Auction Action

1802 Draped Bust Half Dime, PCGS VG10

The 1802 Draped Bust Half Dime has a miniscule mintage of 3,060 pieces, and it’s estimated that no more than 35 examples exist! This coin seldom emerges at auction, with block appearances perhaps only once every few years. The 1802 Half Dime is so scarce, that even some major historical collections from the past were missing this coin, and it’s absent from many major collections today. All examples of this issue are known in circulated condition, with no specimens known in Mint State condition. Most examples are in the lower circulated grades at XF or lower, while the highest-graded examples are in AU grades. This is the type of coin that collectors cannot be choosy about, as owning this coin in any grade is a huge accomplishment.

On August 26, 2025, Heritage Auctions offered an example graded PCGS VG10. This particular specimen exhibits excellent overall detail. The obverse shows Liberty’s face and hair along with the legends, stars, and date in good overall detail. On the reverse, most of the design can still be seen with the legends almost complete and fully in place, with some significant weakness on the eagles wings and feathers. Overall, this is a very nice coin showing great detail given its VG10 grade. This specimen was sold by Heritage Auctions August 26, 2025, for $102,000.

2007-W Platinum $100 American Eagle Frosted Freedom, PCGS PR70DCAM

Back in 2011, a collector discovered the first known Frosted Freedom $100 Proof Platinum Eagle. According to a U.S. Mint spokesperson, the 2007 Proof Platinum Frosted Freedom varieties were produced as pre-test strikes. But after these test strikes were produced, the U.S. Mint decided that the word “FREEDOM” on the reverse of the coin would look better with a mirror finish, as opposed to having the frosted finish. The U.S. Mint confirmed that up to 12 of the one-ounce, roughly 21 of the half-ounce, and 21 of the quarter-ounce Frosted Freedom coins may have been accidentally sold to customers by the U.S. Mint. As of today, far fewer examples have been located.

The discovery of the first Frosted Freedom in 2011 created headlines throughout the coin marketplace, and soon after collectors all over the country were checking their 2007 Proof Platinum Eagles in hopes of finding one of these rare Frosted Freedom varieties.

Today, the 2007 Proof Platinum Eagles with the Frosted Freedom inscription are considered to be some of the rarest modern coins in existence. At PCGS, these coins also made it into the Top 100 Modern Coins list, and they remain toward the top of the prestigious marquee. Examples of any 2007 Proof Platinum Eagle Frosted Freedom varieties rarely appear at public auction or offered for private sale. On January 11, 2026, GreatCollections sold an example at auction that fetched $290,124. This is a record price for the coin at auction.

1897 Repunched Date Indian Cent, FS-402, PCGS MS68RD

The regular-strike 1897 Indian Cent has one of the highest mintages for its series. Therefore, finding a nice example should not be very difficult. However, finding examples in the super-high grades such as MS67 or beyond can prove to be extremely challenging. Currently, the highest-graded example for this issue is a lone PCGS MS68 example, and it recently came up for sale at Heritage Auctions. The 1897 Indian Cent offered at auction was in immaculate condition. It has full Red surfaces, which is very difficult to achieve on classic copper coins – especially those that are nearly 130 years old such as this one. The coin also has great luster, stellar eye appeal, and mostly clean fields. Its Repunched Date variety, recognized as FS-402, only adds to this specimen’s allure.

One may ask, “How is it even possible for this coin to exist in such a high grade?” “How many different collectors have owned this coin?” “How has this coin been preserved so well for so long before being encapsulated in a protective PCGS holder?” The answers can be summed up this way: whoever its stewards were, the coin earned a stunning PCGS MS68 grade with a population of just one, with none better. This is only two grades away from a perfect 70 grade – just breathtaking! It traded hands in a Heritage Auctions event for an outstanding $84,000.

Bonham, Texas $100 1902 Red Seal Fr. 686. PCGS Banknote About Uncirculated 50

Higher-denominated Large-Size National Bank Notes always seem to command significant premiums when they make appearances at auction, especially those within higher, better-grade categories. Issued at a time when $100 amounted to a very large sum of money for the average individual, not many of these were printed and placed into circulation due to the lack of necessity within commerce. This stunning series 1902 $100 Red Seal National from a small Bonham, Texas, bank features a portrait of John J. Knox, Comptroller of Currency from 1872 through 1884, and displays bold “100” denomination counters at lower-left and top-right corners flanking the institution’s formal title presented at center.

1856-O Liberty Head Double Eagle, PCGS XF40

The 1856-O Liberty Head Double Eagle has a reported mintage of only 2,250 coins produced by the New Orleans Mint. This is one of the lowest mintages for a double eagle as well as New Orleans gold coins issued for circulation. This low mintage can be attributed to the logistics of transporting gold. It was easier to transport gold to the Philadelphia Mint than the New Orleans Mint. In the 1850s, much of the gold from the California Gold Rush was transported to New York via steamships, whereas sending gold to the New Orleans Mint proved difficult, expensive, risky, and more time consuming.

With so many factors affecting production output at the New Orleans Mint, it’s amazing that any coins were struck at all during some of those trying years. As a result, we have one of the lowest-mintage and rarest gold coins in U.S. Mint history. On December 9, 2025, Stack’s Bowers Galleries offered a PCGS XF40 example that sold for $312,000.