IRVINE, Calif. – Bowers and Merena Auctions, America’s leading rare coin auction house, will auction the first known uncut sheet of Nationals from a rare McDowell County, W.Va., issuer. The sheet of four $5 1902 Plain Backs is from the First National Bank of Kimball, an institution previously represented in the census by only a single large size and a lone 1929 series survivor. Bowers and Merena is the Official Auctioneer of the Baltimore Coin and Currency Convention scheduled for November 14 to 17, 2007, at the Baltimore, Md., Convention Center. The Kimball sheet is one of more than 1,000 currency lots and 3,000 coin lots that will cross the block.

Kevin Foley, Senior Numismatist – Rare Currency for Bowers and Merena, noted that the sheet has been in the consignor’s family since the time it originally was received by his grandfather when he went to the First National Bank to cash his paycheck. Foley said, “Our consignor’s grandfather operated a jewelry store and four-table billiard parlor in Kimball, and when he wrote his weekly paycheck to himself he would go to the bank to cash it. One day the teller handed him the sheet we’ll be selling in Baltimore as part of the transaction. Observing what had happened, a bank officer approached him and tried to get the sheet back, telling him that they weren’t supposed to hand it out to the public. He declined to return it, figuring that if the bank wanted it back, it must be special. As it turns out, it was more special than he ever could have realized.”

“This will be a real trophy item for any collector of National Bank Notes,” said Steve Deeds, Bowers and Merena President. “We are thrilled to say that the November Baltimore auction will be our largest auction ever, and that includes almost 1,100 currency lots. To have this uncut sheet of West Virginia Nationals that is so rare as the centerpiece of our currency section is really quite prestigious.” (more…)

Total Sales Realize Nearly $995,000

IRVINE, Calif. – Bowers and Merena Auctions, America’s leading rare coin auction house, announces the success of their Collector’s Choice Auction, held September 17 to 26, 2007, at the company’s Irvine, Calif., headquarters. The online auction offered more than 1,100 lots and realized an impressive $994,585 in total sales.

“This was only our second official Collector’s Choice Auction and already we have surpassed our first in terms of total prices realized,” said Steve Deeds, Bowers and Merena President. “These Collector’s Choice Auctions generate such an eclectic selection of coins and currency and there is something for everyone in a sale like this. I really like that this is an auction that any collector can participate in, on all levels from novice to expert, budget-friendly to high-end.” (more…)

Auction Bidding Ends

Wednesday, September 26
3:00 pm

Lot Viewing
At the Bowers and Merena Offices in Irvine, CA
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Please call in advance to schedule a viewing time
Monday, September 17 – Wednesday, September 26
8:00 am – 5:00 pm (Monday through Friday)
8:00 am – 3:00 pm (Wednesday, September 26)

Lot Pick Up
At the Bowers and Merena Offices in Irvine, CA
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Successful Bidders—please call in advance to schedule a pick up time
Friday, September 28
8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Results will be available on Thursday, September 27 after 12 noon

All Times Listed in Pacific Daylight Time

IRVINE, Calif. – Bowers and Merena Auctions, America’s leading rare coin auction house, announces the extraordinary success of their Milwaukee Rarities Sale, held August 4, 2007, prior to the ANA World’s Fair of Money. The two-session auction offered more than 1,800 lots and realized an exceptional $6.5 million in sales.

“There were so many amazing lots in this auction, true rarities,” said Steve Deeds, Bowers and Merena President. “This sale generated a lot of excitement going in to the auction, and there was great energy and camaraderie on the auction floor – good, friendly competition among bidders.”

At the center of the excitement was the Dan Close “Close to Perfect” Collection, the Number One All-Time Finest PCGS Registry Set of Lincoln Cents with Varieties, Circulation Strikes (1909-Present). Building a registry set is a way to track your collection and compete with others who share your love of the hobby, as Close had done with his award-winning set of Lincoln cents. Presented to a nearly full room beginning at Lot 63, bidding on many of the key lots erupted in heated price wars as collectors battled to win the coveted Lincoln cents that would bring them closer to completing their own registry sets. When it was all done, 242 of 243 lots had sold for a total of nearly $1.1 million. (more…)