A high-grade 1921 Saint-Gaudens $20 gold piece topped results of Heritage Auction Galleries? sale May 31-June 1 in Long Beach, Calif.
Heritage catalogers said that ?there are only a handful of 1921 coins extant above MS-63? as they described this example, graded MS-64 by Professional Coin Grading Service. Catalogers noted that three have been graded MS-64, with four graded finer.
The 1921 double eagle sold for $402,500.
Heritage?s U.S. coin sale at Long Beach totaled $8,188,350, and its world and ancient coin sale totaled $3,502,291, for an overall $11.7 million. All prices here include buyer fees.
Heritage?s sales were official auctions of the Long Beach Expo.
Coming in at $230,000 was a Saint-Gaudens $10 of 1907 with rolled rim, graded PCGS MS-65.
A 1926-D Saint-Gaudens $20, PCGS MS-65, realized $126,500, while a 1931-D $20, also PCGS MS-65, went for $115,000.
These were followed by a 1915-S Panama-Pacific Expo octagonal gold $50, graded MS-65 by Numismatic Guaranty Corp., that sold for $100,625.
Three more $20 Saints followed: a 1907 High Relief, flat rim, PCGS MS-66, $97,750; a 1908-S, PCGS MS-66, $86,250; and a 1929, PCGS MS-65, $83,375.
A 1,238-gram (39.8 troy ounces) gold nugget from Australia brought $80,500.
A 1796 half cent, No Pole, which catalogers said is one of the rarities from 1796 and an elusive find among half cent varieties, fetched $74,750. Corroded, it was graded ?XF Details? by Numismatic Conservation Services.
Also at $74,750 was an 1801 gold $10, NGC MS-64.
A 1944-D Lincoln cent struck on a zinc-coated steel planchet from 1943, graded AU-55 by ANACS, brought $69,000.
A California gold Assay Office $50 of 1852, ?900 THOUS? variety, Kagin 14, graded NGC AU-53, hit $63,250.
Top Morgan dollar in the sale was a proof 1893, PCGS Proof-68 Cameo, that went for $57,500.
Finally, an 1804 gold $2.50 with 14-star reverse, PCGS MS-61, sold for $43,125.
Further prices realized, lot descriptions and color images can be viewed in the Permanent Auction Archives at HA.com.
Results from two of Heritage?s so-called Final Sessions, which are online components that close after the floor sales, were not available at press time. Post-auction sales of unsold floor sale lots were also ongoing.
For more information, contact Heritage Auction Galleries, 3500 Maple Ave., 17th Floor, Dallas, TX 75219; telephone (800) 872-6467.