Coins We Love - June 14
This week’s auction offerings are a little different than normal as we are offering the Mutiny Bay Collection of Shipwreck Coins. The collection features U.S. issues that were recovered from shipwrecks in the last decade as well as several Spanish Colonial pieces from centuries gone by. It’s an offering that’s quite unusual for DLRC, but one that has been a lot of fun to catalog and handle. The research required on such coins is a bit overwhelming, but we’ve done our best and hope that you find something of interest.
Next week, we prepare for the Summer Baltimore Expo. We travel up there next week and will be in our usual spot near the front. If there is anything you’d like us to bring for your viewing pleasure, please be sure to let us know so that we can make sure to pack those particular coins along with our usual show offerings!
Sincerely,
John Brush and Your Friends at DLRC
Why we love it: A popular final year of issue type coin for the Standing Liberty Quarter series. This gorgeous ultra-gem displays lustrous, blemish-free surfaces covered in stunning golden and red-orange toning. Those attributes, combined with its incredible originality, make for near-perfect eye appeal. This example is bested by only one other piece at PCGS (MS68FH).
Value: The PCGS Price Guide has this coin valued at $9,500 with the jump to MS68 at $27,500. This second finest known piece is available in this week’s auction with the reserve set at the reasonable amount of just $8,750. That is a solid $750 discount off the PCGS Price Guide value for this gorgeously toned, lustrous ultra-gem example of this final year Standing Liberty Quarter type coin even with CAC approval!
Why we love it: This rare, limited edition Founders Set comes from the SS Republic Odyssey Marine Exploration, in which only 50 of these were produced for the shareholders that helped finance the shipwreck recovery. All three coins display nice, unique eye appeal with few signs of wear and clear, sharp detail. The Civil War Date Double Eagle features stunning luster.
Value: his limited-edition Founders Set from the SS Republic Odyssey Marine Exploration is number 37 of only 50 made and given out. This is a unique and interesting numismatic story that would fit beautifully into any advanced collection of U.S. Coins. These sets have rarely entered the market over the years, making it nearly impossible to establish a value, but suffice it to say that we think it is reserved at an extremely reasonable $13,000 in this week’s auction.
Why we love it: A scarce and desirable 20 Reales piece from Spain. This coin displays no visible wear, a fantastic strike and incredible originality. Those characteristics along with its lovely toning and subtle remaining luster cause this coin to have gorgeous eye appeal. This Spanish 20 Reales Issue comes from an original mintage of just 4,769 coins struck in which this example is the finest known in existence!
Value: The Huntington Collection was a fascinating collection that was sold intact several years ago by a museum that was raising funds. Unfortunately, the offering was not fully displayed as to what the collection entailed, thus the pieces that occasionally appear from the collection are of a wide variety. This incredibly rare 20 Reales is fascinating as we were not able to find any examples of this particular piece (or type) selling EVER. However, two comparable, less rare types were sold in advance of $10,000, thus our reserve of $8,500 seems like a fantastic deal for the Spanish coinage collector.
Why we love it: A much better date in the Three Dollar Gold series that becomes especially rare when assigned the PL designation like this example. The fields of this coin are flashy, displaying truly proof-like traits. This Three Dollar Gold issue comes from an incredibly low, original mintage of just 801 coins struck.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide reflects a value of $6,950 with the CPG at $7,500 for non-prooflike examples. Prooflike offerings typically command a significant premium, thus this reasonable price of just $7,750 via Make Offer is basically a wholesale price!
Why we love it: An immaculate gem example of this slightly better date in the Indian Eagle Series. This pristine gem is covered in blazing luster and displays no detracting marks. The coin’s incredible yellow-golden coloring, along with those characteristics, make for such beautiful eye appeal that not only is it deserving of its CAC approval but should also receive upgrade consideration.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide has this coin valued at $7,500 in MS65 but $12,000 in MS66. This incredibly high-end, CAC approved example is available for purchase at the reasonable price of just $8,750 via Make Offer! This coin truly has the look and attributes of a MS66 coin in which it is certainly deserving of an upgrade.
Why we love it: A scarce and desirable Carson City Mint Liberty Half Eagle. This CAC approved example displays clear, crisp details, light, even wear, and lovely original coloring. This key Liberty Half Eagle issue comes from an original mintage of just 13,886 coins struck.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide sits at $3,900, but it is available for purchase at just $3,600 via Make Offer! That is a solid $300 discount off the PCGS Price Guide value for this popular key date Half Eagle from the Carson City Mint even with CAC Approval!
Why we love it: A popular New Orleans Mint Morgan Dollar that is difficult to locate with Deep Mirror Proof-Like surfaces. This super flashy gem features pristine, mostly white surfaces with a hint of golden toning. This Morgan Dollar has only one other example in existence graded finer by PCGS with the Deep Mirror Proof-Like Designation!
Value: The PCGS Price Guide reflects a value of $16,500 with the CPG at $16,600. Available in this week’s auction with the reserve set at only $14,500. With the last auction offering of a CAC-stickered piece bringing $17,625, this seems to be a great value and a fantastic opportunity to secure this flashy DMPL gem with only one piece graded finer by PCGS!
Why we love it: The Brother Jonathan Shipwreck provenance has quickly become far more difficult to locate as other shipwrecks have been recovered and entered the market. This piece, a Civil War Era Double Eagle from the San Francisco Mint, is a true historic rarity. The surfaces of this coin offer fantastic eye appeal as they display lovely, unique coloring, strong remaining luster and barely any visible signs of wear.
Value: This is already a scarce and popular Civil War dated gold piece, whose rarity and desirability increases dramatically by being part of this Shipwreck. Coming from the Brother Jonathan find, this Double Eagle commands a strong premium in value also. This true historic numismatic treasure is available in this week’s auction reserved at only $7,000.
Why we love it: A rare and desirable first year of issue Half Dollar. This choice VF example features smooth, sharply detailed surfaces with attractive, original coloring. This flowing hair Half Dollar piece comes from a low, original mintage of just 23,464 coins.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide has this coin valued at $25,000 in VF35 but at $35,000 in XF40. This incredibly high-end, CAC approved example is available for purchase at the fair and reasonable price of just $27,000 via Make Offer! This coin truly has the look and attributes of an XF coin in which it is certainly deserving of an upgrade.
Why we love it: A scarce three-year type coin from Mexico depicting Ferdinand VI on the obverse. This example is completely original in its bright yellow-gold coloring and lightly worn surfaces that feature subtle remaining luster. This Mexican 8 Escudos Issue is tied with just three others as the finest known example in existence.
Value: Few records are comparable to this lovely and scarce 8 Escudo, but with the preservation keeping this piece as tied for finest known, we are confident that it’s reserve of under $9,500 is perfectly in-line with what we view as a decent value for a DLRC offering.
Why we love it: An incredibly scarce and desirable overdate 8 Escudos from Peru. A decent, off center strike with clear, visible devices. The original surfaces and bright yellow-gold color give this early issue quite intriguing eye appeal. This Peruvian 8 Escudos Issue is the finest known example in existence graded by NGC.
Value: Another rare gold example, this piece is reserved for an affordable $6,500 in this week’s auction and is one of the many highlights from this week’s Mutiny Bay Collection.
Why we love it: The key to the Indian Cent set that transcends the series in such a way that all collectors of U.S. coins find this date incredibly desirable. This example, as it is damaged, is a fantastic opportunity to acquire this popular key date for a very affordable price. This famous Indian Cent issue comes from a much lower mintage for the series of just 852,500 coins struck.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide has this famous key date Indian Head Cent valued at $800 in VG08 and at $825 in VG10. As it is slightly damaged and received the grade of VG Details, it is available for purchase at the low price of just $375 via Make Offer!
Why we love it: An affordable yet lovely gem example of this popular proof type coin. The eye appeal of this coin is lovely as it is well-struck and displays pristine surfaces that are without blemish. The mostly light toning with pretty darker streaks adds to the appeal beautifully. This Liberty Nickel comes from an original mintage of just 4,763 coins struck.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide sits at $500 but is available for purchase at the reasonable price of just $400 via Make Offer! That is a $100 discount off the PCGS Price Guide value for this stunning gem example of this lower mintage proof Liberty Nickel type coin!
Why we love it: A registry-quality gem example of this slightly better date full steps Jefferson Nickel. The surfaces of this coin are mostly white with a subtle hue of toning in the fields complemented nicely by its incredibly strong luster. This Jefferson Nickel issue has only nine other examples in existence graded finer by PCGS with the Full Steps Designation.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide has this coin valued at $775. It is available for purchase at the quite low, reasonable price of just $575 via Make Offer! That is a solid $200 discount off the PCGS Price Guide value for this beautiful high-grade gem Full Steps Jefferson Nickel!
Why we love it: A popular and desirable Key Date Barber Quarter from the San Francisco Mint that is famously known as being part of the “Big 3” along with the 1901-S and 1913-S This slightly cleaned example provides a great method for acquiring this scarce date for an affordable price. This Barber Quarter comes from a low, original mintage of just 188,039 coins struck.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide has this popular key date Barber Quarter valued at $2,350 in F12 and at $2,650 in F15. As it is slightly cleaned and received the grade of F Details, it is available for purchase at the low price of just $1,350 via Make Offer!
Until next time, thanks for stopping by and sharing some time with us to browse our Coins We Love.
Check out all of the available "Coins We Love" from past newsletters