Stack’s Bowers Galleries’ Spring Showcase Auction Shatters Records as Demand for Important Rarities Remains Strong

Costa Mesa, CA – Stack’s Bowers Galleries inaugurated their 2024 U.S. Coin and Currency showcase auction season with a blockbuster sale that contained 14 sessions of U.S. coins, banknotes, numismatic Americana, and physical cryptocurrency. The auction, held in conjunction with the Spring Whitman Baltimore Expo, realized a total of more than $32 million. (All prices include the buyer’s premium.)

The sale started off with a standalone catalog of the Richard Margolis Collection. The fabulous early American medals and related pieces, assembled over the course of more than half a century, realized double the pre-sale estimates. The unique John Stewart at Stony Point Comitia Americana medal became the most valuable bronze medal ever sold in auction, bringing $900,000. For more information on the Margolis Collection, please click here. 

Sessions of Numismatic Americana and Early American and Colonial coins followed, anchored by the Ronald Slovick Collection of Indian Peace Medals. These historic relics are tangible links to the many treaties made over the course of the 19^th century with Native American tribes, and the Slovick Collection joins the ranks of the impressive cabinets that Stack’s Bowers Galleries has sold in the firm’s nine decades of auctions. Taking top spot in the Slovick Collection was lot 2048, a second size silver Jefferson medal, which realized $63,000. Among the colonial and early American offerings,  lot 3148, a remarkable Gem gold Washington Funeral medal with its intact original jewelry encasement brought $132,000. Other strong prices from these sessions include:

• Lot 2058. 1829 Andrew Jackson Indian Peace Medal. Silver. First Size. Julian IP-14, Prucha-43. About Uncirculated. Realized $36,000.
• Lot 2113. "1797" (ca. 1859) Sansom Medal. First Reissue, U.S. Mint Restrike. Musante GW-59, Baker-72 (unlisted in gold), Julian PR-1. Gold. Specimen-55 (PCGS). Realized $60,000.
• Lot 2129. 1925 Calvin Coolidge Inaugural Medal. Dusterberg CIM-B70, MacNeil CC-1925-3. Bronze. Mint State. Realized $11,400.
• Lot 2237. 1863 (January 1st) Liberation from Slavery Badge on an Abraham Lincoln Civil War Soldier's Identification Badge Blank. Brass. Type of Maier-Stahl 6A. Very Good. Realized $22,800.
• Lot 3142. 1791 Washington Liverpool Halfpenny. Musante GW-18, Baker-17A, W-10654. Pewter. AU-55 (PCGS).  Realized $52,800.
• Rarities Night (Session 4) offered 427 exceptionally rare and high quality coins, a significant number of which shattered previous auction records. A pair of classic golden rarities took the top spots in the session, each realizing $840,000: lot 4264, an 1879 Flowing Hair Stella, graded PCGS Proof-67 DCAM with a CMQ sticker and lot 4365, an 1870-CC double eagle in AU-50 (PCGS). Other spectacular prices included:
• Lot 4034. 1854 Silver Three-Cent Piece. Proof-64+ (PCGS). CAC. CMQ. Realized $55,200
• Lot 4061. 1938-D Buffalo Nickel. MS-68+ (PCGS). Realized $26,400
• Lot 4065. 1803 Draped Bust Half Dime. LM-1. Rarity-6. Small 8. AU-58 (PCGS). CAC. CMQ. Realized
• $90,000
• Lot 4084. 1834 Capped Bust Quarter. B-1, FS-901. Rarity-1. O/F in OF. MS-65+ PL (PCGS). CAC. Realized $40,800
• Lot 4154. 1948 Franklin Half Dollar. MS-68 FBL (PCGS). CMQ. Realized $84,000
• Lot 4163. 1799 Draped Bust Silver Dollar. BB-153, B-4. Rarity-4. Irregular Date, 15-Star Reverse. AU-58 (PCGS). Realized $33,600
• Lot 4174. 1872-CC Liberty Seated Silver Dollar. OC-1. Rarity-3+. EF-45 (PCGS). CAC. CMQ. Realized $31,200
• Lot 4181. 1880/79-O Morgan Silver Dollar. VAM-4. Top 100 Variety. 80/79, Crossbar Overdate, Micro O. MS-65 PL (PCGS). CAC. CMQ. Realized $50,400
• Lot 4233. 1833 Capped Head Left Quarter Eagle. BD-1. Rarity-5. MS-63 PL (PCGS). Realized $84,000
• Lot 4236. 1841 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle. MS-60 (PCGS). CMQ. Realized $288,000
• Lot 4285. 1866 Liberty Head Half Eagle. JD-1. Rarity-7-. Proof-65 (PCGS). CAC. OGH. CMQ-X. Realized $192,000
• Lot 4287. 1880 Liberty Head Half Eagle. MS-66 (PCGS). CAC. CMQ. OGH Rattler. Realized $48,000
• Lot 4320. 1876-S Liberty Head Eagle. AU-58 (PCGS). CAC. CMQ. Realized $75,000
• Lot 4423. 1860 Mormon $5. K-6. Rarity-5+. AU-50 (PCGS). CAC. CMQ. OGH. Realized $126,000.

Session 7 featured The Mont Blanc Set of half eagles, eagles, and double eagles from the famed Fairmont Collection. A superb and fresh to the market selection, the highest prices realized in the session went to two popular Carson City Mint double eagles: lot 6299, an 1885-CC in MS-62 (PCGS) brought $90,000, and lot 6268, an 1871-CC in AU-53 PCGS/CAC sold for $81,000.

Further selections of U.S. coins across all series were featured in Sessions 5 and 8. In Session 5, lot 5169 a MS-67 1892 nickel graded by PCGS took top spot at $22,800. In Session 8, top honors went to lot 7429, an immaculate 1883 gold dollar graded PCGS MS-68 CAC, which realized $16,800. 

“Rare coins continue to see strong growth in most series,” said Brian Kendrella, president of Stack’s Bowers Galleries. “The combination of quality, freshness, and rarity continues to drive buyers. Our Spring auction featured collections that were assembled years or even decades ago, and bidders were serious in their attempts to add these special pieces to their collections.”

Complete prices realized for the Spring 2024 Expo Auction can be found at StacksBowers.com. For information on consigning to an upcoming Stack’s Bowers Galleries auction call 800-458-4646 or email Consign@StacksBowers.com.