By Greg Reynolds for CoinLink
An 1894-S dime is ‘in the news’ as, in the third week of July, DLRC sold the Richmond 1894-S for $1.9 million in a private transaction. Collector Daniel Rosenthal was the seller. He paid $1,322,500 for it, through an agent, at DLRC’s Richmond 3 auction in March 2005, at a hotel in Baltimore.

It seems likely that only nine or ten 1894-S dimes exist. The San Francisco Mint struck only twenty-four dimes of this date, all as Proofs. While other researchers have presented rosters, I am attempting a condition ranking.

The 1894-S dime is among the most famous of all U.S. coins. Barber Dimes were minted from 1892 to 1916. These are extremely popular. Most dates in the series are available for very small amounts of money, particularly in low grades.

Like many of my childhood friends, I collected Barber Dimes when I was a kid. Indeed, I knew of dozens of kids and adolescents who did. I am certain that there were, and still are, tens of thousands nationwide. Many adults collect Barber Dimes as well, in a range of grades. Coins are graded on a scale from 01 to 70. Not all grades in between are used. All eleven points between 60 and 70 are used for “Mint State” or Proof coins.

Proof coins are much different from business strikes. They have sharper details, very reflective (or artistically granulated) surfaces, and design elements that are brought about and defined in a special way. Proof coins are struck more than once, though not all coins that are struck more than once are Proofs.

When I collected Barber Dimes as a kid, I was delighted by those that graded Good-04, or even AG-03. On occasion, I would acquire one, often a scarcer date, in Fair-02 condition. I dreamed of owning an 1894-S, as did many of my friends. When I gave a presentation on coins to my class, in fifth grade, I spent more than five minutes discussing 1894-S dimes. I have since collected more information about them: (more…)

By Greg Reynolds for CoinLink - Revised and Re-posted July 25, 2007

Half Eagles, $5 gold coins, dated 1807 are not extremely rare. The Bust Left 1807 is probably among the five least rare dates of all early Half Eagles (1795-1834). Indeed, Capped Bust Left Half Eagles (1807-1812) are not well understood, and do not receive as much publicity as Bust Right Half Eagles (1795-1807) or Capped Head Half Eagles (1813-34). It is thus worth discussing the rarity of the Bust Left type, and the reasons why an 1807 Bust Left Half Eagle just sold for $103,500 on July 13 in West Palm Beach, Florida. It is only the third or fourth time that a Bust Left Half Eagle has sold at auction for more than $100,000.

Heritage conducted the official auction of the Summer Florida United Numismatists (FUN) convention. This inaugural summer event should not be confused with the primary FUN convention that is held every year in January, usually in Orlando, though an epic FUN event was held in Fort Lauderdale in 2005.

This 1807 Half Eagle has been graded MS-65 by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS). Coins are graded on a scale from 01 to 70, though not all numbers in between are used. The four grades for ‘Very Fine’ are 20, 25, 30 and 35. All eleven points from 60 to 70 are “Mint State” (or Proof) grades, and those that grade 65 are usually termed ‘gems.’ This coin is definitely a gem.

This 1807 Half Eagle has a very attractive obverse (front) and a more than very attractive reverse (back of the coin). Under three-times magnification, there are very few contact marks and light small scratches on the obverse, and almost none on the reverse. It merits a mid range MS-65 grade. The reverse, by itself, might even grade MS-66. The very few, short, light scratches on the face and in the obverse left inner field, along with one medium length hairline scratch from the eleventh star to Miss Liberty’s hair, probably prevented this coin from grading MS-66! It has, or nearly has, sufficient eye appeal for a MS-66 grade.

The obverse is subtly brilliant, and somewhat lustrous. The reverse is brighter and has a rich luster accompanied by some light orange-russet toning about the design elements and near the periphery. Like most early U.S. gold coins, the gold itself has a greenish tint. On the obverse, this green color is subtle. It is a little richer on the reverse. I like this coin a lot. It has an appealing personality, which cannot be completely described.

In more than fifteen years, only one other 1807 ‘Bust Left’ Half Eagle has ever realized more than $100,000 at auction. In 1999, the Moore 1807, PCGS graded MS-67, sold for $121,000. The PCGS graded MS-67 1807 that was reportedly auctioned for $115,000, in 2002, is very likely to be a re-appearance of the Moore coin. It was previously auctioned, before it was certified, in New York in 1988. More than once, I had the opportunity to carefully examine it. For the whole Bust Left Half Eagle type, the Moore 1807 is the highest quality coin that I have ever seen. It is widely believed that another PCGS graded MS-67 1807 Bust Left Half Eagle, similar to the Moore 1807, is in a private collection in Texas. (more…)