Bowers and Merena’s Official Auctions of the Baltimore Coin and Currency Convention and the ANA National Money Show Realize Nearly $10.5 Million
IRVINE, Calif. – Bowers and Merena Auctions, America’s leading rare coin and currency auction house, made an outstanding showing in March with two impressive auction successes. Most recently, Bowers and Merena presented its first Official Auction of the Baltimore Coin and Currency Convention for 2009 on March 26-27, continuing their long tenure as official Baltimore auctioneer.
The Baltimore auction realized $8,026,977. The Official Auction of the ANA National Money Show held March 12-13 in Portland, Ore., realized $2,468,258, and is the first of Bowers and Merena’s two official auctions for the American Numismatic Association conventions of 2009.
The big winner overall was Baltimore lot 3909 from the Southerly Collection [image above], an outstanding Choice AU 1870-CC Double Eagle Winter 1-A graded AU-55 by NGC. The single highest-graded example of this famous frontier-era rarity known to PCGS and NGC, it realized $414,000 after a session of spirited bidding.
Also adding to the great success of the Southerly Collection was the sale of lot 3786, a highly elusive 1797 Capped Bust Right Eagle, Small Eagle, BD-1, HBCC-3175, Taraszka-7, Rarity-5, graded MS-61 by NGC, which realized $149,500. Lot 3783, a 1795 Capped Bust Right Eagle, BD-1, HBCC-3169, Taraszka-1, Rarity-3+ 13 Leaves in PCGS MS-62, realized $115,000 for the Southerly Collection.
The Essex Collection of Morgan Dollars offered more than 100 breathtaking Morgans and was also extremely successful, topped off by the sale of lot 3328, an 1892-S Morgan Silver Dollar graded MS-66 in a PCGS Old Green Holder that realized an exceptional $201,250. It was followed by lot 3336, an 1893-S Morgan Silver Dollar in PCGS MS-63 that realized $143,750, and lot 3354, an 1895-O Morgan Silver Dollar graded MS-65 by PCGS and realizing $126,500.
"The Southerly and Essex collections were tremendously popular and highly anticipated among collectors who were able to view highlights at shows across the country," said Steve Deeds, president of Bowers and Merena. "They were excellent focal points for our first 2009 official Baltimore auction."
Bowers and Merena’s Portland ANA auction also had several standout highlight lots, most notably lot 1455, the Pittman Specimen of the Proof 1854 Type II Gold Dollar graded Proof-64 Deep Cameo by PCGS, one of only two examples available for private ownership, which realized $218,500.
Lot 1458, a first-rate condition rarity 1855 Type II Gold Dollar graded PCGS MS-67, realized $86,250. Lot 1813, an extraordinary gem 1892 Double Eagle graded MS-66 by NGC and bearing the CAC designation realized $60,950.
"It is a great honor and responsibility to be the official auctioneer for these two important conventions, and we are very pleased with the interest and participation of attendees," Deeds said. "Even with current economic conditions, I am happy to say there are still very interested and active coin and currency buyers out there."
Baltimore auction highlights include:
Lot 107 1793 Chain Cent. S-4. Rarity-3+. AMERICA. Periods. EF-45 BN (NGC). $50,600
Lot 173 1864 Indian Cent. L on Ribbon. Snow PR-1. Proof-66 BN (NGC). $97,750
Lot 726 1874-CC Seated Liberty Dime. Arrows. EF-45 (PCGS). $41,400
Lot 963 1796 Draped Bust Half Dollar. O-101. Rarity-5. 15 Stars. F-15 (PCGS). $54,050
Lot 3001 1795 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar. BB-24, B-13. Rarity-4. Two Leaves. MS-62 (PCGS). $77,625
Lot 3217 1884-S Morgan Silver Dollar. MS-64 (PCGS). $83,375
Lot 3268 1887-O Morgan Silver Dollar. MS-66 DMPL (PCGS). $51,750
Lot 3283 1889-CC Morgan Silver Dollar. MS-64 (PCGS). $71,875
Lot 3328 1892-S Morgan Silver Dollar. MS-66 (PCGS). OGH. $201,250
Lot 3336 1893-S Morgan Silver Dollar. MS-63 (PCGS). $143,750
Lot 3348 1894-O Morgan Silver Dollar. MS-65 (PCGS). $51,750
Lot 3353 1895 Morgan Silver Dollar. Proof-65 Cameo (NGC). $55,200
Lot 3354 1895-O Morgan Silver Dollar. MS-65 (PCGS). $126,500
Lot 3690 1887 Three-Dollar Gold Piece. MS-67 (NGC). $39,100
Lot 3707 1821 Capped Head Left Half Eagle. BD-1, HBCC-3143, Miller-144. Rarity-6+. AU-55 (NGC). CAC. $97,750
Lot 3783 1795 Capped Bust Right Eagle. BD-1, HBCC-3169, Taraszka-1. Rarity-3+. 13 Leaves. MS-62 (PCGS). $115,000
Lot 3785 1796 Capped Bust Right Eagle. BD-1, HBCC-3174, Taraszka-6, the only known dies. Rarity-4. MS-61 (NGC). $97,750
Lot 3786 1797 Capped Bust Right Eagle. Small Eagle. BD-1, HBCC-3175, Taraszka-7. Rarity-5. MS-61 (NGC). $149,500
Lot 3897 1861-S Liberty Double Eagle. A.C. Paquet Reverse. AU-50 (NGC). $64,400
Lot 3909 1870-CC Liberty Double Eagle. Winter 1-A. AU-55 (NGC). $414,000
Lot 3911 1871-CC Liberty Double Eagle. Winter 1-A, the only known dies. MS-60 (NGC). $77,625
Lot 3939 1876-S Liberty Double Eagle. MS-65 (NGC). $60,375
Lot 3978 1892-S Liberty Double Eagle. MS-66 (NGC). $46,000
Lot 3979 1893 Liberty Double Eagle. MS-67 (NGC). $69,000
Lot 4013 MCMVII (1907) Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle. High Relief. Wire Rim. Proof-67 * (NGC). $103,500
Portland auction highlights include:
Lot 122 1793 Chain Cent. S-3. Rarity-3-. AMERICA. No Periods. F-12 (PCGS). OGH. $14,950
Lot 131 1856 Flying Eagle Cent. Snow-4. Rarity-7. Proof-64 (PCGS). $16,675
Lot 458 1926-S Buffalo Nickel. MS-64 (PCGS). $14,950
Lot 459 1926-S Buffalo Nickel. MS-63 (PCGS). CAC. $25,300
Lot 1426 1860 Clark, Gruber & Co. $10 Gold. K-3. Rarity-5. AU-53 (PCGS). $20,700
Lot 1427 Lot of (3) California Gold Rush Mementos from or Related to the S.S. Central America. $37,950
Lot 1455 1854 Gold Dollar. Type II. Proof-64 Deep Cameo (PCGS). $218,500
Lot 1458 1855 Gold Dollar. Type II. MS-67 (PCGS). $86,250
Lot 1471 1842-D Liberty Quarter Eagle. Winter 3-F, the only known dies. AU-58 (PCGS). CAC. $23,000
Lot 1503 1908 Indian Quarter Eagle. Proof-66 (NGC). $20,700
Lot 1599 1878 Three-Dollar Gold Piece. MS-66 (NGC). $18,975
Lot 1626 1807 Capped Bust Left Half Eagle. BD-8, HBCC-3109, Miller-101. Rarity-2. MS-62 (NGC). $12,650
Lot 1688 1908 Indian Half Eagle. MS-65 (PCGS). CAC. $14,663
Lot 1726 1858 Liberty Eagle. MS-60 (NGC). $20,125
Lot 1775 1865 Liberty Double Eagle. Misplaced Date. MS-63 * (NGC). $15,238
Lot 1782 1873-CC Liberty Double Eagle. Winter 1-A, the only known dies. AU-55 (PCGS). $13,542
Lot 1813 1892 Liberty Double Eagle. MS-66 (NGC). CAC. $60,950
Lot 1839 MCMVII (1907) Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle. High Relief. Wire Rim. MS-63 (NGC). $21,850
Lot 1873 1926-D Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle. MS-61 (NGC). $18,975
Prices realized for all lots in the Bowers and Merena Official Auctions of the Baltimore Coin and Currency Convention and the ANA National Money Show are available online at www.bowersandmerena.com. Bowers and Merena’s next auction is the summer Official Auction of the Baltimore Coin and Currency Convention, June 9-13. Bowers and Merena’s Official Auction of the ANA World’s Fair of Money in Los Angeles will take place August 3-9.
Ponterio & Associates will present the Official Auction of the Chicago International Coin Fair, April 24-25. Complete lot viewing and auction schedules are available at www.bowersandmerena.com and catalogs will be available in print and online approximately three to four weeks prior to each auction.
Bowers and Merena Auctions
Bowers and Merena Auctions was founded in 1983 and has grown to become the world’s preeminent numismatic auctioneer with more than half a billion dollars in rare coin and currency sales. They have been awarded the prestigious honor of Official Auctioneer for the 2009 American Numismatic Association Conventions in Portland and Los Angeles, in addition to their continued service as Official Auctioneer of the Baltimore Coin and Currency Conventions three times every year.
Bowers and Merena has handled four of the five most valuable United States coin collections ever sold, including the Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. Collection, the Harry W. Bass Jr. Collection, the Garrett Collection for The Johns Hopkins University, and the Norweb Collection. Bowers and Merena Rare Coin Galleries offers direct buying and selling of exceptional quality gold and silver rare coins.
For more information about Bowers and Merena’s Official Auctions of the Baltimore Coin and Currency Convention and the Official Auction of the ANA National Money Show in March, call 800.458.4646. For media inquiries, ask for President Steve Deeds. Complete prices realized for all past auctions are available at www.bowersandmerena.com.
# # #
