Coins We Love: Return of the Staff!
This week has brought along a return of some normalcy to our offices as we’ve been allowed to run with a full-staff once again. While masks are the new wardrobe requirement, we’ve been thankful to get back into action! We returned from the 3-day weekend on Tuesday to another record-breaking day of orders to ship. This has been a fantastic trend that we are thankful for and we appreciate all of you that have been jumping on our website and participating in our weekly auctions. And though we don’t know what our next Monday will bring, we're certainly hoping for more of the same! While Fedex and USPS continue to experience delays in some areas, we’ll be a bit quicker to get things out of our offices and into the commercial flow of shipments in the coming weeks.
What else is going on? Not a whole lot! We brought in pizza one day for lunch last week but instead of sharing, everyone got their own small pie. That was an interesting experience and not a social one as it has been in the past, but we’re doing our best to adapt and remain safe.
As for this week’s offerings, there are a wide variety of coins from small, odd denominations (my kids asked why we had a 3-cent coin the other day) to the popular double eagle Saint-Gaudens issue to one of my recent favorites, a football-shaped gold and silver coin. While we have to sit back and wait at least another 100 days for empty stadiums to host games, this is a neat opportunity to add something to your collection that would stand out as being completely different. Plus, if you’re shopping for a Father’s Day gift for someone, it’s a great conversation starter! All of this being said, I’ll stop rambling and wish you all a wonderful rest of your week and hope that we get the opportunity to work with you at some point in the near future!
My last plea: We STILL need coins. While we’re getting record numbers of packages sent our way, we’re staying on top of them and can offer a 24 hour turnaround in most cases. Please take advantage of our special consignment rates and our desperate need for quality items and give DLRC Auctions a shot!
Numismatically Yours,
John Brush
Why we love it: This double eagle is a fantastic fit for a type set as it is one of the most common dates in the series, though most pieces are rarely found quite this nice. With only seven graded finer for the date, this beauty has clean, satiny fields and fantastic eye appeal. Well struck with no distracting marks, this coin is undoubtedly deserving of the high grade.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide suggests $13,500, and the CPG is at $12,700. We’re starting the auction at just $10,500, leaving plenty of room for bidding. Ending this Sunday, this lot is not to be missed for type collectors.
Why we love it: A nicely original piece and great option for a type set, this beauty has plenty of luster beneath the gold, russet, and faint green tones. Nicely struck with no distracting marks, this coin is approved by CAC certifying its high-end quality for the grade.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide is at $16,500, and the CPG suggests $18,200. We’ll do better than either and offer this one for $14,250 via Make Offer. Only three examples in this grade have come up for auction in the past twenty years, so don’t miss out on this one while it’s available!
Why we love it: The last gold dollar produced at the Charlotte Mint, only 125-250 pieces are believed to survive today, most in XF grades and lower. This lovely high-end AU beauty is near the top of the survivors with plenty of luster and barely noticeable rub. All surviving examples show weakness at some point in the strike, in this case primarily on the reverse.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide and CPG both suggest $6,250. We’re starting the auction at just $5,250, ending this Sunday. The last piece to sell at auction realized $5,520 in March of 2018, meaning you have the chance to get a great deal on this one.
Why we love it: Struck in Paris for use in the West Indies, this 1700s piece is in stunning condition. With glossy red-brown surfaces and hints of remaining luster, this is a well-struck example with only three finer across all color designations. This is a fascinating piece of French colonial history, sure to delight the specialist.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide puts this coin at $4,400. This exact example last sold in August of 2013 for $4,406, but we’re willing to let it go for just $3,200 via Make Offer, far below even the most recent auction result of $3,760 from 2017.
Why we love it: The plate coin on PCGS CoinFacts, this blazing white beauty is tied for the finest known at both major grading services. With deep, watery mirrors, thickly frosted devices, and flawless surfaces, this piece is perfect for a top-notch registry set.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide puts this coin at $7,000. We’re starting the auction much lower at just $4,250, ending this Sunday. Recently graded in a slab with NFC technology, you have the opportunity to own this fresh-to-market gem at a fantastic deal.
Why we love it: A key date in the proof three cent nickel series, this gem comes from a mintage of only 500 pieces. Flashy fields contrast sharply against well-struck, frosty devices, with just the faintest hint of toning around the obverse rim. A gorgeous addition to any proof set, this one is definitely worth a look!
Value: The PCGS Price Guide suggests $4,000, and the CPG is at $3,750. We’re starting the auction at only $3,100, ending this Sunday. We last sold an example of this grade back in 2014 which realized $4,700, well above the current starting price.
Why we love it: With a population of two and only three finer, this gem shines with electric blue, rose, and gold cascading across the obverse. Factor in the bright luster and incredibly sharp strike, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better example of this key date Barber quarter.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide suggests $12,500, and the CPG is at $9,380. We’re offering this one up for just $8,750 via Make Offer. Previously part of the esteemed Pogue Collection, this gem is sure to be a highlight of your Barber collection.
Why we love it: Only four original 1861 Confederate half dollars are known, making the restrikes the only collectible examples. From a mintage of around 500 struck near 1879, this piece is well-struck with plenty of remaining luster and barely noticeable rub. Perfect for Confederate coinage collectors!
Value: The PCGS Price Guide puts this piece at $10,000. We’re offering it for just $7,250 via Make Offer. This is a fascinating piece of US history from a very popular time period offered well below book value – it won’t last long!
Why we love it: With satiny surfaces that show faint hints of golden toning near the rims, this piece is a scarce issue from the ever-popular Carson City Mint. Well struck with clear fields, this is a phenomenal example of a short-lived denomination in American history.
Value: The NGC Price Guide and PCGS Price Guides both suggest $4,750, and the CPG is at $4,250. We’re making this one available for just $3,500 via Make Offer. The last NGC-graded example to sell at auction realized $4,080 in September 2019, making this a fantastic deal for such a scarce coin.
Why we love it: A great type coin, this example has a lovely blend of chocolate colors and the faintest hints of green. With no noteworthy marks or blemishes, this would make an excellent addition to a type set as a common date in great condition.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide suggests $4,150, and the CPG recommends $2,620. We feel the CPG is a little low, but we’ll let this lovely half cent go for just $3,100 via Make Offer. CAC approved and strong for the grade, this is a perfect type coin.
Why we love it: A key date for the series and additionally popular because of its mega-rare silver dollar cousin, this 1804 quarter is a strong, sound example for the grade. With no distracting marks or unattractive toning, this example is evenly worn with pleasing gun-metal gray surfaces and boldly outlined devices.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide puts this piece at $5,500, and the CPG suggests $5,940. We’re starting the auction at just $5,000, ending this Sunday. We last sold an example of this grade in 2014 for $6,900. Bid soon, and you have the chance to get a phenomenal deal on this early key date.
Why we love it: Almost a gem, this beauty is dripping in eye appeal. We think it looks red-brown with significant luster still visible in protected areas, and the rest a light brown. With satiny surfaces and a sharp strike, this piece is enchanting to see in hand and is truly top-notch for the grade.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide puts this piece at $2,850. We’re making it available for just $2,750 via Make Offer, a fantastic deal for this high-quality piece. With no auction records for the grade, this one is sure to get some attention.
Why we love it: A key date for the series, no examples of the 1861-S are known in MS grades. This XF piece is a solid example for the date with pleasing color and even, attractive wear. Struck during the Civil War, these are difficult to find problem-free because they had to travel so far from San Francisco to collectors in the east.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide suggests $4,500, and the CPG recommends $4,690. We’re willing to let this one go for just $3,750 via Make Offer. We’ve only been able to offer a few problem-free examples of this date over the years, so don’t let this one slip by!
Why we love it: A scarce date that’s rarely found in full red, this coin has luster to spare across golden surfaces. Still in an OGH Rattler holder, the piece has plenty of character with a faint splash of purple toning on the reverse. Perfect for a high-grade wheat set, we’re positive someone will snap this up quick.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide suggests $475, and the CPG is at $474. We’re starting the auction at $425, ending this Sunday. This example hasn’t been up for auction since 2013, so don’t let it slip away while you have the chance!
Why we love it: A great budget type coin for a bust half, this lustrous piece is bright white and ready to find a new home. The tooling isn’t obvious at a glance, meaning this inexpensive piece will blend in nicely with a set without breaking the bank.
Value: The PCGS Price Guide puts straight-graded AU examples from $350 to $1,000, but we’re making this one available for just $200 via Make Offer. You simply won’t find a straight-graded example with this much eye appeal for anywhere near that price.
Why we love it: This is a perfect example of the 2002 $10 gold eagle. A quarter ounce of gold with the classic St. Gaudens design, this flawless beauty is sure to fit in with any collection. Valuable as bullion with a numismatic premium for the strike and condition, it quite literally doesn’t get better than this.
Value: The NGC Price Guide puts this piece at $990, the PCGS Price Guide suggests a whopping $1,700, with the CPG coming in at $910. This one could be yours today for just $650 via Make Offer, well below the book value and only about one and a half times the melt value.
Why we love it: While the US Mint issue of the Baseball Hall of Fame commems were ground breaking in design and shape, these football-shaped pieces from the Canadian mint are fascinating as well! Struck as proofs containing 1 oz of silver and 1 oz of gold, these bullion-related items are fascinating collectibles. Add in the actual autograph of legendary Washington Redskin Joe Theismann, and you have a perfect collectible for a sports fan.
Value: The gold coins are available via Make Offer for $2,100 with the silver pieces coming in at $75. While gold coins are selling at exorbitant premiums due to the high demand of physical gold, why not add a collectible autograph and a fascinating numismatic item to your collection or as a gift for the upcoming Father’s Day holiday?
Check out all of the available "Coins We Love" from past newsletters