Records fell on Tuesday, May 19, when the first of the seven part D. Brent Pogue Collection went under the hammer. Presented jointly by Stack’s Bowers Galleries and Sotheby’s in New York, more than $25 million was realized in the sale of just 128 coins, all of which are PCGS-certified.
Breaking new territory, the finest known 1808 Capped Bust Left Quarter Eagle, graded PCGS MS-65, brought $2.35 million — a new world record for any coin of the quarter eagle denomination ($2.50) and, according to Stack’s Bowers, the most valuable 19th century U.S. gold coin ever sold at auction.
"World-class quality set new world records," said Brian Kendrella, president of Stack’s Bowers Galleries. "While collector interest is high in all coins across the board, we saw tonight that collectors were willing to compete strongly to own the very best condition coins in existence."
A 1796 Draped Bust Quarter, graded PCGS MS-66, easily outpaced its pre-auction estimate of $750,000 to $1,000,000. Realizing $1,527,500, it led the Pogue collection of quarters from 1796 through 1838, the most extensive collection of high grade early quarters ever sold.
The finest known example of the 1827/3/2 Capped Bust Quarter, graded PCGS Proof-66+ CAM, also joined the ranks of the 250 most expensive U.S. coins ever sold, realizing $705,000 for a new record of its issue.
Then there is the exceedingly rare 1797 Draped Bust Half Dollar, graded PCGS MS-66, which also brought $1,527,500 to set a new record for any U.S. half dollar.
Several other half dollars topped the quarter-million dollar mark, including:
- the finest known 1794 half dollar ($705,000),
- a MS-65 (PCGS) 1795 Overton-117 ($411,250),
- the Specimen-63 (PCGS) 1796 Overton-101 ($587,500),
- a MS-62 (PCGS) 1796 Overton-101 ($258,500), and
- the finest known 1796 half dollar ($822,500), a magnificent MS-66 (PCGS) that formerly resided in the collections of Virgil Brand, John Whitney Walter, and others.
Thirteen gold coins sold in the first part of the D. Brent Pogue Collection. All quarter eagles, the rarities realized a combined $6,797,375.
A 1798 Capped Bust Right Quarter Eagle, graded PCGS MS-65, brought more than twice the highest pre-sale estimate, realizing $763,750.
"Every single quarter eagle from the D. Brent Pogue Collection topped its highest pre-sale estimate, making this the most avidly sought portion of the collection," Stack’s Bowers Galleries said in a news release.
Leading the pack were:
- the Garrett specimen of the 1796 No Stars (PCGS MS-62) that sold for $822,500,
- the George Earle 1796 With Stars (PCGS MS-62) that realized $440,625,
- the discovery specimen of the very rare 1804 13 Star Reverse (PCGS AU-53) that brought $499,375 and
- the 1807 (PCGS MS-65) that sold for $587,500.
Last week’s sale kicked off with the D. Brent Pogue collection of half dimes, including the first official coin of the United States — a 1792 half disme. With a face value of just $1.65 when they were minted from 1792 to 1837, this handful of tiny silver pieces topped $3.26 million. The PCGS MS-64 1792 half disme, struck at the personal request of Thomas Jefferson before the U.S. Mint was even built, was the most valuable coin of the denomination, selling at $440,625.
In total, the 128 coins offered in the first part of the collection realized $25,312,731.25. All the complete sets are listed in the PCGS Set Registry© (www.PCGS.com/SetRegistry) and are displayed online in PCGS Digital Coin Albums.
"The PCGS Digital Coin Album is a way for collectors to display and share their coin sets online in a beautiful format resembling a traditional coin album," said BJ Searls, Set Registry & Special Projects Director at Collectors Universe, Inc. "The feature is free and easy to use as part of the PCGS Set Registry."
There are also albums for the complete sets that will be offered as the second part of the collection. The Pogue coin sets now online include:
- Early Half Dimes Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1792-1837)
- Capped Bust Half Dimes Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1829-1837)
- Draped Bust Dimes Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1796-1807)
- Early Quarters Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1796-1838)
- Draped Bust Quarters Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1796-1807)
- Draped Bust Quarters with Major Varieties, Circulation Strikes (1796-1807)
- Capped Bust Quarters Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1815-1838)
- Capped Bust Quarters (Large Size) Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1815-1828)
- Capped Bust Quarters (Reduced Size) Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1831-1838)
- Flowing Hair and Draped Bust Half Dollars Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1794-1807)
- Capped Bust Half Dollars Basic Set without Reeded Edges, Circulation Strikes (1807-1836)
- Draped Bust $2-1/2 Gold Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1796-1807)
- Draped Bust $5 Gold Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1795-1807)
- Early $10 Gold Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1795-1804)
Six more offerings of coins from the D. Brent Pogue Collection will be brought to auction by Stack’s Bowers Galleries and Sotheby’s in 2015, 2016, and 2017. The next Pogue sale will take place at Sotheby’s New York headquarters on September 30. For more information, visit www.stacksbowers.com.
