The famed Walton 1913 Liberty Head Nickel has been acquired by GreatCollections for $4.2 million. It is the second of only five known examples of the ultra-rare 1913 Liberty Head Nickel purchased by GreatCollections within 12 months.
The Walton 1913 Nickel has one of the greatest stories to ever be told in U.S. numismatics. After being recovered from a deadly automobile accident in 1962, it was stored in an heir’s closet for decades before being uncovered to national fanfare in 2003. It was auctioned ten years later in 2013 for $3,172,500. The sellers, the Firman family, acquired the coin in 2018.
The coin was authenticated and graded PCGS Proof-63 by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) in 2013.
On behalf of the sellers, Ron Firman said, "Our family thoroughly enjoyed owning the Walton 1913 Nickel for the past four years and it was very fulfilling for us to have it on display at the American Numismatic Association Money Museum for all to enjoy during this entire period. The transaction with Ian and GreatCollections could not have gone any smoother. Ian was highly professional, worked quickly and took care of everything. We are looking forward to our next quest in museum-quality rarities for display."
With only five coins known and two of those in permanent museum collections, GreatCollections acquired the Eliasberg example of the 1913 Nickel last year in an historic $13.35 million three-coin Thanksgiving day transaction with the Dexter 1804 Silver Dollar and 1894-S Proof Dime.
"The 1913 Nickel is one of the few coins that transcends into the non-numismatic world and to handle two of these in a short period of time has been a thrill. The coin market continues to gain strength, especially in rarities and ultra-rarities. We continue to maintain wantlists for the most serious collectors in U.S. coins today," said Ian Russell, president of GreatCollections.
Over the years, some of the biggest names in numismatics have owned a 1913 Nickel, including King Farouk of Egypt, Louis Eliasberg, Col. EHR Green, Eric Newman, Dr. Jerry Buss, Bruce Morelan and Gerald Forsythe.
"It is difficult to comprehend that all three 1913 Nickels in private hands have found new homes in the past 12 months, and I do not believe any of the three will be on the market again in the near future. It could be decades before we see one again," continued Russell.
About GreatCollections
GreatCollections, the official auction house of the American Numismatic Association, specializes in auctioning certified coins and banknotes, handling transactions from start to finish. Since its founding in 2010, GreatCollections has successfully auctioned over 1 million certified coins, making it one of the leading certified coin companies in the United States with annual sales in 2021 exceeding $235 million. Ian Russell, owner/president of GreatCollections, is a member of the prestigious Professional Numismatists Guild and member of the National Auctioneers Association. For more information about GreatCollections, visit www.greatcollections.com or call 800-442-6467.
I can honestly say that rather than experience any sort of envy at the thought of actually owning any one exemplar of this almost inconceivably stratospheric level of coins I on the contrary manage to experience nothing less than extreme numismatic pleasure courtesy of acquiring awareness of their very existence and being able to both see their image and be enlightened regarding their origin and provenance.
P.S. I think another way of describing that seemingly “Zen-like” outlook would be realism.
Reminds me of
On another note, I still don’t regard these nickels as being a regular issue but one which was produced for a wealthy benefactor. These and some Trade dollars.
Speaking of wealthy, Antonio, I’m ready to contribute yet another variation of that good old Crocodile Dundee trope “That’s not a knife. This is a knife.”
This one happens to be, “Those aren’t the Waltons. These are the Waltons.”
Sometimes it is useful to add just a little bit of useful and applicable context…
Oh, those Waltons!
I’m not sure, Antonio, whether the Arkansas Waltons have more chutzpah or gall or simply exhibit a patently unparalleled combination of the two, but being the richest family upon this entire planet while fully 85% of the Walmart workforce is on either Medicaid or Food Stamps (or both) is unquestionably a singular demonstration of complete imperviousness to and/or acquaintance with the phenomenon of sympathy.
And simply for the purpose of bringing things back around to the very beginning of this discussion and the amalgam of observations it has consisted of, it appears that it would cost the Walmart Waltons all of approximately one hour’s worth of the family’s income to pay for that ultra-rare 1913 Nickel.
A family makes $4.2M in an hour? How do I get that kind of job?
Well, Antonio, sad to say, considering there are so very few people in that particular family out of the eight billion souls on earth, I would feel myself compelled to say the attendant odds of scoring anywhere near a similar income position aren’t all that much inclined in your favor. Rendered in the very plainest of English, your chances of almost boundless wealth work out to be quite a long way below slim and a good bit less than none.
Yes but rich people’s coffins are much fancier than poor people’s.
I myself have wondered, why have an expensive, fancy coffin when I’ll be buried 6′ underground? No mausoleum for me, thank you.
Seriously, A CAC sticker on the Eliasberg nickel. What, is someone going to haggle about it’s PCGS grade with Ian when purchasing it for $5MM in a few years?
It is a PR66 after all.
Good to see your avatar again. I was worried there. Not that there was anything to worry about mind you.
Happens to the best of us.