the coins traded hands multiple times and eventually were submitted to PCGS, where the coins were recognized for what they indeed are – Special Strikes. We still don’t know exactly why these coins were struck, but one thing we can ascertain is that the 1964 Special Strikes are undoubtedly scarce. It’s estimated that only a few dozen coins exist for each of the 1964 SMS Lincoln Cent, Jefferson Nickel, Roosevelt Dime, Washington Quarter, and Kennedy Half Dollar. There is strong collector demand for the 1964 Special Strike coins and they seldom appear at auction. On August 26, 2025, Heritage Auctions offered a Kennedy Half Dollar graded PCGS MS68 at one of their auctions where it sold for $108,000.