The Jack Lee Estate Registry set of Lincoln cents will highlight a Signature Auction to be called by Heritage Auctions Dec. 4-7 in conjunction with the Money Show of the Southwest in Houston, Texas.
High-quality Lincoln cents fill page after page in the sale catalog.
The key date by mintage, the 1909-S VDB coin, which grades MS-66 as determined by the Professional Coin Grading Service, didn’t even merit a page of its own as the cataloger noted that there are nine finer examples.
However, a 1909-S without the designer initials is hailed as one of just four known in PCGS MS-67 Red and there is none finer.
The 1911-S is graded PCGS MS-66 Red, with 11 known at that level with none finer.
The catalog space allocated to the 1914-D is another indication that collectors of the past while focusing on the key dates might have preserved fewer of the less-rare-by-mintage coins in the higher grades so avidly sought by collectors today.
The 1914-D is graded PCGS MS-65 and the catalog notes that there are 54 coins in MS-65 and there are three finer.
A usually common 1920 Lincoln cent, because it is graded PCGS MS-67, is allotted a full page. The description says it has “fresh copper-gold surfaces that show whispers of pink and orange.” None is known to be “numerically finer in the color category.” The cataloger notes five in this grade have been seen by PCGS and three by NGC.
The 1922 No D Strong Reverse is called PCGS MS-63 Brown. The population in this grade is nine and the catalog notes there are five coins finer.
In all, there are almost 400 Lincoln cent lots in a sale that features more than 3,400 lots.
Among the gold coins to be sold, there is a 1795 Small Eagle $5 gold piece, Breen 1-C, Breen 6412, Bass 3034, BD-2, graded MS-64 by Numismatic Guaranty Corp. Only 20-30 pieces are known from this die pair combination, that catalog notes.
For more information, visit the Heritage Web site at HA.com, or telephone toll-free (800) 872-6467.
