DALLAS, TX.- The finest known example of a 1855 Kellogg & Co. Fifty Dollar PR64 Cameo PCGS. CAC. Kagin-4, High R.6 soared to a record $1.26 million to lead Heritage’s FUN US Coins Auction to $40,522,148 in total sales. That total, along with the $6,845,461 Collection of Walter J. Husak and The Liberty Cap Foundation US Coins Signature® Auction that was part of FUN and
Heritage’s $13,003,338 FUN Currency Signature® Auction, boosted the combined total for the event to $60,370,947.
“Just when some people thought the marketplace for numismatic trophies might be starting to soften given the flurry of record prices we’ve set over the last few years, our bidders once again delivered some staggering results,” says Todd Imhof, Executive Vice President at Heritage Auctions. “We continue to invest a lot of time and money to keep Heritage’s auction platform the very best in the world and remain grateful to these major collectors and dealers who entrust us to sell these their important and valuable items year after year.”
Fort Worth coin dealer B. Max Mehl once called the 1855 Kellogg $50 “the most beautiful of all Pioneer gold coins, and one of the rarest.” The beautiful coin sold in this auction is one of just 14 known examples, all of which were struck in proof format. The original mintage was not recorded, and the initial distribution unknown.
The 1855 Kellogg fifty was one of three coins in the auction that reached seven figures. Also cracking the million-dollar plateau and shattering the previous price record was one of just two known examples of an 1860 Half Eagle, Judd-271, PR64+ Deep Cameo PCGS that brought a winning bid of $1.14 million. This magnificent coin has been a highlight in some exceptional collections, including those of Virgil Brand, F.C.C. Boyd, Ed Trompeter and Bob R. Simpson.
In the same rarified air was the finest known example of an 1851 Schultz & Co. Half Eagle, MS62 PCGS, which drew $1.02 million — more than double the previous top price of $432,000. The 1851 Schultz & Co. $5 gold piece is one of the rarest issues in the Territorial gold series; this example is one of just 10 traced by Heritage Auctions experts and one of just 14 in all grades certified by PCGS and NGC, one of which is held by the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution.
An 1868 Liberty Eagle, Judd-661, PR66 Cameo PCGS that reached a record $930,000 is one of just four known examples of this prized rarity, one of which has been housed in the Connecticut State Library Collection since 1913. This example is believed to be the one previously owned by King Farouk and then seemingly disappeared for decades. It has been off the market for 24 years and is the only example with a PR66 grade from PCGS.
One of just four known examples of an 1804 Eagle, Judd-34, Pollock-46, High R.7, PR64 PCGS ended at a record $504,000, surpassing the previous mark of $408,000. This silver pattern 1804 Eagle is the only known pattern made to perfect the dies before the gold eagle proofs were struck.
Other top lots in the auction included, but were not limited to:
• An 1893-S Morgan Dollar, MS63 PCGS, CAC: $444,000
• An 1877 Half Union, Judd-1549, PR67 Brown PCGS: $408,000
• A 159.23-Ounce Justh & Hunter Gold Ingot: $384,000
• An 1830 Templeton Reid Quarter Eagle, AU58 PCGS, CAC: $384,000
Husak Collection — offered in partnership with Early Cents Auctions
• A 1794 S-18B Cent, MS64 Brown, the finest known of the type, led this remarkable collection when it drew 51 bids on its way to $432,000.
• Another strong result in the collection was the $348,000 winning bid for a 1793 S-1 Cent, AU58 PCGS, CAC.
• A 1796 S-93 Cent, MS65 Red & Brown PCGS, CAC Approved drew 44 bids on its way to $180,000. This example is the Noyes plate coin for the variety in his 1991 reference.
Other top lots from the collection included, but were not limited to:
• The finest known 1794 S-42 Head of 1794 Cent, MS66 Red and Brown PCGS: $156,000
• A 1794 S-49 MS65 Red & Brown PCGS, CAC Approved: $156,000
• A 1793 S-14 Liberty Cap Cent, AU50 PCGS: $144,000
• A 1793 S-3 Cent, AU55 PCGS, CAC: $138,000
“Our bidders are 100% confident in the integrity of our auction platform,” says Imhof, “and our consignors know that we have built a world-class team of experts who will present their rare coinage to, by far, the largest audience and conduct an auction that delivers the highest possible result for them.”
Currency
A Fr. 1166b-I $20 1863 Gold Certificate PMG Very Fine 25, one of just six known examples of America’s first Gold Certificate and one of just four in private hands, led the currency event at $480,000. It is a magnificent example of the first Gold Certificates printed and issued, the rarity of which is due in part to the fact that the majority were redeemed for physical gold.
“These 1863 Gold Certificates were backed by gold on deposit with the Treasury, and were meant to bring stability to interbank trading,” says Dustin Johnston, Vice President of Numismatics at Heritage Auctions. Now there are just four $20 notes and a single $100 that are available on the collecting market, including this exceptional example, which spent almost a quarter century in private hands. As far as its numismatic significance, it is among the rarest and most desirable United States bank notes in existence.”
Riding the surge in popularity for large-denomination notes, a Near-Gem 1934 Dallas $10,000 Federal Reserve Note finished at $453,600. The exceptional quality earned this note, which came from the Highland Park Collection of Small Size US Currency, a spot in the D. Brent Pogue collection, one of the finest assemblages ever for type and condition. No Gems have been graded by PMG, meaning this remains the lone finest Dallas note to ever be offered publicly. Just 1,200 notes were printed and issued for the Dallas Federal Reserve, which goes a long way toward explaining the rarity of this magnificent example.
It was not the only $10,000 to draw eager attention and numerous bids, as a Fr. 2231-B $10,000 1934 Federal Reserve Note. PMG Choice Uncirculated 64 reached $270,000. The so-called “Benny Binion 1934 $10,000,” this magnificent note was one of the $1 million in paper money assembled by Binion for display in his Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas. This note was joined by 99 others framed beneath an oversized horseshoe in the casino.
Also from the Highland Park Collection, a Fr. 2407 $500 1928 Gold Certificate. PMG Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ sold for $384,000. This gorgeous note carries the highest grade of any example certified by PMG. Series 1928 $500s have a known population of just over 100 pieces, making them rare in any grade.
A completely original 1928 Atlanta $5,000 closed at $360,000. This beauty from the Highland Park Collection is one of just three 1928 $5,000s to earn the Exceptional Paper Quality descriptor. While examples from this district top out in the Extremely Fine grades at the grading services, no others have earned that EPQ designation. The quality is exceptional for any $5,000, but especially for a Series 1928.
Another $5,000 sparked an outbreak of eager bidding when a Fr. 2221-K $5,000 1934 Federal Reserve Note. PMG About Uncirculated 55 EPQ sold for $336,000. Of the 11 districts that issued $5,000s, just one produced more than 10,000 notes. This exceptional note came from Dallas, which printed and issued just 2,400 examples; the rarity of this note is increased by the fact that it earned the EPQ designation.
Other top lots included, but were not limited to:
• A Fr. 1191 $50 1882 Large Red Seal Gold Certificate: $240,000
• A Fr. 1204 $100 1882 Gold Certificate PMG Extremely Fine 40 EPQ: $180,000
• A Fr. 2221-G $5,000 1934 Federal Reserve Note. PMG About Uncirculated 50 EPQ: $168,000
• A Fr. 1219b $1,000 1907 Gold Certificate PMG Very Fine 25: $150,000
