Coins We Love - November 8
We’ve sufficiently recovered from the Baltimore show, just in time to stare into our vault and realize how many coins we must process ahead of us! It is a bit daunting, but we’re thankful for the opportunity and excited for the next few months where we can get a handle on the activity of the past few weeks.
In addition, I was privileged to attend my very first MLS Playoff game as our partner, Dell Loy Hansen’s, Real Salt Lake Soccer team advanced to the second round of the Major League Soccer playoffs where they have a 2-game series against Sporting KC. While organizing some of his newest acquisitions was the reason for the trip, I was able to sneak out for an evening and enjoy the game. It resulted in a 1-1 tie, leaving the second leg of the match as the tie-breaker on Sunday afternoon. If you’re into soccer, give it a watch on your local television and know that DLRC has a rooting interest. While back in the office now, we’re continuing to process as many coins as we can and will keep working through things to provide a wide variety of new items in the coming weeks. In addition, we’ll be offering a Buffalo Nickel Registry set and some more selections from the Creole Collection in two weeks. So, please keep your eyes tuned to the same bat-channel, and we’ll hope to work with you soon!
Sincerely,
John Brush and Your Friends at DLRC
Why we love it: The $50 Humbert, commonly referred to as the “Gold Slug,” is such a scarce and unique issue desired highly across numismatics. These were a reliable currency used in the period of the California Gold Rush, before the United States could produce enough coinage for everyday use. This piece is an impressive survivor as it possesses frosty, lustrous surfaces with pretty, original coloring making for nice eye appeal.
Value: The CPG Value of this coin is set at $57,500 in AU55 although our example in this week’s auction is reserved a full $9,000 less at just $48,500. That is an excellent value for a choice AU example of this rare and famously popular Territorial Slug.
Why we love it: A nearly perfect gem example of this popular S-Mint Barber Quarter. The eye appeal is of the highest quality imaginable as there are zero detracting marks, flashy luster and captivating obverse toning. This color on this otherwise lustrous, mostly white coin features rose-gold with pretty hues of magenta and violet. From a moderately lower mintage for the series of just under a million, this example is tied with three others as the finest known in existence graded by PCGS.
Value: This CAC approved Barber Quarter defines the term “one of a kind” perfectly as it possesses lovely toning and shares the title of the finest known example graded by PCGS. These qualities make it incomparable to any price guide. This incredible coin is available in this week’s auction reserved at just $11,500, which is a fair price point to add this beautiful ultra-gem to a high-end registry set or collection of any kind.
Why we love it: A stunningly gorgeous Civil War Era Liberty Seated Half Dollar. This CAC approved ultra-gem is boldly struck with pristine satiny, smooth surfaces that feature light iridescent hues and high-quality eye appeal. From a moderately low mintage of just 511,400 coins struck, this example holds the title for the finest known in existence across all grading services, along with a PCGS example that has not been seen on the market.
Value: This exact coin sold in July of 2017 for $32,900! Additionally, with an even higher estimate from the PCGS Price Guide of $35,000, we are still offering this piece in this week’s auction reserved at just $29,950!
Why we love it: A popular and desirable scarce date Morgan from the New Orleans Mint. This CAC approved stunner is beautifully toned, unbelievably lustrous and possesses excessively pristine surfaces for the grade. The toning is rich with a golden center and a pretty rainbow around the rim. One of the popular, low mintages from the year of 1893, the O-mint gets far less recognition than its cousins from San Francisco and Carson City.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide has this coin valued at $8,600 with the plus grade, although our example can be purchased via the Make Offer function for over a thousand dollars less at just $7,500. That is a fantastic value for this popular O-Mint Morgan as it also comes with CAC approval!
Why we love it: A scarce and desirable early Half Dime with the small eagle reverse and 15 stars surrounding Liberty on the obverse. A pretty choice AU example that bolsters lovely originality, rich toning and just faint signs of wear. This Draped Bust Half Dime issue comes from an incredibly small mintage of just 44,527 coins originally struck.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide has this coin valued at $14,000 with the CPG Value coming in much more realistically for an NGC graded piece at $12,200. This early Half Dime offered here can be purchased at a generous discount off both price guides via the Make Offer function for just $10,000!
Why we love it: The 1879-CC Morgan Dollar is a scarce issue that is desired greatly among Carson City Mint enthusiasts, Morgan Dollar Collectors along with all numismatists interested in key dates. This date becomes increasingly more difficult to come by in middle to high mint state grades, making this CAC approved piece that much more intriguing. It displays pristine bright white, lustrous surfaces giving it high-end eye appeal for its near-gem grade.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide has this coin valued at $10,500 in MS64 and at $27,500 in full gem MS65. This pristine near-gem example is available via Make Offer for an extremely reasonably value of $10,750.
Why we love it: A gorgeous CAC approved gem example of this scarce Civil War Era Proof Liberty Seated Half Dollar. This piece offers intriguing eye appeal as its nearly completely blemish-free proof surfaces feature rich golden toning with some deep rose highlights in spots incasing the entire coin. From an extremely low mintage of just 500 coins struck, there are only 12 others graded finer by PCGS.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide has this coin valued at $5,500 although our example can be purchased via Make Offer for a decent $250 discount at just $5,250.
Why we love it: An underrated early Half Eagle Variety, in which a strongly re-punched mintmark is noticeable to the north of the "D" on the reverse. This example is quite attractive with flashy eye appeal and fantastic luster. It is certainly nice for the grade as has much fewer blemishes than would be expected from a MS61 gold piece. From a low mintage of just 80,294 for the entire issue, there are only three other examples graded finer by NGC.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide has this coin valued at $13,000 with the CPG Value set comparably at $13,300. This scarce early Half Eagle Variety is available for purchase via Make Offer for just $10,250, which is a quite substantial approximate $3,000 discount off both price guides!
Why we love it: A scarce and desirable early Draped Bust type coin with the Large Eagle Reverse of the 4 Berries Variety, in which they are counted on the reverse branches. This CAC approved near-gem has uniquely beautiful eye appeal, a strong strike and notable lack of blemishes. A simply gorgeous white early coin with frosty, lustrous surfaces. From a low mintage of just 120,780 coins originally struck.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide has this coin valued at $17,500 in MS64 with the CPG coming in at $18,200. Difficult to locate with the coveted CAC seal of approval, this coin is available in this week’s auction with a reserve of $18,750.
Why we love it: A lovely high-grade, scarcer type coin from the Three Cent Silver Series, this beautifully original superb gem displays immaculate, lustrous surfaces covered in gorgeous gold toning especially on the reverse with a hint of rose and green. From a moderately low mintage of just 343,000 coins struck, this example is tied for the finest graded by PCGS.
Value: The most recent sale of a CAC-approved example of this date and PCGS grade combination sold in May of this year and realized $5,170! Our extremely comparable piece is available in this week’s auction with the reserve set over one thousand dollars less at just $4,100!
Why we love it: The 1842-O Liberty Seated Quarter with Small Date is a rarity in any grade and this coin is one of just a handful we've ever handled in nearly 40 years. A fully original, choice VF example of this key date O-Mint that has a survival estimate of just a few hundred, in which only ten coins are graded at the VF30 level by PCGS.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide has this coin valued at $4,250 with the CPG Value set a bit higher at $4,710. This rare New Orleans Mint Issue Liberty Seated Quarter is available for purchase via Make Offer for just $3,850, which is basically on par with PCGS but nearing a full thousand off CPG’s estimate!
Why we love it: This attractive, choice AU Braided Hair Cent is an example of the scarce Newcomb-2 Variety. It displays fairly lustrous surfaces that are nearly without any signs of wear. This pretty, smooth brown Large Cent features nice eye appeal with its uninterrupted, sharply detailed devices and mostly clear, original fields.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide has this coin valued generously at $1,900. Our example is available for purchase at the much more reasonable and fairer price of just $1,050 via Make Offer. That is an excellent value for this highly desired and scarce Newcomb Variety!
Why we love it: An affordable yet beautiful example of this proof Half Dime type coin. This coin is incredibly unique as it features rich, dark toning covering all the coin with stunning rainbow-colored highlights that are most relevant on the reverse. This Liberty Seated Half Dime Issue comes from an extremely low mintage of just 950 coins originally struck.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide value sits at $450, but we are offering this coin via Make Offer for a fair discount at just $425. That is a decent amount of $25 off the PCGS Price Guide for this affordable rainbow toned example of this proof Seated Half Dime type coin.
Why we love it: A popular type coin for the Capped Bust Quarter Series. This piece is affordable yet still quite attractive with its interesting surfaces that are high-end for the assigned grade shown by its CAC sticker. This example shows fair detail and even wear, which suits the grade so well this coin could possibly pass for a low-end VF.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide value sits at $425, which we find to be accurate for this coin, so it is available via Make Offer for that same $425. That is a fair value as the PCGS Price Guide does not account for the premium that this example holds with its CAC approval.
Why we love it: An absolutely stunning Walker that offers the highest quality luster and color along with CAC approval at an affordable price point. Its eye appeal surpasses all expectations of a MS66 Walker with its speckled toning across the reverse complemented by the vibrant green and magenta around the date and its pristine, lustrous surfaces underneath.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide value has this piece at $475, which we think is a true price, so we are offering it at the same $475 via our Make Offer function. That is a fair value as the PCGS Price Guide does not account for the premium that this coin contains with CAC approval.
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