Superior Galleries conducted it’s Pre-FUN 2008 Elite Auction at the International Plaza Hotel in Orlando on January 5th and 6th with exceptional results.

This 800 lot event formally inaugurated Superior’s 2008 auction season with extremely strong prices. The auction, was anchored by the stellar Irene Collection of Rarities, and the LRIS Collection, among others, and realized $2.63 million.

Commenting on the Auction, Senior Vice President of Auctions Paul Song said, “We are very pleased to have begun the 2008 auction season on such a high note. This was our third auction in three months, and we are delighted to continue to be able to offer the freshest numismatic material to our clients. Our strong results are a testament to the attention and care that we have been putting toward creating the finest auctions in the industry. Personalized marketing to key bidders helped drive prices on important lots, particularly in our anchor collections.

We were especially pleased to have realized $178,250 for the extremely rare 1876-CC Seated Liberty PCGS PF65 Dime from the stellar Irene Collection, by far a world record for this coin which had been off the auction market for over two decades.” Of similar note from the Irene Collection, lot 651, the 1851 US Assay Office $50 887 THOUS. NGC MS62 realized a very strong price of $189,750. Perhaps the biggest surprise in the auction was the group of 5 gold so-called annular patterns from the LRIS Collection, which virtually all realized world record prices at auction and together realized in excess of $230,000, all 5 going to the same collector.

Mr. Song continued, “We are now concentrating our efforts on our February 10-12, 2008 Beverly Hills Elite Auction, which will feature the exceptional Turtle Rock Collection of Proof Seated and Liberty Dimes.”

Some individual highlights of this auction included:

* 513 – 1879 $4 Gold Flowing Hair NGC PF65 $207,000
* 651 – 1851 US Assay Office $50 887 THOUS. NGC MS62 $189,750
* 110 –1876-CC Liberty Dime PCGS PR65 $178,250
* 653 – 1852 US Assay Office $50 900 THOUS. NGC MS61 $90,850
* 512 – 1887 $3 Gold NGC PF67CAM $80,500
* 591 –1907 $20 High Relief PCGS MS66 $80,500
* 659 – 1852 Gold Dollar Pattern J. 137 PCGS PF65 $69,000
* 270 – 1836 Gobrecht Dollar J. 60 PCGS PF64 $52,900