Auction Highlights

It’s been another busy couple of months in the marketplace, with tens of thousands of coins and banknotes selling at auction. Here’s a snapshot of some prime coins and banknotes that recently took big bucks on the block.

1907 $10 Rolled Edge Indian Eagle, PCGS MS67

This issue is very rare, as only 41 examples are believed to have been spared the melting pot shortly after they were struck. Because of its low survival rate, the 1907 $10 Rolled Edge is one of the rarest U.S. coins to have ever been produced. The 1907 Rolled Edge Indian Eagle was struck for several reasons, primarily because the coins did not stack up well compared to their wire edge counterparts of the same year. Another notable aspect of this coin is its beautiful Indian obverse design. Many collectors would agree that this is one of the most beautiful designs of any U.S. coin. The highest-graded PCGS example is an MS67+, the lone example achieving this lofty grade. Additionally, there are only three examples graded MS67, making this coin a true rarity in this region of the grading scale. On April 5, 2022, Stack’s Bowers Galleries offered a mesmerizing PCGS MS67 example that realized a spectacular $1,140,000 — a record price.

1864 2 Cents Proof Small Motto, PCGS PR65BN

This extremely rare 1864 Proof Small Motto 2 Cents has a reported mintage of just 25, while PCGS has graded a total of 18 examples in all grades combined. In 1864, the Mint struck two different types of 1864 2 Cent Proofs, one with a Large Motto and the second with a Small Motto. The Small Motto is much rarer than the Large Motto, which has a mintage of about 100. On March 21, 2022, Heritage Auctions offered a PCGS PR65BN example that sold for $52,800. This piece has a razor-sharp strike with nice mottled light brown toning throughout the surfaces.

1891 $10 Treasury Note Fr. 369 Rosecrans / Nebeker PCGS Choice Unc 64 PPQ

This Treasury Note has a beautiful design, displaying black and white fonts with a prominent red seal and serial numbers. Some collectors confuse the star, located to the right of the serial number for a replacement note, but this is not the case as it is normal for 1891 Treasury Notes to have a star after the serial number. In fact, this is one of the most interesting and attractive features on these notes. The obverse design of the $10 1891 Treasury Note features Phillip H. Sheridan, Commander of the 1884 Army. Sheridan’s portrait is prominently located as the central vignette. The reverse of the note displays white and green colors with several “10” numerals and “X”s throughout the design. Overall, this is unquestionably a nice and attractive historical design. On April 24, 2022, GreatCollections sold a very nice example of this note graded PCGS Unc. 64 PPQ.