This article was originally printed in Numismatic News.
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Heritage Auctions will host a special auction at the Florida United Numismatist (FUN) Convention next January aimed at establishing a $1 million endowment for the renowned National Numismatic Collection.
Considered one of the finest collections of rare U.S. coins in existence, the collection is housed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
Heritage is seeking donors who are willing to consign coins to this special benefit auction and have the full proceeds from their sale transferred to the Smithsonian Institution as a charitable donation. Heritage will waive all buyer’s and seller’s fees in this auction, with 100 percent of all money raised going to this important endowment.
The project got under way in early January of this year when Heritage received the donation of a 1895 Morgan dollar, PR66 Deep Cameo PCGS, which is expected to bring over $100,000 when it comes on the block as part of the January 2012 auction in Orlando, Fla.
The National Numismatic Collection consists of more than one million objects, including paper currency, coins, tokens, and medals. Exceptional rarities include a Brasher half doubloon, an 1849 double eagle, two 1877 $50 patterns, a 1913 Liberty head nickel, three 1804 dollars, and two 1933 double eagles.
“The NNC is a treasure that the museum holds in trust for the country and these artifacts preserve stories of American history that connect us to the people and events that shaped the nation,” said Brent D. Glass, director of the museum. “This auction will help to build an endowment for the care, research, and accessibility of the NNC.”
Federal appropriations to the Smithsonian mostly cover infrastructure and salaries.
“As collectors and dealers at the forefront of the numismatic world, we are charged with the responsibility to grow our hobby from one generation to the next, instilling our passion for rare coins in the next generation of collectors,” said Greg Rohan, president of Heritage Auctions. “With this charitable effort, we will raise funds to increase the accessibility of this important collection, which will allow the museum to expand the online catalogue of the entire collection and to fund traveling exhibits throughout the US, as well as other programs designed to inspire the next generation of coin enthusiasts.”
To donate, e-mail CoinBenefit@HA.com or visit the auction website HA.com/GiveCoins.
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