CHICAGO, IL.- A stunning 1880 $4 Coiled Hair Stella PR67 NGC CAC, the rarest of the four Stella varieties and the ideal Registry Set candidate, realized $1.82 million as the top lot in
Heritage Auctions' April 22-26, 2015 Central States Numismatic Society (CSNS) Signature® Auction. The Stella was the offered as the anchor lot of The New Orleans Collection and was hammered down after very spirited competition to a collector bidding from Great Britain via HERITAGE Live!, the company's proprietary real-time online bidding platform.
Heritage's combined CSNS U.S. Coin and U.S. Currency auction realized a grand total in excess of $56 million, with U.S. Coins accounting for $46+ million of that amount and Currency more than $10 million.
"The 1880 Coiled Hair Stella, in any grade, is a beautiful coin, but this one was certainly special," said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auctions. "In terms of important Stellas that are available to collectors, this is one of the very best, and collectors responded to that rarity with very aggressive bidding."
The New Orleans Collection continued its command of the auction with the second highest price realized, $881,250, for a second rare Stella, an 1879 $4 Coiled Hair Stella PR65 PCGS CAC, and almost matched by a 1933 $10 MS65 PCGS CAC, the fabled Final-Year Indian $10 and an historically significant melt rarity, which proved quite popular as it soared to $822,500.
Rounding out the coins from the auction to finish in the top tier of the auction was an 1880 $4 Flowing Hair Stella PR66, the finest Non-Cameo PCGS, a legendary gold pattern, performing quite well when its turn came up, bringing a $517,000 final price realized, and an 1844 $10 PR63 Cameo NGC, Ex: Pittman, the only example available to collectors, which realized $423,000.
Further highlights include, but are not limited to:
• 1794 50C O-109 VF25 NGC, Ex: Hilt Collection: Realized $705,000.
• 1849-C G$1 Open Wreath MS63 Prooflike NGC, Ex: Richmond Collection: Realized $493,500.
• 1797 50C MS64 PCGS Secure, CAC, from the Byron Reed Collection: Realized $493,500.
• 1795 $1 Flowing Hair, Three Leaves, MS65 NGC: Realized $423,000.
