A 1921 double eagle, graded MS63 by PCGS and pedigreed to the famous Norweb Collection, is the signature rarity of the upcoming Heritage Auction Galleries U.S. Coin Auction, with floor sessions held April 28 – 30 in conjunction with the Central States Numismatic Society’s annual convention in Milwaukee, WI.

The Norweb 1921 double eagle, is an incredible coin in its own right but greatly aided by its pedigree. In our most recent auction in Fort Worth, the glamorous Norweb pedigree helped propel a 1911-D quarter eagle to the top of the Prices Realized chart, and the Norweb name is sure to aid this double eagle as well.

As with many later dates in the Saint-Gaudens double eagle series, the 1921 was never released to circulation in significant numbers, making it scarce today. The Norweb 1921 double eagle is the most important coin in The Carter Family Collection, which contains a broad range of rarities. Additional highlights include lot 2352, a 1920-S double eagle graded MS64 by PCGS, and lot 2370, a 1932 double eagle graded MS66 by PCGS.

Another marquee coin among the Platinum Night gold is Lot 2234, an 1879 Flowing Hair Stella in gold, graded PR66 by NGC. The unusual denomination of four dollars has made this pattern a longstanding favorite, accorded a place of honor alongside regular-issue coins in many collections and numismatic publications.

In minor coinage, two prominent Featured Collections cater to different tastes: The Boca Collection, Part II is a continuation of the collection first offered in January 2010, containing a wide selection of proof coins to be sold individually. Important selections include Lot 2406, a Snow-9 1856 Flying Eagle cent pattern PR63 NGC, and Lot 2714, an 1895 Morgan dollar PR64 Cameo NGC.

Copper and silver coins offer plenty of choices outside of the Featured Collections as well. Lot 2033, a matte proof 1909 VDB Lincoln cent graded PR64 Red and Brown by PCGS, has great appeal for 20th century copper specialists. (more…)

Despite the common misconception, Anthony C. Paquet was born in 1814 not in France but in Germany–specifically, Hamburg–of French ancestry. His father, reportedly Toussaint François Paquet, was a bronze worker. “Anthony” could equally likely have been named with the German form “Anton” or the French “Antoine,” anglicizing his name upon coming to America in October 1848.

Mint Chief Engraver James B. Longacre was some 20 years Paquet’s senior, born in 1794 and having been hired at the Mint in 1844 after the death of Christian Gobrecht. Although evidence is sketchy, it appears that Longacre may have prevented Paquet from showing his true potential at the Philadelphia Mint.

Paquet worked as an engraver and/or die-maker in Philadelphia from 1850 through 1855 and in New York City in 1856-57. He was hired as an assistant Mint engraver in October 1857, moving back to Philadelphia where he lived at 402 Blight Street, according to an 1860 city directory. He worked for the Mint as assistant engraver until 1864, afterward completing occasional Mint assignments on a contract basis.

Paquet furnished letter punches for pattern coinage, possibly the same punches that were used on the 1857 Flying Eagle cents. Paquet’s lettering was extremely tall with thin vertical strokes, producing an unusual effect.

Andrew W. Pollock III in United States Patterns and Related Issues illustrates (Pollock-3131; Judd-A-1857-1) an interesting uniface experimental piece showing the varying diameters of the dime, quarter, and half dollar with the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA inscribed within each. Pollock notes that “the lettering is similar to that featured on many pattern coins attributed to Anthony Paquet.”

The Paquet Reverse double eagles of 1861 are among the few U.S. circulating coinage designs that can be definitively attributed to Paquet. The memorable Paquet design lacked a broad rim, making the coins prone to extensive abrasion, and the design was recalled soon after its inception. All but two of the Philadelphia Mint pieces struck were melted, but the San Francisco Mint struck some 19,250 pieces before news of the recall reached that distant facility.

The variety was promptly forgotten until 1937 when it was announced in Numismatic News. Today most certified examples are in the XF-AU range with a few dozen pieces each certified at NGC and PCGS, making it the rarest S-mint Type One double eagle.

This is one of the few high grade examples that have surfaced over the past 70 years. The surfaces are bright yellow-gold and noticeable traces of mint luster surround the peripheral devices. Each side is remarkably free from the distractions that normally plague these coins. The reason for the frequently seen abrasions is attributed to Paquet’s lowered rim, a design feature that allegedly gave the interior design features less protections from contact with other coins. The design motifs are sharply defined throughout. This is a rarely offered opportunity for the astute collector of 19th gold. Census: 16 in 50, 29 finer (3/10)

Offered as Lot 2306 in the Heritage 2010 April-May Milwaukee, WI CSNS US Coin Auction #1139

The Official Currency Auction of the 2010 Central States Numismatic Society Convention in Milwaukee will be conducted by Heritage Auctions April 28 to May 3. The auction will include three floor sessions and an online session. Lot viewing will be conducted at the Midwest Airlines Center, Rooms 201 A thru D, 400 West Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203 and the floor sessions will be held in Rooms 203 A and B.

Session One starts Wednesday evening, April 28, at 6 p.m. CT, and includes Colonials, Fractional Currency, Obsoletes, Confederate Notes, and Canadian Currency. Featured lots include: Fr. 1330 50¢ Third Issue Spinner PMG Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ; a rare Kirtland, OH- The Kirtland Safety Society Bank $50 Mar. 9, 1837 G16 Wolka 1424-16 Rust SV6; New Orleans, LA- Citizens’ Bank of Louisiana $10 Uncut Sheet of “Dixie” Notes PMG Choice Uncirculated 63; T2 $500 1861 PF-1 PMG Choice Very Fine 35; and a unique Windsor, NS- Commercial Bank of Windsor $20-$20-$20-$20 Ch. 195-10-02S Uncut Specimen Sheet PMG About Uncirculated 50.

National Bank Notes will be sold during Session Two, on Thursday, April 29 at 6 p.m. CT. The auction includes Part II of selections from the Lone Star Collection, an assemblage of National Bank Notes formed over three decades consisting of the very finest notes that could be obtained from Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The consignor’s Arkansas collection is almost certainly the finest ever formed, with his Oklahoma holdings ranking as one of the two greatest collections ever formed on that state, and the Texas collection rivals any ever assembled save for that of William Philpott.

Among the notes from the collection being offered are a unique Serial Number One $50 Date Back from Oklahoma Madill, OK - $50 1882 Date Back Fr. 564 The First NB Ch. # (W)5404 PMG Very Fine 20 and Marietta, IT – $10 1882 Brown Back Fr. 490 The Marietta NB Ch. # (W)5958 PMG About Uncirculated 55.

Additional National Bank Note highlights from Session Two include: Oakland, CA – $10 1875 Fr. 419 The Union National Gold Bank Ch. # 2266 PCGS Very Fine 35PPQ; Serial Number One Lead, SD – $5 1882 Brown Back Fr. 472 The First NB Ch. # 4631 PMG Very Fine 30; and Serial Number One Lake Ronkonkoma, NY – $20 1929 Ty. 1 The NB of Lake Ronkonkoma Ch. # 13130 PMG About Uncirculated 55 EPQ.

The floor sessions of the auction will conclude with the Friday evening Session Three offering of Small Size Currency, Error Notes, and Large Size Type Notes. The session will begin at 6:00 p.m. CT. Small Size selections include: Fr. 2221-H $5000 1934 Federal Reserve Note PMG Choice Extremely Fine 45 Net; Fr. 2231-J $10000 1934 Federal Reserve Note PMG Extremely Fine 40 Net; and Fr. 2407 $500 1928 Gold Certificate PMG Choice Very Fine 35. (more…)