The first of a four-part collection of rarities from numismatic legend Eugene H. Gardner crosses the auction block in a Heritage sale held June 23, 2014 at The Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion in New York.
Part I of the The Eugene H. Gardner Collection offers more than 600 lots of mostly federally issued coins that are largely from 18th and 19th centuries. There is a choice selection from early 20th century type coins. All coins are minted in silver, copper or nickel.
"This collection is, without a doubt, one of the finest groupings ever assembled," said Heritage Auctions president Greg Rohan. "It’s the result of decades of study and determination to constantly improve the collection."
Heritage describes the Eugene H. Gardner Collection as the "culmination of a keen intellect and a passion for numismatics that began in 1954 when as a college student he initiated his first collection, which was sold in 1965."
Gardner’s acquisitions were deeply rooted in "aesthetics, connoisseurship, and history," notes Heritage. Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr., John Jay Pittman, and Eric P. Newman are just three of the names that appear in the provenances of the coins.
"Gene Gardner is more than a coin collector," said Mark Borckardt, Senior Numismatist at Heritage. "He’s a numismatist with an appreciation for the historic side of the hobby, but he’s also a connoisseur who appreciates the beauty of the finest available specimens, which his collection clearly illustrates."
Among a few of the major rarities from the June 23 sale:
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1827/3/2 Capped Bust quarter PR 64 PCGS – One of just nine known.
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1823/2 Capped Bust quarter PR64 PCGS, Ex: Newcomer-Hawn – A coin that is unique in Proof format.
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1876-CC Twenty Cent Piece, MS64 PCGS, Ex: Eliasberg Collection – An example of a truly fabled numismatic rarity that has already drawn a good bit of collector buzz.
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1871-CC Seated Quarter, MS65 PCGS, Ex: James A. Stack-Battle Born Collections – The sole finest example and the first mint state example that Heritage has offered in 15 years. It is one of just three mint state survivors.
Additional highlights from the first auction include:
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1796 JR-1 Dime, MS67 PCGS – The sole finest certified of the variety, former Jimmy Hayes-John Whitney Walter coin.
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1859 Transitional Half Dime, Judd-232, PR65 PCGS, Ex: Eliasberg – The finest of only five at known PCGS.
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1797 Half Dollar original MS63 PCGS – From the James Swan U.S. Type Collection, a coin elusive in all grades and a mint state example of key design type.
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1802 Half Dime AU50 PCGS – A signal rarity in American numismatics with possibly only two known finer.
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1839 No Drapery Seated Half Dollar, PR64 PCGS – An extremely rare coin and one of only five Proofs known and the second finest of those.
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1850 Quarter, PR68 NGC, Ex: Pittman-Kaufman – The single finest certified of only three proofs confirmed.
Heritage Auctions (HA.com) is the largest auction house founded in the U.S. and the world’s third largest. Heritage has annual sales of more than $900 million, and more than 850,000 online bidder members.
