Heritage Auction Galleries held its 38th Official ANA auction in conjunction with the World’s Fair of Money, July 30⁁ugust 3, at the summer American Numismatic Association (ANA) convention. This was the most valuable ANA auction ever held, realizing $41,022,713 for significant and classic rarities from all series in American numismatics. It also smashed the previous record set in 2007 at the Milwaukee ANA event, at which Heritage realized $27.7 million.
Heritage Chief Executive Officer Steve Ivy said, “We were very pleased with our results in Milwaukee last year, and we think Baltimore has demonstrated the absolute strength of the market for important and high-quality coins. Such high prices realized also mean a record-setting check will be provided to the ANA to support their educational and membership programs. We also take great pride that our total was 50 percent higher than our previous ANA record.”
Greg Rohan, president of Heritage, commented, “The great rarities included in this auction were simply dazzling, among the 400 consignors participating, several of the ‘named’ collections did especially well. Ed Price’s collection of early dime and quarter eagle varieties realized $5.7 million; Stephen Stokely’s Registry collection of $20 Saint-Gaudens exceeded $2 million; part four of the Phil Kaufman collection of early proof sets brought in another $1.4 million; and the DMPL Morgans of the ‘Gift of Undeserved Favor’ collection realized a similar total.”
Two important lots tied for the most valuable in the auction: a 1792 Disme from the Ed Price collection and an 1825/4 $5, once thought to be a unique issue, realized $690,000 each.
The 1825/4 is part of the capped head half eagle type, one of the rarest series of American coins. Until the late 1970s, the 1825/4 BD-2 was believed to be a unique coin (the Mendes Cohen piece in the Eliasberg collection). The story of the discovery of this piece in the Kaufman collection is a fascinating one, and was related in an article by Jeff Starck in the August 25, 2003, issue of Coin World.
Other specialty highlights include many rarities, such as the first coin struck in the New World, a 1615‱6 Sommer Islands shilling, small sail, that went to $43,125. The 1944-S steel cent is one of only two known examples of this wartime error, and is the only known uncirculated example. It finished at $373,750.
From the Anderson Dupont, R.L. Miles, Dr.E. Yale Clarke, and now from the Bayside New York collection, a near-mint 1796 15-star half dollar is an exceptional coin that achieved an exceptional price when it sold for $207,000.
The 1921 is a classic rarity in the Saint-Gaudens double eagle $20 series, and the one offered here is ex: Morse collection, now from the Stephen Stokely collection, part five, and it realized $474,375.
An 1866 $20 was graded MS64, star deep mirror and proof-like and sold for $126,500; while seasoned numismatists are careful to avoid the term “finest known,” this coin had quality and beauty relative to other known examples the term can be applied with confidence.
All prices given include the buyer’s premium.
Heritage Auction Galleries is at 3500 Maple Avenue in Dallas, Texas. To discuss consigning coins or currency to an upcoming auction, 800-872-6467 extension 1000 (coins); or extension 1001 (currency). For more information, www.ha.com .
