The Whitman Coin & Collectibles Official Auction at Stack's Bowers Galleries Collectors from across the country attended Spring Expo's first of three thrilling 2019 auctions in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. This event sold nearly $10.3 million in US coins out of $20,848,000 in total values.
The Fairmont, Greenway, and Twin Leaf collections led the Stack's Bowers Galleries sale, which featured outstanding material from the Red Book and beyond. The final session saw over 4,200 coins and exonumia added to new collections.
The incredible 10 ounce gold Gary Memorial medal by sculptor Paul Manship sold for $18,000 in lot 127, and the finest known AU-55 (PCGS) 1785 RR-3 Vermont copper from the Greenway Collection sold for $28,800 in lot 320. The MS-62 (NGC) 1776 Continental dollar from the Greenway Collection sold for $75,000 in lot 1004 on Thursday, February 28 at the Rarities Night session. Lot 1027 sold a superb 1918/7-D nickel certified MS-64+ (PCGS) CAC for $99,000 and a 1917 Doubled Die Obverse cent for $120,000.
Lot 1087 yielded a $120,000 Proof-64 (PCGS) Judd-58 Restrike 1836 Gobrecht Dollar from the Greenway Collection. The superb Proof-66 Cameo (PCGS) 1895 Morgan dollar in lot 1114 equaled this price, confirming its reputation as King of the Morgan Dollars.
Gold coins attracted bidders, culminating in amazing prices in the second half of the night. Lot 1137 saw a Proof-65 Ultra Cameo (NGC) 1879 Flowing Hair Stella bid up to $240,000, the session's high point. A superb 1795 Small Eagle $5 certified AU-50 (PCGS) in an Old Green Holder with a Gold CAC sticker was the next lot, one of the most popular.
Excellent eye appeal and technical quality, this treasure sold for $84,000 versus a PCGS Price Guide estimate of $47,500. Lot 1141's MS-61 Rarity-6+ 1797/5 BD-7 half eagle sold for $180,000. California Gold Rush relics like the MS-61 (NGC) 1851 Humbert $50 in lot 1241 and the 17-ounce Kellogg and Humbert gold ingot in lot 1218 closed the session strong.
The Twin Leaf Collection of State Coinage in Session 9 was essential for Colonial and Early American coin specialists. Connecticut coppers had almost 300 variants, whereas Massachusetts half pennies and cents had 45 of 51 varieties. Parmelee-Mills-Jackman's 1787 Transposed Arrows Massachusetts cent, Ryder 2a-F, lot 8016, was the Twin Leaf Collection's best achievement
The plate coin used by Sylvester S. Crosby in 1875 and Hillyer Ryder in 1920, it sold for $90,000 at Stack's Bowers Galleries in its first public offering in 100 years. Lot 8016's 1787 Ryder 7-H Massachusetts cent was graded MS-63 BN (NGC) CAC and had a 114-year provenance. Rarity-7- sold for $28,800.
Incredible, rarity ratings climbed as the transaction progressed via Connecticut coppers. Lot 8075's 1785 Miller 4.2-F.6 Connecticut copper is Rarity-8 with three pieces. Eric P. Newman owned the discovery specimen, the Twin Leaf copper, which he identified as a die variation. It sold for $22,800 with Dr. Hall and Virgil Brand provenance.
Lot 8016 featured the second-best of four Rarity-7+ 1786 Miller 5.3-B.2 AU-50 (PCGS). A popular Hercules Head design, it sold for $26,400. This 1787 Miller 33.35-Z.9 in lot 8292 is arguably the finest of the kind, certified EF-40 (PCGS) and Rarity-7+. It sold for $21,600 in the Spring 2019 Official Expo Auction after Stack's sold it in June 1991.
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