21 Including A $3.96 Million Coin That Crossed Over To PCGS
(February 19, 2020) – Professional Coin Grading Service (www.PCGS.com) closed the books on 2019 by proudly announcing that 20 of the 25 most-expensive United States coins sold at public auction this past year were in PCGS slabs. That number climbs to 21 when counting a rarity that was certified by a competing grading service, realized nearly $4 million dollars, and then almost immediately after trading hands was crossed over into a PCGS holder. Sales data below was compiled from the top seven auction companies, including Heritage Auctions, Stack’s Bowers Galleries, Legend Rare Coin Auctions, GreatCollections, Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Sotheby’s, and Bonhams.
The Top 25 list includes:
- Atwater / Eliasberg Specimen 1885 Trade Dollar, now PCGS PR65+CAM
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $3,960,000, 1/10/2019 (PCGS Cert #36982251) - Ted Naftzger Specimen 1793 AMERI Chain Cent, From The Alan V. Weinberg Collection, PCGS MS64+Brown
Sold by Heritage Actions for $1,500,000, 1/10/2019 (PCGS Cert #35744104) - Dr. Jerry Buss Specimen 1894-S Barber Dime PCGS PR63
Sold by Stack’s Bowers Galleries for $1,320,000, 8/15/2019 (PCGS Cert #37859748) - Granberg / Brand / Eliasberg Specimen 1884 Trade Dollar, From The Greensboro Collection, NGC PR66
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $1,140,000, 1/10/2019 - 1879 $4 Coiled Hair, NGC PR66CAM
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $1,050,000, 1/10/2019 - 1795 $10 Capped Bust Right Eagle 13 Leaves, PCGS MS64+
Sold by Legend Rare Coin Auctions for $822,500, 3/21/2019 (PCGS Cert #06309771) - Warner / Winsor / Weinberg Specimen 1792 Silver Center Cent, From the Alan V. Weinberg Collection, PCGS SP58+Brown
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $750,000, 1/10/2019 (PCGS Cert #35744102) - 1795 $10 Capped Bust Right Eagle 9 Leaves, PCGS MS63
Sold by Stack’s Bowers Galleries for $630,000, 8/15/2019 (PCGS Cert #36674524) - Parmelee / Eliasberg / Bass Specimen 1837 $2.50 Classic Head, PCGS PR66+
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $576,000, 8/14/2019 (PCGS Cert #25647468) - Parmelee / Brand / Norweb / Weinberg Specimen 1792 Small Pattern Cent, From The Alan V. Weinberg Collection, PCGS SP53BN
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $552,000, 1/10/2019 (PCGS Cert #35744101) - 1838-O Capped Bust Half Dollar, PCGS PR63
Sold by Stack’s Bowers Galleries for $504,000, 11/15/2019 (PCGS Cert #38283581) - 1843 $10 Liberty Head, PCGS PR64DCAM
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $480,000, 8/14/2019 (PCGS Cert #37286327) - 1975 No-S Roosevelt Dime, PCGS PR68
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $456,000, 9/6/2019 (PCGS Cert #20519253) - Battle Born Specimen 1876-CC Twenty Cent, PCGS MS64+
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $456,000, 9/8/2019 (PCGS Cert #20714029) - 1876-CC Doubled Die Obverse Twenty Cent, PCGS MS65
Sold by Stack’s Bowers Galleries for $456,000, 8/15/2019 (PCGS Cert #37861676) - 1827/3 Capped Bust Quarter, PCGS PR65
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $444,000, 1/10/2019 (PCGS Cert #50242720) - 1907 $10 Indian Wire Rim, From The Joan Zieg Steinbrenner Collection, NGC MS68
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $432,000, 8/14/2019 - Dallas Bank Collection 1856-O $20 Liberty Head, NGC AU50
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $408,000, 8/18/2019 - 1890 $20 Liberty Head, PCGS PR67DCAM
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $396,000, 8/18/2019 (PCGS Cert #37286330) - 1798/7 $10 Capped Bust Right Stars 7×6, PCGS AU58
Sold by Stack’s Bowers Galleries for $384,000, 8/15/2019 (PCGS Cert #36674535) - 1930-S $20 Saint-Gaudens, PCGS MS66+
Sold by Stack’s Bowers Galleries for $372,000, 8/15/2019 (PCGS Cert #30433201) - 1938-S Mercury Dime, PCGS MS68+
Sold by Legend Rare Coin Auctions for $364,500, 6/27/2019 (PCGS Cert #37675464) - 1792 Copper Pattern Disme, From The Alan V. Weinberg Collection, PCGS SP55BN
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $336,000, 1/10/2019 (PCGS Cert #35744099) - Farouk / Norweb 1884 Trade Dollar, From The Poulos Family Collection, PCGS PR63
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $336,000, 8/18/2019 (PCGS Cert #14279405) - 1792 Silver Center Cent, PCGS SP35BN
Sold by Heritage Auctions for $336,000, 4/25/2019 (PCGS Cert #25613850)
“That 20 of the 25 most valuable United States coins trading hands in 2019 were in PCGS holders affirms the trust and confidence the rare coin market has in PCGS,” says PCGS President Brett Charville. The downcrossing of the $3.96 million 1885 Trade Dollar into a PCGS holder was a landmark moment of 2019. “This clearly goes to show that the best coins are found in PCGS holders.”
It was a great year for PCGS capped by many other accomplishments, including the unveiling of the set registry achievement program, expansion of the Prooflike designation, the release of the new PCGS Rarities holder, and enhancement of the PCGS CoinFact App with the combined power of PCGS Price Guide and PCGS Photograde. The year 2019 also saw PCGS parent company Collectors Universe certify its 75 millionth collectible, speaking to the popularity of PCGS and the solid reputation the company has built since its founding nearly 35 years ago in 1986.
Additional milestones outside of vintage United States coin certification in 2019 include the launching of the Quarter Quest program for 2019 America The Beautiful Quarters struck at the West Point Mint bearing the W mintmark, as well as the launching of encapsulation of United States Mint serialized Certificates of Authenticity. Adds Charville, “It was a tremendous year for PCGS, and I hope in 2019 we made one thing abundantly clear: we’re listening to our customers, and our commitment to lead the numismatic industry when it comes to developing innovative products and programs that excite and better serve the numismatic community is unmatched by any other company in the entire numismatic hobby.”
About Professional Coin Grading Service
Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) is the premier third-party coin and banknote grading company that was launched in 1986. Over nearly 35 years, PCGS has examined and certified some 43 million U.S. and world coins, medals, and tokens with a combined value of more than $36.6 billion. For more information about PCGS products and services, including how to submit your coins for authentication and grading, please visit www.PCGS.com or call PCGS Customer Service at (800) 447-8848.