Larry Shapiro put together a collection of Mercury dimes that Professional Coin Grading Service is pretty high on.
Currently ranked as the finest all-time collection in five different categories by PCGS, the Larry Shapiro Registry Collection of Mercury Dimes, will by auctioned in Heritage’s Signature Auctions at the Florida United Numismatists convention, Jan. 3-7, 2006 in Orlando.
“This is simply an astonishing collection,” explained Heritage President Greg Rohan. “Mr. Shapiro’s success in procuring dimes of the highest quality in this important series is plainly evident in his PCGS All-Time rankings.”
The set is ranked No. 1 in the following categories: Mercury Dimes Date Set, Circulation Strikes (1916-1945); Mercury Dimes FB Date Set, Circulation Strikes (1916-1945); Mercury Dimes Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1916-1945); Mercury Dimes FB Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1916-1945); and Mercury Dimes with Varieties, Circulation Strikes (1916-1945).
Shapiro spent a long time piecing the set together.
“Larry Shapiro started collecting Mercury Dimes at the age of eight,” enthused Heritage Co-Chairman Jim Halperin, “when he was given the privilege of searching through roll after roll at the coin shop of his Little League coach, Jonathon Hefferlin of Jonathon’s Coins in Los Angeles.”
Other consignments featured in the sale include the Joshua Large Cents Registry Collection; the Ally Flying Eagle Cents Registry Collection; the Ally Indian Cents Registry Collection; the Walsh Lincoln Cents Registry Collection; the Great Western Collection, Part II; the Clearfield Collection; the Morse Collection, Part II; the Larry Rausch Collection of Errors, Part VII; and the Bill Gale Collection of Kentucky Large Size Nationals.
Some items of note from the Shapiro Collection include a 1916-D with full bands, graded MS-66 by PCGS. There’s also a 1916-S full bands in PCGS MS-66 condition and a 1916-S full bands, graded PCGS.
Other dates include an MS-67 1917-S and an MS-66 1918-S, on through to an MS-65 1920-D to an MS-65 1920-S to an MS-66 1921 to an MS-65 1924-S – all of which have full bands and grades by PCGS.
The famed “Del Monte Note” will also be included in Heritage Currency Auctions of America’s Signature Auction Jan. 6-7 at FUN.
The “Del Monte Note” is part of The Scottsdale Collection and is estimated at $20,000- $25,000.
“There are few items that create an indelible memory like this unique U.S. Currency error,” said Dustin Johnston, director of auctions for HCAA.
According to Johnston, what makes this note truly special is the stage of the printing process at which the sticker affixed itself to the note. U.S. Currency is essentially printed in three stages: the first printing is the back of the note, the second printing provides the face devices, and the third, final printing includes the Treasury Seal and the serial numbers.
When this note was printed at the Fort Worth facility of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, it went through first and second printings before the sticker found its way onto the surface.
For more information about Heritage’s auctions, visit Heritage’s Web site, www.HeritageGalleries.com, and go to the Permanent Auction Archives.
For an auction catalog, contact Nicole Jewell at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 272, or visit HeritageGalleries.com to order by e-mail.
