PCGS introduces Million Dollar Club
Although most collectors and dealers may never personally own a seven-figure numismatic rarity, enjoying and learning about them is now possible with the launch of the PCGS Million Dollar Coin Club™, a free reference guide available from the Professional Coin Grading Service. It is located online at www.PCGS.com/Million-Dollar-Coin-Club.
The “club” currently consists of 210 U.S. rare coins that have sold at auction for $1 million or more, or would sell for that much if offered, according to the expert opinions of five well-known professional numismatists. The list will be updated four times a year, according to the firm.
“Our estimate for the total current value of these 210 United States coin rarities is $475,515,000,” said David Hall, PCGS co-founder and president of Collectors Universe, Inc., who is among the pricing consultants who prepared the list.
The other four experts in the group are Ron Guth, president of PCGS CoinFacts; Kevin Lipton, president of Kevin Lipton Rare Coins of Beverly Hills, Calif.; Greg Rohan, president of Heritage Auctions of Dallas, Texas; and Laura Sperber, co-president of Legend Numismatics of Lincroft, N.J.
Rankings and information in the PCGS Million Dollar Coin Club will be updated every three months online and in a printed, full-color educational booklet when more coins reach that mark and others already in the club bring new prices at upcoming auctions. The first edition of the booklet was available from PCGS at the 2010 Florida United Numismatists convention in Orlando Jan. 7-10.
“The first U.S. coin to reach the million dollar mark was the Eliasberg specimen 1913 Liberty Head nickel 14 years ago,” said Hall. “It sold at auction for $1,485,000 on May 21, 1996. Today, there are 210 coins that would bring $1 million or more if offered in the marketplace.”
Of the 210 million-dollar coins now listed, there are 164 individual coins from 61 separate U.S. Mint issues; 19 Colonial/early American coins from 12 issues; four Territorial coins from four issues; and 23 pattern coins from 17 issues.
The top ten most valuable coins struck by the U.S. Mint in the PCGS Million Dollar Coin Club are:
1849 $20 Liberty
Estimated PCGS grade PR-64
$15 million
1907 Indian Head $20 Saint-Gaudens gold pattern
Estimated PR-69
$15 million
1877 $50 (J-1546) pattern
Estimated PR-67
$10 million
1877 $50 (J-1548) pattern
Estimated PR-67
$10 million
1907 double thick Extremely High Relief Saint-Gaudens $20
Estimated PR-69
$8.5 million
1804 Class I (“Original”) silver dollar
PCGS PR-68
$7.5 million
1804 Class I (“Original”) silver dollar
PCGS PR-67
$6.5 million
1822 $5 gold piece
Estimated EF-45
$6 million
1804 Class I (“Original”) silver dollars
Two examples, both PCGS PR-65
$5.5 million each
1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
Estimated MS-65
$2.5 to $3.5 million
High-quality images and information, including experts’ narratives, pedigrees, rarity analysis, condition census and auction price histories for Million Dollar Club members and thousands of other U.S. coins can be found online at www.PCGSCoinFacts.com.
More Resources:
• Subscribe to our Coin Price Guide, buy Coin Books & Coin Folders and join the NumisMaster VIP Program
• 2010 U.S. Coin Digest, The Complete Guide to Current Market Values, 8th ed.
• State Quarters Deluxe Folder By Warmans
• Standard Guide to Small-Size U.S. Paper Money, 1928 to Date
