Two prominent rare coin dealers jointly bid a total of $12,650 (including buyer’s premium) to have lunch with Heritage Auction Galleries Co-Chairman, best-selling author and acclaimed numismatic authority, Jim Halperin. Conducted in conjunction with Heritage’s official auction of the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money® convention in Baltimore on “Platinum Night,” July 31, 2008, all proceeds of the winning bid and commission will be donated to ANA education programs.

The highest bid came from Anthony Terranova of New York City and Laura Sperber of Legend Numismatics in Lincroft, New Jersey.

Terranova humorously explained: “I’ve known Jim for 35 years, and I didn’t want him to have to have lunch with strangers.”

Sperber stated: “I’m glad I could help benefit the ANA, a worthy organization that I’ve supported for many years and will continue to do so.”

The $12,650 donation will be used for improving numismatic resources on the ANA web site, including the successful Coins in the Classroom project that is used by teachers nationwide.

The time and place for the lunch with Halperin have not yet been decided.

Former ANA Vice President, Scott A. Travers of New York City, suggested the fund-raising auction after exchanging e-mails with Halperin about a recent $2.11 million charity auction involving a lunch date with renowned investor, Warren Buffett. In 2000 and again in 2001, Halperin and a friend, Scott Tilson, were the high bidders at charity auctions for lunch with Buffet with winning bids of $20,000 the first year and $30,000 the next. (more…)

This spectacular serial number 1 Black Charter Note represents a true miracle of survival.

Discovered earlier this year, it is the only serial number 1 Black Charter Note from any bank to survive, and is one of only three Original Series Black Charter Notes known to exist (Fr. 399).

It is the “A” position note from the first sheet of fives sent to the Red Oak, Iowa bank in 1873, and, as Peter Huntoon noted in his Bank Note Reporter story earlier this year, had obviously been saved by one of the signers.

Nothing is known of the note’s pedigree since the day it left the bank in late 1873 until it walked into a small Iowa coin shop earlier this year. The note quickly changed hands and the second dealer sent it to PMG for grading because of its attractive appearance.

Only when the note came back from PMG with the attendant fanfare did the second dealer realize that this was not only a serial number 1 example but was the only serial number 1 Black Charter example ever to be recorded.

Fortunately for collectors, it is a lovely as well as unique note, with great color, signatures, and eye appeal, fully, in our opinion, meriting its PMG assigned grade of Very Fine 25.

The Note will be auctioned by Heritage in the upcoming Long Beach Currency Sale in September as Lot 3502.

Platinum Night at the Baltimore World’s Fair of Money has come and gone, and what a success it was! In total, over $27 million in great coins sold in Thursday’s evening sessions. Overall, this auction is expected to bring in nearly $40 million; sessions continue online through Sunday at HA.com/coins.

The Ed Price Collection, a fascinating and complete die study of Heraldic Eagle dimes and quarter eagles, led off the night’s festivities, realizing $5.7 million in enthusiastic and aggressive bidding. A copper 1792 Disme pattern, graded PR62 Brown by NGC and probably the second finest known, highlighted this collection, realizing $690,000. An 1804 14 stars dime, graded AU58 and believed to be the finest 1804 dime of either variety, brought $632,500. Other highlights from the Ed Price Collection included:

* 1796 10C MS67 NGC. JR-4, R.3. Sold for: $299,000
* 1797 10C 13 Stars MS65 NGC. JR-2, R.4. Sold for: $402,500
* 1798/97 10C 13 Stars on Reverse MS63 PCGS. CAC. JR-2, R.6. Sold for: $103,500
* 1798 10C Small 8 MS66 NGC. JR-3, R.5. Sold for: $253,000
* 1802 10C MS62 NGC. JR-4, R.4. Sold for: $138,000
* 1803 10C MS64 NGC. JR-3, R.4. Sold for: $322,000
* 1804 10C 13 Stars on Reverse AU55 NGC. JR-1, R.5. Sold for: $149,500
* 1796 $2 1/2 No Stars XF40 PCGS. CAC. BD-1, R.7. Sold for: $207,000
* 1796 $2 1/2 No Stars MS61 PCGS. CAC. BD-2, R.4. Sold for: $276,000
* 1796 $2 1/2 Stars MS62 NGC. BD-3, R.5. Sold for: $207,000
* 1797 $2 1/2 AU55 NGC. BD-1, R.6. Sold for: $103,500
* 1804 $2 1/2 13 Star Reverse AU55 NGC. BD-1, Low R.7. Sold for: $322,000

Platinum Night proper saw over $21.5 million in rare coins change hands, including one of the two known 1825/4 half eagles. Graded AU50 by NGC, this extremely rare piece realized an impressive $690,000. A 1921 double eagle graded MS64, both an absolute and a conditional rarity, brought $474,375. A 1944-S cent struck in steel and graded MS66, one of only two known 1944-S steel cents and by a wide margin the finest 1944 steel cent from any mint, sold for $373,750. And last but not least, lunch with Heritage co-founder Jim Halperin brought $12,650, with all proceeds including the Buyer’s Premium to be donated to the ANA. (more…)