NEW YORK – For Classical numismatists, the New Year will begin on an exceptional note: the sale of the Lawrence R. Stack Collection of Ancient Greek Coins. To be held January 14, 2008 in New York City, the sale brings together a veritable pantheon of outstanding rarities, marvelous examples of the celator’s art and historic and important pieces.

Formed with a discerning eye, the collection places special emphasis on the gold and silver issues of Magna Graecia and Sicily. Collectors of early issues will find a lovely group of Archaic Staters of Tarentum, Metapontion, Poseidonia, Sybaris, Kaulonia and Kroton. Those who fancy Greek gold will be pleased with the 4th to 3rd Century B.C. issues of Etruria, Tarentum, Metapontion, the Brettii, Akragas and Syracuse. The Sicilian silver, meanwhile, is exceptional featuring pieces by such famous engravers as “the Master of the Leaf,” Herakleidas, Eumenos, Phrygillos and Euainetos.

As for the Titans of Ancient coinage, the collection features signed and unsigned Dekadrachms of Syracuse, including a Demaretion; a Carthagian Dekadrachm; Oktadrachms of the Bisaltai and Abdera and Dodekadrachms of the Derrones.

Other highlights of the collection include a rare Chersonesos Tetradrachm of Miltiades II, an exceptional group of Athenian Wappenmünzen and Archaic owls; rare Boiotian Staters and Fractions; and Arkadian Fractions. Moving to the East, the sale features a high-grade array of Staters from Crete, an extremely rare gold Stater from Pergamon, and a highly-prized early gold Kyrene Stater of King Ptolemy I depicting the deified Alexander. Extensive historical and numismatic notes are given throughout the offering. (more…)

In a small U.S. colonial coin consignment from a Midwestern collector that at first glance appeared to be rather mundane, a numismatist at Stack’s made a once in a lifetime find that is certain to reverberate throughout the entire colonial coin collecting community. An unattributed assortment of middle grade colonial type coins proved to include a Fugio Cent struck using a heretofore unpublished reverse die. The coin in question weighs 167.9 grains and is a smooth, medium brown Fine to Very Fine example bearing the familiar Newman 13 obverse.

Unlike any of the other reverse dies that were previously known to be married to Obverse 13 (namely reverses KK, N, R, and X, all of which exhibit the circular reverse legend arranged with STATES at left and UNITED at right), this discovery coin displays the circular reverse legend with UNITED at left and STATES at right. (more…)

Baltimore was the venue, and all eyes were on the offering of the Amherst & Waccabuc Collections as they crossed the block on November 13th and 14th. “Action was fast paced, nonstop from beginning to end,” commented Larry Stack, CEO of the firm. “Many records were broken, consignors were thrilled, and market watchers were pleased that once again there was great strength for quality material,” echoed Chris Karstedt, President.

When all was said and done, $10,339,148 worth of coins, tokens, medals, and paper money changed hands.

Colonial coins, always popular, but especially so in recent times (the Stack’s sale of the Ford Collection is partly responsible), were capped by a 1776 Continental dollar in MS-64 grade that was bid up to a record $189,750, with competition coming from all over the floor, plus the telephone, plus thousands of bidders tied in through the Internet. A Chalmers shilling in EF grade took $11,500 to buy, and the curious Bar cent with USA monogram certified as AU-55, caused raised eyebrows at $11,500.

Among minor denominations, a lovely MS-64 1803 cent, Sheldon-254, went through the roof at over $66,000, amidst fierce competition. A seldom seen 1842 Proof cent, Newcomb-1, certified as 64 BN, fetched $18,400. Not long afterward a particularly choice 1858 Small Letters Flying Eagle cent, certified as MS-66, broke records at $24,150.

Among early silver coins in the Stack’s sale, an MS-62 1796 dime fetched $34,500, a splendid MS-63 1898 JR-4 dime soared to $40,250, and action was intense in all other pieces offered. Graded MS-67, an 1837 Liberty Seated dime Without Stars went to a breathtaking $63,250, followed soon afterward by an 1876-CC coin of the same denomination, MS-66, at $40,000. A world’s record of $287,500 was registered by a 1794 half dollar in AU-58 grade. An F-15 1797 half dollar, one of the most popular of all “type” coins surprised at $57,500. (more…)