Coins We Love - December 13
This week we are proud to offer the second installation of our Numismatic Masters Auction Series, featuring coins from the collection of D.L. Hansen, the most profilic collector of our time.
This week we are proud to offer the second installation of our Numismatic Masters Auction Series, featuring coins from the collection of D.L. Hansen, the most prolific collector of our time. With many highlights across the spectrum of U.S. coins, it was difficult to choose which items to feature this week,. However, we gave it our best shot and hope that you enjoy viewing them and reading our brief commentaries below.
In other news this week at DLRC, we are performing our year-end inventory over the next few weeks and will then start preparing for the upcoming FUN show in January. We have just completed our final show of 2018 with the PCGS Invitational Show in Las Vegas. While our primary focus was to display the highlights from this week’s auction, we also came back with a nice variety of new items that’ll be showing up on the website before the end of the year, so don’t stop visiting, even as the eggnog starts flowing. For now, we hope that you enjoy a wonderful week ,and we hope to see you on Sunday night in the most exciting auction event to close out the year!
Thanks and Happy Holidays,
John Brush and Your Friends at David Lawrence
Why we love it: From a mintage of just 20 pieces, this key date is completely underrated due to the rarity of its circulation strike cousin of the same date. Less than ten pieces (probably fewer than six) are known and this coin exhibits beautiful Cameo mirrors with the brightest of yellow-gold surfaces. The finest circulation strike example is an AU58, and while everyone considers the 1875 $10 as a rarity, the $5 is actually even a tad scarcer. Overall this CAC approved piece is truly a quality example of an underrated, great coin!
Value: Pre-1900 CAC’d gold is one of the hardest things to locate as the mintage limitations and survival rates are consistently low. This example is freshly stickered and is a true rarity that should be considered for the most exquisite of collections. Available via Make Offer for just $260,000, this is a rare opportunity for the most discriminating of collectors.
Why we love it: An extremely rare Civil War Date Proof Half Eagle of which only three or four pieces are known in public or private hands. The fields are lightly hair-lined but provide deep contrasts making for a lovely cameo effect. That along with pleasant yellow-gold coloring and mostly blemish-free, frosty devices make for impressive eye appeal.
Value: This near-gem cameo proof Half Eagle nearly defines the term “one of a kind” perfectly in itself alone as few others exist. Those extraordinary attributes of rarity and historical numismatic importance make it incomparable to any price guide. This incredible coin is available in the Numismatic Masters II Auction at a fair starting bid of just $110,000, making it an ideal coin for the advanced collector or investor.
Why we love it: A high-end example of this coveted one-year type coin from the first year of issue of Half Cents by the U.S. Mint. These incredibly well-preserved surfaces feature smooth, lighter brown color and a strong strike with limited blemishes. A beautifully designed piece with only 18 other Brown examples graded finer by PCGS, making it ideal for the advanced collector.
Value: This exact coin sold in 2014 in auction for $58,750. It also carries an estimated worth of $72,600 from the CPG Value and $73,000 from the PCGS Price Guide. Even considering all of that, this rare, high-quality first year type coin from the D.L. Hansen Collection is available at a starting bid of just $51,900.
Why we love it: The 1875 Indian Princess $3 is a true rarity in a series that is nearly impossible to collect. No circulation strikes of this date were produced, making it a proof only issue with a microscopic mintage of just 20 coins. This gorgeous near-gem features smooth orange-gold cameo surfaces with a hint of rose that gives this piece lovely eye appeal. An underrated numismatic treasure that belongs in the home of a true collector.
Value: This lovely Indian Princess $3 displays beautifully colored cameo surfaces and incredible rarity including coming from a mintage as minuscule as 20. These qualities along with its prestige in not just the series but across all of numismatics make it incomparable to any price guide. It is available for bidding now starting at an excellent value of just $211,000.
Why we love it: The “L on Ribbon” is a popular key variety from the Indian Cent Series that becomes exceedingly rare with the Red color designation in gem condition. The light pink highlights, darker reverse tones and overall stunning red surfaces add up to a pleasing combination. The surfaces display a crisp strike with satiny luster and no notable blemishes. There are just eight examples graded 66 and none higher at PCGS, making this 65 one of the nicer Red pieces in existence.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide has this coin valued conservatively at $4,750 yet the starting bid for our example still comes in lower at just $4,450. Not only is this an excellent value for this scarce variety in MS65RD, the condition itself is an even better value. It is truly the “sweet spot” grade as you still acquire a coin with gem level pedigree and there are just 66’s in existence at PCGS and none higher in which those would cost you well north of $30,000.
Why we love it: A popular variety of the scarce and desirable 1800 half dime, which displays the draped bust obverse and heraldic (large) eagle reverse. This major variety was caused by a flaw in the R of LIBERTY resulted in the word LIBEKTY. PCGS estimates only 300 to have survived with the error from a mintage of 40,000 in which they have graded just 11 others finer. This richly toned CAC approved example features beautiful coloring, full originality and high-quality surfaces with no notable blemishes.
Value: This exact coin sold a few years back in 2013 in auction for $19,388 in which no other example of this date and grade combination have sold since. It also carries an estimated worth of $20,600 from the CPG Value and $22,500 from the PCGS Price Guide. With that in mind, this scarce early half dime from the D.L. Hansen Collection is available at a starting bid of just $19,500.
Why we love it: A popular, common date S-Mint Morgan Dollar that becomes exciting and scarce in such an unbelievably high grade with proof-like surfaces. These stunning, reflective surfaces are completely blemish-free, lustrous and incredibly flashy. The toning complements the proof-like fields beautifully especially on the reverse with its lovely iridescent coloring around the rim.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide values this finest known proof-like grade of this issue at $14,000. This absolute stunner is available in the Numismatic Masters II Auction at a starting bid of just $11,250. That is a significant discount off the PCGS Price Guide of $2,750 to start!
Why we love it: The 1901-S quarter is by far the most famous and rare issue among all Barber Quarters as it popularizes the series across all of numismatics tremendously. This coin receives great desire and attention from key date collectors and just about any numismatist involved in U.S. Coinage. A true highlight for any collection as this gorgeous gem key date comes in an old green label holder with CAC Approval. These lightly toned, mostly white immaculate surfaces display such stunning luster and eye appeal.
Value: This coin is an old friend of ours at DLRC as we sold this exact piece in 2008 for nearly $83,000! We did not place the coin into the Hansen Collection, but we are proud to have it come home for a short period of time for this auction offering. The PCGS Price Guide values this beautiful gem example of this famous key date at $82,500 with the CPG Value just below at $78,600. Even considering the sort of value a CAC sticker brings to a coin that is worth $40,000 more the next grade up, we are still offering a starting bid of just $78,450.
Why we love it: A stunning, choice AU example of this scarce early Bust Dollar. This piece is pleasing to the eye with its strong strike and beautiful steel gray coloring with some light blue and gold tints. The noticeable lack of any sort of wear, crisp nearly perfect detail and subtle luster not only justifies the CAC approval but also gives it the look and character of an AU58.
Value: This exact coin sold in 2017 for $28,200 and carries an estimated worth of $27,500 from the PCGS Price Guide with a CAC Sticker to justify the premium. Even considering the past sale for the same coin and the CAC approval, we are still offering this incredible piece of the D.L. Hansen Collection at a starting bid of just $24,875.
Why we love it: The 1863 Proof Quarter Eagle is one of the classic rarities of U.S. Numismatics as there were only 30 minted. Formerly of the Norweb collection, this piece is the only example graded as such with eight pieces finer. There are no notable signs of wear with intriguing coloring and surprisingly nice overall eye appeal for the grade.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide values this Civil War Era Quarter Eagle Rarity at $50,000 in PR58. This extremely sizable piece of the D.L. Hansen Collection is available in the Numismatic Masters II Auction at the starting bid of just $48,650. This is quite an opportunity as this famously scarce issue rarely comes available, in which this example is relatively affordable as well.
Why we love it: The majority of the 1929 issues were melted in the 1930’s with the rest of the later Saints making it a highly desired date. The eye appeal is of the highest quality for the grade as it is not only lustrous and the perfect shade of yellow-gold but also so pristine and free of obvious marks that it looks like a MS64.
Value: he PCGS Price Guide has this coin valued at $36,500 in its MS63 grade although it jumps to $50,000 in MS64. Between CAC’s approval sticker and the clear lack of marks and notable blemishes, this coin deserves a justifiable premium. The starting bid is currently set at $40,550 which is fair for a coin of this quality and rarity.
Why we love it: This Civil War Era 3-Cent Silver comes from a low proof mintage of just 470 coins struck with just five plus grades finer at PCGS. A heavily toned ultra-gem displaying gorgeous green, rose, and blue highlights with a touch of gold on these pristine surfaces. The noticeable lack of marks, lovely originality and extreme beauty for the grade strongly justify the CAC approval.
Value: The most recent sale of this issue in MS67 with a CAC sticker brought a hefty amount of $13,513 in a 2017 auction. Without the premium and prestige of the CAC approval, the PCGS Price Guide Value and CPG Value come in at $9,000 and $8,750 respectively. Considering the CAC sticker and beautiful toning, a starting bid of $9,200 brings the buyer an incredible opportunity at a relatively low price.
Why we love it: A popular and rare Carson City Mint Issue Liberty Seated Dime from a mintage of 20,100 coins with a survival estimate of 110 or so. With so few survivors remaining, the 1871-CC is desirable in all grades and nearly impossible to find in AU and higher. Even at just an AU53 there are only seven finer examples graded by PCGS, and this one still offers nice luster, no notable signs of wear and lovely honey-golden toning.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide and CPG Value come in comparably on the 1871-CC Dime in AU53 at $27,500 and $26,300 respectively. This pretty, relatively higher-grade example of this rare Carson City Seated Dime is available in the Numismatic Masters II Auction with a starting bid of just $24,875.
Why we love it: A popular, earlier date Capped Bust Quarter type coin that becomes extremely desirable and quite scarce in mid to high Mint State grades. This near-gem example has stunning eye appeal as its surfaces are well-struck, pristine and full of luster. Not to mention the incredible toning that includes lovely rose and blue rim highlights that cascade into a blazing white center.
Value: The last example of this date and grade combination we sold realized $10,000 in one of our weekly auctions in 2014. Today the PCGS Price Guide values it at $12,000 and the CPG Value comes in right on par at $11,900. Despite those numbers, we have this gorgeously toned example from the D.L. Hansen Collection starting at just $9,475 in the Numismatic Masters II Auction.
Check out all of the available "Coins We Love" from past newsletters
