Donald G. Partrick Collection Part I Tops $25.9 Million

Part I of the Donald G. Partrick Collection of Colonial and Early American coins realized $25.93 million at Heritage’s Jan. 8 auction at the Florida United Numismatists (FUN) show in Orlando, FL.

More than 350 NGC-certified coins went under the hammer. Five scored sales exceeding $1 million and another 45 brought more than $100,000, according to Heritage’s auction results.

"There are not enough superlatives to describe how extraordinary this collection is," said Jim Halperin, Co-Founder and Co-Chair of Heritage Auctions. "It is, quite simply, the finest grouping of American colonial coins ever assembled and the numismatic world will never see another like it."

Leading sales was a 1792 Birch Cent, graded NGC MS65 RB, the finest known example. The piece realized $2,585,000, a world record price for a United States cent.

"Partrick Part I was an extraordinary group of coins. Among the many high rarity pieces were 10 unique coins — more than any sold in a single auction — making this the most challenging collection that I have graded in my entire career," says Mark Salzberg, chairman of Numismatic Guaranty Corporation.

A 1792 Eagle-on-Globe Copper Quarter Dollar, graded NGC MS63 BN, "drew applause," noted Heritage, when the auction hammer fell at an impressive $2,325,500.

"This coin was last offered publicly in 1890, so there was obviously excitement from top collectors at the prospect of acquiring it," said Halperin.

Just two examples of this coin are known, with one of them held by the National Numismatic Collection.

Partrick Part I included two highly coveted and very rare silver examples of the 1776 Continental Dollar. The first, one of only two known representatives of the Newman 1-C variety, was graded NGC XF 40 and sold for $1,527,500.

The second-finest example of the Newman 3-B variety also realized $1,527,500, another world record price.

"Heritage was honored to be chosen to sell the Partrick Collection. Because of the diverse rarities, it was a very difficult collection to grade, but NGC hit the mark. Bidder response resulted in record prices at the first Partrick auction on January 8," Halperin said.

Several other highlights from the Donald G. Partrick Collection Part I sale include:

• A 1792 Judd-11 Pattern Copper Disme in NGC MS 64 RB sold for $1,057,500.
• A1792 Silver Disme AU50 NGC, the finest known silver disme of 1792, brought $998,750.
• An 1861 original Confederate Half Dollar PR30 NGC, Ex: CSA President Jefferson Davis, the most famous of just four examples struck by the doomed Confederacy, and the only example that can be traced back to CSA President Jefferson Davis, realized $881,250.
• A 1792 Half Disme AU55 NGC CAC, impressed with the same dies used to strike the silver half dimes, brought $824,850.
• A 1792 Birch Cent, Judd 5, MS61 Brown NGC, the finer of only two pieces known, realized $564,000.

Heritage has other sales of the Donald G. Partrick Collection planned in conjunction with the 2015 and 2016 American Numismatic Association conventions and the 2016 FUN convention.