Stack’s Bowers Galleries (www.stacksbowers.com) will auction the Battle Born Collection, which is only the second complete 111-piece set of Carson City coinage ever assembled.
The only other complete set belonged to Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr., which was sold in three auctions over a 15-year span in 1982, 1996 and 1997.
"This is a truly historic event, not only for Carson City coin collectors, but for all of numismatics," said Chris Napolitano, president of Stack’s Bowers Galleries. "A collection of this magnitude comes around maybe a few times in a generation, and it is our honor and privilege to be the chosen auction house to bring this incredible set of Carson City Mint coinage to the collecting public. Consignors should also take advantage of this amazing opportunity to consign alongside this set that will headline what is surely to be the most talked about and anticipated auction of 2012."
The Battle Born Collection is the only complete Carson City set to be sold during a single auction, making this an exceptional opportunity for rare coin enthusiasts.
The collection will cross the block during the Rarities Night Auction at the Stack’s Bowers Galleries Official Auction of the ANA World’s Fair of Money in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The entire auction will take place August 1-11, 2012. The Battle Born Collection will be revealed in its entirety during a very special public viewing opportunity at the Stack’s Bowers Galleries table at the FUN Convention in Orlando, Florida, January 5-8, 2012.
The spotlight coin of the collection is without a doubt the Unique 1873-CC Liberty Seated No Arrows Dime, graded MS-65 by PCGS and bearing the Eliasberg pedigree. It is the only specimen known to exist, which makes it highly coveted among collectors of Carson City Mint coinage and especially those seeking to complete their own set. This much sought-after dime was purchased in 2004 for $891,250 from a Bowers and Merena auction by Rusty Goe, chief architect of the Battle Born Collection for the last 11 years, who later sold it into the Battle Born Collection, thus completing the set.
The consignor, who chooses to remain anonymous, has been assembling this collection since the early 1990s. The set was named by Goe after the consignor’s home state of Nevada, "the Battle Born State." "Mr. Battle Born" has been working hard to upgrade and complete the entire collection since 2001.
The collection now includes 20 stand-alone finest known, 30 tied for finest known, three stand-alone second-finest known, and 19 tied for second-finest known, adding up to 72 of the 111 coins in the collection in the top two tiers of condition census. Each coin in the collection is certified by PCGS or NGC, and many hold the CAC designation. High profile pedigrees from the set include the aforementioned Eliasberg, Sr., as well as Norweb, James A. Stack, Harry W. Bass, Jr., Fairfield, and others.
Professional coin dealer and author Goe is considered the foremost authority on Nevada’s Carson City Mint. "This is the biggest event in the history of Carson City coin collecting, and Stack’s Bowers Galleries is backed by their own exceptional history in coin auctioneering which clearly made them the best choice to present this collection," said Goe. "I have worked with the consignor on Battle Born for 11 years and when the time came to consider selling I knew that Stack’s Bowers Galleries, their Rarities Night Auction, the ANA World’s Fair of Money expo, and the city of Philadelphia created the perfect combination to generate the most excitement and yield maximum results."
"It also thrills me that many of the rarities will be reunited with Q. David Bowers, who has had the privilege of selling them in many of his great auctions," said Goe.
"This collection will set a new standard of excellence in numismatics, and pays great homage to the famed Carson City Mint," Goe added. "It is not only Carson City collectors who will appreciate this set, but enthusiasts of gold coins, Liberty Seated coins, Morgan silver dollars, and just the overall legacy and lore of their origin."
Additional highlights of the Battle Born Collection include:
1873-CC Liberty Seated Dime. Arrows. MS-65 (PCGS). CAC. Finest Known. Ex: Norweb.
1874-CC Liberty Seated Dime. Arrows. MS-62 (PCGS). Tied for Second Finest Known. Ex: Waldo E. Bolen.
1876-CC Twenty-Cent Piece. MS-64 (PCGS). CAC. One of Just 12 to 20 Examples Known.
1871-CC Liberty Seated Quarter. MS-65 (PCGS). CAC. Tied for Finest Known. Ex: James A. Stack.
1873-CC Liberty Seated Quarter. No Arrows. MS-64 (PCGS). Second Finest of Only Five Examples Known. Ex: Norweb
1873-CC Liberty Seated Quarter. Arrows. MS-64 (PCGS). CAC. Second Finest Known Ex: Eliasberg.
1870-CC Liberty Seated Half Dollar. MS-62 (NGC). Tied for Finest Known. Ex: Reed Hawn; James Bennett Pryor; Osburn.
1876-CC Liberty Half Eagle. MS-66 (PCGS). The Finest Carson City Mint Gold Coin of Any Date or Denomination. Ex: Eliasberg; Bass.
1870-CC Liberty Double Eagle. AU-53 (NGC).The Rarest Carson City Mint Double Eagle. Among the Finest Certified.
1871-CC Liberty Double Eagle. MS-64 (NGC). Finest Known.
Anyone interested in consigning to the Stack’s Bowers Galleries Official Auctions of the ANA World’s Fair of Money and ANA/PNG Pre-Show in August 2012 are encouraged to contact Stack’s Bowers Galleries by calling the West Coast office at 800.458.4646 or the East Coast office at 800.566.2580, or by email at info@stacksbowers.com. More information about Stack’s Bowers Galleries can be found online at www.stacksbowers.com.
About Stack’s Bowers Galleries
Stack’s Bowers Galleries, a division of Fortune 500 Company Spectrum Group International, Inc., was launched in January 2011, combining the extraordinary histories of Stack’s, the oldest rare coin auction and retail company in America, with Bowers and Merena Auctions, one of the world’s pre-eminent auctioneers of rare coins and paper money.
The two companies unite to share a combined legacy that spans more than 100 years, and includes the cataloging and sale of many of the most valuable collections to ever cross an auction block — the John. J. Ford, Jr., and Louis E. Eliasberg collections, the Harry W. Bass, Jr., Collection, and the Norweb Collection, to name just a few. Topping off this amazing numismatic history is the inclusion of the world record for the highest price ever realized at auction for a rare coin, the legendary 1933 St. Gaudens Double Eagle which realized an astounding $7.59 million (sold in partnership with Sotheby’s).
The company is headquartered in Irvine, California, with offices in New York, New Hampshire and Hong Kong. Stack’s Bowers Galleries is the Official Auctioneer for several important numismatic conventions, including the ANA World’s Fair of Money and ANA/PNG Pre-Show, and the Whitman Coin and Collectibles Expos in Baltimore, three times yearly, and Philadelphia.
For more information about Stack’s Bowers Galleries November 2011 Baltimore Auction, call 800.458.4646 or visit www.stacksbowers.com.
Very inpressive set of rare coins,Wil surely bring great amount at aution.you are truly a great company to do business with.