CC gold tops sale

An 1870-CC $20 gold piece was sold for $243,500 Sept. 4 by Bonhams in Los Angeles as part of a $1.4 million auction. One of just 35 to 45 pieces known, the coin was part of the estate of Hellen and Charles Mapes, of Reno, Nev. Charles Mapes was a hotel and casino pioneer. Paul Song, director of the Rare Coins and Bank Notes Department, said: “We are delighted with the result of the auction. Rare U.S. gold coins continued to bring exceptional prices.”

An 1870-CC $20 gold piece was sold for $243,500 Sept. 4 by Bonhams in Los Angeles as part of a $1.4 million auction.

One of just 35 to 45 pieces known, the coin was part of the estate of Hellen and Charles Mapes, of Reno, Nev.

Charles Mapes was a hotel and casino pioneer.

Paul Song, director of the Rare Coins and Bank Notes Department, said: “We are delighted with the result of the auction. Rare U.S. gold coins continued to bring exceptional prices.”

The 1870-CC $20 had been in the Mapes Collection since it was purchased in 1961 in a Kreisberg-Schulman auction of Feb. 16-18 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.

Song explained that it can be considered a discovery piece due to the length of time since its last auction offering.

Quickly, easily and accurately determine the bullion value for U.S. and Canadian gold coins!

There are no Mint State examples of the 1870-CC extant and most known examples are graded VF to EF.

Song said the coin was a bit of a discovery to the consignor as he did not realize the coin had the famous and valuable “CC” mintmark on its reverse.

A Philadelphia coin from 1870 is worth around $2,000.

Bringing $142,875 was a five-piece 1915-S Panama-Pacific commemorative coin set. The coins were offered with the original case of issue inscribed PANAMA-PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION COMMEMORATIVE COINS 1915 SAN FRANCISCO, U.S.A.
Song also reported that other gold coins in the auction brought strong prices.

A 1796 $10 graded AU-50 by Numismatic Guaranty Corp. realized $54,990.

An MCMVII (1907) high relief wire rim Saint-Gaudens gold $20 sold for $46,800 and a second example sold for $25,740.

An 1851 Augustus Humbert octagonal $50 gold piece, 880 THOUS brought $22,230, while an 1871-CC $20 fetched $21,060.

For more information about this and a Dec. 16 auction, visit the firm’s website at www.bonhams.com/uscoins.

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