An 1880 $4 Coiled Hair stella graded PR-62 by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation brought a hefty $546,250 at Heritage Auction Galleries’ U.S. Coin Auction July 31-Aug. 2 in Los Angeles.
The coin, designed by George Morgan, lead the near $25 million event.
“We’re certainly pleased with the outcome of this auction,” said Greg Rohan, Heritage president. “Our three day event was a blockbuster. It brought in more than the top grossing movie of the weekend, which earned a little more than $22 million total.”
In past auctions Heritage has only been able to account for eight different examples of the 1880 $4 Coiled Hair stella, but the firm has now established that the Dallas Bank Collection example makes a ninth distinct survivor.
The number two and three lots in the auction – the More-O’Neal example of an 1933 $10 graded MS-65 and one of the finest known 1856-O $20 graded AU-58 by NGC – both brought $460,000 from enthusiastic Los Angeles buyers.
The 1933 $10 is a notable rarity of the 20th century U.S. Mint gold series because it survived President Franklin Roosevelt’s early 1933 order halting the release of gold coins from the Mint and recalling gold coin, gold bullion and gold certificates. The 1856-O $20 is the rarest double eagle from the New Orleans Mint and ranks among the rarest business strike Liberty $20s.
A 1795 $5 Small Eagle S over D coin NGC called MS-65 Prooflike spurred fierce floor bidding in Los Angeles as it soared to a $345,000 price tag.
“This stunning beauty ranks among the finest Heritage has ever handled,” said Rohan. “It’s also the finest Prooflike example that has ever been certified.”
A rare 1920-S $10, O’Neal example graded MS-66 by the Professional Coin Grading Service, from the year that marked the first U.S. regular-issue gold coinage since 1916, brought a healthy $345,000 price realized.
All prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
For a full recap of the Los Angeles auction, go online to www.HA.com/1128.
