GreatCollections is honored to announce the auction of the late Stewart Blay’s collections of Indian Cents, Flying Eagle Cents and Barber Dimes — each being the finest ever formed. The coins will be sold in two November auctions — bidding will end on Sunday, November 12th and 19th.
Indian Cents, Flying Eagle Cents and Barber Dimes. Each collection is the finest ever formed;
a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
Stewart Blay, a legendary numismatist and sculptor based in New York assembled the award-winning collections over the past 50 years. Earlier this year, GreatCollections auctioned the Blay Lincoln Cent collection for over $7.7 million, setting many world records.
"I am deeply appreciative to be entrusted with these coins by Stewart’s estate, and we expect spirited bidding. Since our auctions in January of Blay’s Lincoln Cents, many collectors and dealers have been asking about the Indian Cents, Flying Eagle Cents and Barber Dimes, for which Stewart was also known. So many coins are considered the finest known, it is difficult to mention any single highlight," said Ian Russell, president and cofounder of GreatCollections.
When pressed to mention a coin in each series, Russell answered "For Flying Eagle Cents, the 1856 is out of this world — graded PCGS MS-66 CAC.
And in Indian Cents, despite the number of single finest coins present, the 1877 stands out — nicknamed the Golden Princess — a freak of nature, graded PCGS MS-66+ RD CAC.
"One of my favorite coins in the whole Blay Collection is the 1893-O Barber Dime, graded PCGS MS-68 PL CAC. I remember Stewart visiting the GreatCollections office during Covid-19 and showing me this coin specifically. It was minted for a special purpose in New Orleans."
All of the coins have been graded by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and the vast majority have been approved by CAC. The sets are currently ranked #1 on MyCollect’s and PCGS’s set registry programs.
Highlights from the Stewart Blay Collection of Flying Eagle Cents
- 1856 Flying Eagle Cent PCGS MS-66 CAC
- 1857 Flying Eagle Cent PCGS MS-66+ CAC
- 1858/7 Flying Eagle Cent PCGS MS-65 CAC
Highlights from the Stewart Blay Collection of Indian Cents
- 1860 Indian Cent Pointed Bust PCGS MS-67+ CAC
- 1864 Indian Cent PCGS MS-67+ RD CAC
- 1864 Indian Cent L on Ribbon PCGS MS-66+ RD CAC
- 1865 Indian Cent Plain 5 PCGS MS-66+ RD CAC
- 1866 Indian Cent PCGS MS-66 RD CAC
- 1868 Indian Cent PCGS MS-66+ RD CAC
- 1869/69 Indian Cent PCGS MS-66+ RD CAC
- 1873 Indian Cent Closed 3 PCGS MS-66 RD CAC
- 1873 Indian Cent Doubled Liberty PCGS MS-64 RD CAC
- 1876 Indian Cent PCGS MS-67 RD CAC
- 1877 Indian Cent PCGS MS-66+ RD CAC
- 1878 Indian Cent PCGS MS-67 RD CAC
- 1882 Indian Cent PCGS MS-67+ RD CAC
- 1883 Indian Cent PCGS MS-67 RD CAC
- 1884 Indian Cent PCGS MS-67 RD CAC
- 1885 Indian Cent PCGS MS-67 RD CAC
- 1886 Indian Cent Variety 1 PCGS MS-66+ RD CAC
- 1887 Indian Cent PCGS MS-67 RD CAC
- 1892 Indian Cent PCGS MS-67 RD CAC
- 1895 Indian Cent PCGS MS-67+ RD CAC
- 1897 Indian Cent PCGS MS-67+ RD CAC
Highlights from the Stewart Blay Collection of Barber Dimes
- 1892 Barber Dime PCGS MS-68 CAC
- 1893-O Barber Dime PCGS MS-68 PL CAC
- 1893-S Barber Dime PCGS MS-67 CAC
- 1894-O Barber Dime PCGS MS-67+ CAC
- 1895-O Barber Dime PCGS MS-67
- 1898-O Barber Dime PCGS MS-66+ CAC
- 1905-O Barber Dime Micro O PCGS MS-66+ CAC
- 1911 Barber Dime PCGS MS-68 CAC
Duplicates from the Stewart Blay Collection will also be auctioned by GreatCollections in November. For more information, please contact GreatCollections at 1-800-442-6467 or visit www.greatcollections.com.
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 2022 exceeding $270 million. Ian Russell, owner/president of GreatCollections, is a member of the prestigious Professional Numismatists Guild, member of the National Auctioneers Association and was recently named the ANA Harry J. Forman Dealer of the Year. For more information about GreatCollections, visit www.greatcollections.com or call 800-442-6467.
Another one of those rarified air collections that we have the distinct privilege of looking at but most certainly never touching. So shall it be written, so shall it be done.
Confederate cent and half dollar. At least I’ve SEEN a confederate half dollar.
I’ve seen neither, so you’re definitely ahead of the game, Antonio.
Sometimes they’re at a coin show. To LOOK at, not touch.
How did someone manage to get an 1856 Flying Eagle cent and in MS66 condition? Some privileged people.
Well, the gentleman who owned all these coins may have been (financially) well-off but he clearly also had a very powerful sense of what he wanted to accomplish.
A complete set of small cents in mint state condition. I’ve tried, the 1856 and some Indian Cent dates have eluded me. Ok, I’m missing a few pre-1930 Lincoln cents as well. Alright, and some recent dates from Philadelphia. I live west and so they’re not as common out here.
FYI, The 1856 Flying Eagle cents are not a legal tender coins – they are coinage patterns. Congress did not approve the minting of legal tender Flying Eagle cents till the next year of 1857. These coinage patterns were shown to some members of Congress to gain acceptance of the design & were given to some VIPs & sold under the table by Mint employees to well-connected collectors at the time. PCGS knows better, that these are patterns cataloged by Mr. Judd in his ground-breaking book that assigns catalog numbers to such pieces by Judd numbers (example: J-000 or Judd-000).… Read more »
Kind of like the 1974 and 1975 aluminum cents. I wouldn’t mind having one. 🙂
Yes, I only have 1857 and 1858 Flying Eagle CENTS. In well worn condition. When you collect, you try to collect everything. No half cents, two cents, nickel three cents, nickels prior to the Buffalo and no twenty cents, though I’ve seen one. I have a complete set from 1840. I thought it would be fun to try to have one. Reason it’s 1840, that was the first year of the circulating silver dollar.
I also have a Hawaiian dime and quarter. Still trying to get the half dollar and dollar.
The flying eagle looks prooflike to me,
I thought the same. If it’s uncirculated, a proof must look spectacular.
definitely
I have a 1906 Indian Head wheat penny that has an arrow head with the coin is it worth anything
Hi Pam, Try searching online “1906 Indian Head Cent plus arrowhead” or “1906 Indian Head Penny plus arrowhead”, or even just search for the coin without the arrowhead. If they are in some kind of a display together, try to add the company that put them together to your search. If you don’t find any matches for yours try again in a few months or a year or two later. Looks like you won’t be able to retire off of either, but you have to determine what the condition of your Indian Head Cent is before you can determine its… Read more »