Finest Brasher Doubloon, 1804 Plain 4 Eagle Poised to Make History at Heritage Auctions

The finest-known example of an 1804 Proof Eagle from the Simpson Collection is one of the highlights of the FUN Heritage auction

DALLAS, Texas (January 6, 2021) – " The World’s Most Famous Coin " and a selection of seven-figure rarities could make numismatic history in Heritage Auctions’ Jan. 20-24 U.S. Coins Auctions held in Dallas and on HA.com.

"We expect nothing short of a new world record amongst the rarest and most valuable issues in the history of American coinage," said James Halperin, Co-Founder of Heritage Auctions. "These auction events are unlike anything we have ever offered."

The auctions were scheduled to be offered during the Jan. 7-10 Florida United Numismatics Convention, which was cancelled due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. Heritage moved its U.S. Coins auctions to Dallas and rescheduled them for Jan. 20-24.

Heritage has the pleasure of offering 14 important private collections among the more than 2,280 lots presented this season.

Poised to make numismatic history, the finest known, 1787 New York-Style Brasher Doubloon , W-5840, MS65★, is offered at auction for just the third time since 1848. On both previous occasions it set a world record for any coin ever offered at auction. This ultimate rarity will be offered Jan. 21 during the Platinum Night Auction and comes from Part II of the esteemed Donald G. Partrick Collection, which will be offered by Heritage throughout 2021 .

Known throughout numismatics and beyond as "The World’s Most Famous Coin," this beautiful Brasher doubloon also held the title of "the world's most valuable coin." Brasher Doubloons have been popularized in detective novels and motion pictures, such as The High Window, by Raymond Chandler, and the feature film The Brasher Doubloon (20th Century Fox, 1946). To the average American citizen, the Brasher doubloon is the archetype of a rare and valuable coin and enjoys a lofty status in pop culture that is unapproached by any other coin.

The example on offer displays terrific eye appeal, the technical quality is the finest available, and the historic importance of this issue is profound. Its impeccable provenance includes numismatic giants, such as Matthew Stickney, "Colonel" James W. Ellsworth, John Work Garrett, and now, the Donald Groves Partrick collection.

The Bob R. Simpson Collection Part III

The finest-known example of an 1804 Plain 4 Proof Eagle , BD-2, PR65+ Deep Cameo, one of the rarest and most valuable issues in the history of American coinage, comes from the remarkable Bob R. Simpson Collection. Only four pieces were struck and just three examples are known to numismatists today.

Beyond its breathtaking condition and rarity, the coin is steeped in U.S. history. The United States sought to establish favorable trade agreements with several Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern nations in the mid-1830s. As such, high-quality proof coins of the United States were presented to The King of Siam, the Sultan of Muscat and the Emperors of Cochin China and Japan. The coin on offer was previously owned by the Sultan of Muscat and hails from the fabulous collection of Col. E.H.R. Green.

Already a seven-figure coin in pre-auction bidding, its design elements exhibit razor-sharp definition throughout. Its details contrast profoundly with the deeply mirrored fields to create a startling gold-on-black cameo flash when the coin is tilted in the light.

Highlights from the Simpson Collection don’t stop in 1804. A 1792 Silver Center Cent , SP67 Brown, a historically important early pattern coin, is the finest-known example. Patterns from 1792 laid the foundation for everything that followed in United States coinage and established an innovative, decimal-based monetary system that became the most successful in the history of the world.

The Amon Carter Specimen of the 1885 Trade Dollar , PR63+ Cameo, a cornerstone addition to Simpson’s collection, offers collectors what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Every time an 1885 Trade dollar appears at public auction, it marks a moment in numismatic history that will be long remembered. This is one of the greatest and most coveted rarities in United States coinage.

Simpson’s 1796 Quarter Eagle , MS65 CAC, a former museum relic and the sole finest With Stars example known, is also expected to steal the spotlight when the rare BD-3 Stars obverse variety crosses the block Jan. 21. This coin spent more than a century stored away as a museum relic in the Omaha Public Library in Nebraska, after it was donated to the museum by 19th century super-collector Byron Reed. It is without doubt the most famous 1796 With Stars quarter eagle known.

And Simpson’s unique 1943-D cent struck on a bronze planchet , MS64 Brown PCGS, the iconic 20th century wartime rarity, makes an auction appearance as the Holy Grail of error collectors, and, much like the Brasher Doubloon, shares an appeal that extends far beyond traditional numismatics.

The Oliver Jung Collection

An 1838 Liberty Eagle , PR65 Cameo, an extremely rare early gold proof and one of three examples traced is on offer from the Oliver Jung Collection.

The collection presents a selection of seven important coins, including the finest known 1796 No Pole Half Cent , C-1, B-1, R.6, MS67, Red and Brown PCGS, and the legendary 1811 B-1 Wide Date Half Cent , MS66 Red and Brown, the finest known example of this rarity.

Heritage Auctions’ FUN U.S. Coins Auctions take place Jan. 22-24 in Dallas and on HA.com.

Heritage Auctions is the largest fine art and collectibles auction house founded in the United States, and the world’s largest collectibles auctioneer. Heritage maintains offices in New York, Dallas, Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Chicago, Palm Beach, London, Paris, Geneva, Amsterdam and Hong Kong.

Heritage also enjoys the highest online traffic and dollar volume of any auction house on earth (source: SimilarWeb and Hiscox Report). The Internet’s most popular auction-house website, HA.com, has more than 1,250,000 registered bidder-members and searchable free archives of five million past auction records with prices realized, descriptions and enlargeable photos. Reproduction rights routinely granted to media for photo credit.

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Eric Bradley, Public Relations Director

C: 469-271-2849 or EricB@ha.com