A 1921 Saint-Gaudens $20 sold for $1,012,000 in Ira and Larry Goldberg?s $11 million pre-Long Beach auction.
The double eagle was graded MS-65 PQ by Professional Coin Grading Service. Sale catalogers said ?This specimen, far superior to the usual weakly struck 1921, possesses needle-sharp ... details.? They reported a population of three known in MS-65 and one finer graded MS-66.
A 1795 Capped Bust gold $10, 13 leaves, Bolender 1, brought $448,500. It was graded MS-64 by Numismatic Guaranty Corp. Catalogers cited a population of one known in MS-64, two finer in MS-65, and said this piece is ?very boldly struck and intensely lustrous.? It was once part of the Freedom Collection auctioned by Heritage Auction Galleries.
A gold $10 Indian of 1933, PCGS MS-64 PQ, went for $437,000, while a 1796 Capped Bust, small eagle $5, PCGS MS-64 PQ, reached $322,000.
Outside of gold, a 1794 Flowing Hair half dollar, Overton 101, graded PCGS MS-61, topped off at $391,000. Sale catalogers cited a population report of one known in MS-61 with one finer in MS-64.
A 1916 Buffalo nickel with doubled die obverse, graded PCGS MS-62, realized $163,300.
The remainder of the U.S. coin highlights were double eagles:
1920-S Saint-Gaudens, PCGS MS-64, $166,750;
1930-S Saint-Gaudens, PCGS MS-64 PQ, $152,375;
1931 Saint-Gaudens, PCGS MS-66, $143,750;
1932 Saint-Gaudens, NGC MS-66, $143,750; and,
1873-CC Liberty, PCGS MS-63, $138,000.
Paper money in the auction included a Series 1886 $20 Silver Certificate, Friedberg 314, Krause-Lemke 584, graded Extremely Fine-40 PQ by Rare Currency Grading Service. It sold for $24,725. A three-piece lot consisting of 1896 $1, $2 and $5 Silver Certificates, each graded Gem Uncirculated-66 EPQ by Paper Money Guaranty, brought $44,850.
World coins were led by an Ecuador gold 8 escudos of 1845 struck at Quito, KM-30, graded NGC AU-50. It went for $48,875. Also highlighting the world section was a 1701 William III ?Fine Work? 5 guineas of Great Britain, NGC MS-63, that hit $35,650.
The Goldbergs? sale was held Sept. 23-26 in Beverly Hills, Calif. Overal total realized was $10,937,506.
All prices reported here include buyer fees.
For more information, see Web site www.goldbergcoins.com, or contact the firm at 350 S. Beverly Drive, Suite 350, Beverly Hills, CA 90212; (310) 551-2646.
