On October 22, 2008, Stack’s will proudly celebrate its 73rd anniversary in true Stack’s fashion-by offering an absolutely stunning array of U.S. coin rarities for public auction. From colonial coins to double eagles, the 73rd Anniversary sale presents unbeatable rarities at every twist and turn from start to finish.

Of particular note is an extraordinary museum-quality collection of Proof gold coins, featuring the A. Rockford Cummings Collection. The grouping is comprised of coins from every denomination of gold coinage, and contains many ultra high-grade pieces, in addition to many pieces offered in the more affordable middle Proof grades.

This collection represents a highly significant opportunity for the Proof gold specialist or the collector searching to add premium quality coins to an advanced type set.

The 73rd Anniversary sale will begin precisely at 1:30pm in Stacks’ auction gallery at 110 West 57th Street in New York City.

Session One: Colonials through Proof Sets

Session One of this exciting sale begins with Colonial and Early American coins, with several important rarities highlighted. A 1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree shilling graded AU-53 (PCGS) (CAC), and a remarkable 1776 Continental dollar in Pewter graded MS-62 (PCGS) are just two highlights from this section that will surely attract marked attention and spirited bidding. The last hurrah for early American coinage comes in the form of a magnificent 1792 pattern disme in copper graded AU-55 (PCGS) (CAC) and hailing from the Norweb Collection.

U.S. minor coinage serves up some major rarities amid a nice assortment of more affordable, yet still high quality, coins. A lustrous 1795 half cent graded AU-55 BN (PCGS) sets the tone straightaway, and a wonderful Proof-65 (NGC) 1856 Flying Eagle cent follows closely. Buffalo nickel specialists are in for a treat, with a rare 1918/7-D example offered in AU-55 (PCGS) (CAC), as well as a fantastic 1937-D 3-Legged example graded MS-66 by NGC.

A wide range of U.S. half dimes is unquestionably epitomized by a stunning 1797 16 Stars half dime, formerly from the Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection. To find a coin finer than this specimen would be difficult indeed, but to find it in combination with such an illustrious pedigree would be virtually impossible! (more…)

Stacks’ most recent auction, a mail and internet bid only sale run by Coin Galleries (the foreign department of the auction powerhouse), represented a veritable melting pot for the numismatic community to dip into. The highly eclectic offering featured over 3,000 lots of coins, medals, tokens, orders and decorations, and paper money and highlighted several specialized collections that catered to a wide spectrum of numismatic interests.

Up first was the Bay State Collection, an interesting and wide-ranging collection of ancient Greek, Roman, and Byzantine coinage formed primarily in the 1930s and 40s and focusing on historical importance and rarity. The collection as a whole performed solidly, with consistent prices across the board. A superb Ulysses Denarius struck in 82 B.C. secured a total of $3,565 in bids when the lot closed. Immediately following was a healthy section of ancient coins that hailed from several different collections, and showcased a wide array of scarcer issues and several important rarities. Of particular note was a very pleasing Athenian Archaic Tetradrachm (or “Owl,” so called because of the reverse portrait of a standing owl) that saw strong bidding and sold for $18,400. Roman issues also boasted some rarities of their own, with a very rare Denarius of Gnaeus Pompey Junior as Imperator topping out at $8,625.

Following Ancient coins, the sale moved into World coins, where collectors had the chance to delve into two highly specialized collections. The first was one of the largest offerings of Axumite coinage (plus later patterns and Ethiopian medals) that Coin Galleries has ever offered in the past, and the second was a special offering of coins, medals, tokens, and paper money from Denmark and her former possessions, most notably Greenland and the Danish West Indies. An extremely rare, high grade, and complete set of Øresund tokens (probably the finest known of its kind) stole the limelight and garnered $8,050 worth of bids.

World Coins were punctuated by several impressive performances from the English, German, and Polish camps. Included among these was an elegant, well struck James I English Rose-ryal that sold for $13,800, and a lovely Russo-Polish 50 Z?oytch from Tsar Alexander I that was highly sought after and brought a remarkable $12,075. (more…)

On September 24, 2008, Stack’s will present the Autumn Sale, a diverse offering of U.S. coins that features selections from the Bunting, the M.N. Davis, and the Frank Ford, Jr. collections. Beginning at 1:00 pm in Stack’s own auction gallery at 110 West 57th Street in New York City, the Autumn Sale could be rightly termed a “collector’s sale,” for it offers many exciting rarities that are supported by a broad base of high quality, more mainstream coins.

Colonial and early American coins lead off our sale in the traditional fashion and take us straight into early Federal issues. Notable among these coins is a solid example of a 1793 half cent in VF-20 (PCGS). A well-loved rarity, the 1793 half cent has always been heavily pursued by collectors; the present coin is an excellent example that will fit nicely into any serious half cent collection. Minor coinage continues to impress, with a beautiful 1865 silver 3¢ piece graded Proof-67 by NGC. With only one coin certified as finer by NGC, this example is likely one of the finest known examples on the market today.

U.S. half dimes and dimes offer an admirable selection of coins to choose from, including a 1795 half dime in MS-62 (PCGS), as well as a fabulous 1921-D Mercury dime graded MS-67 FB by NGC. With no coins certified finer by NGC, and no examples certified finer than MS-66 FB by PCGS, this coin represents the utmost in quality and is certainly among the finest survivors of the series. Quarters and half dollars also provide the bidder with good opportunities to acquire major U.S. rarities, as well as the chance to add some more affordable coins to your collection. Highlights here include a richly toned Ex Ashland City 1846 Proof quarter graded Proof-65 (NGC) and a rare 1874-CC Arrows half dollar graded AU-58 (PCGS) (CAC), in addition to the splendid variety of early half dollars offered in between.

Silver dollars will surely be a source of much bidding activity, with an outstanding selection of nice (and affordable!) early dollars offered in the lower grades, punctuated by many high-grade pieces like a 1797 B-1 Draped Bust dollar in AU-55 (PCGS) and a 1799/8 15 Stars Reverse specimen in MS-61 (NGC). Also to note is an exceptional 1803 B-5 dollar graded MS-63 by NGC, a coin that is among the top survivors of both the date and die variety. (more…)

View the Stacks Sale Taking Place September 10th

Coin collectors are in for an eclectic and fascinating Numismatic odyssey when they turn the pages of the upcoming Coin Galleries September 10th Mail and Internet Bid Sale. Packed inside the hefty catalog of over 3,000 lots of coins, medals, tokens, Orders and Decorations, and paper money is an old-time collection of Ancient Greek and Roman coins; specialized offerings of Axumite and Ethiopian, Danish coins and Danish possessions; an extensive run of Russian coins; a host of Bryan Money; selections from the Michael Ringo Collection and much more.

Billowing the sails of the Ancient section is the Bay State Collection of Greek and Roman coins which was formed largely in the 1930s and 1940s. Among its broad spectrum of Roman Republican and Imperatorial coins is a very rare Oath-taking Denarius of the Marsic Confederation issued during the Social Wars (Lot 205), and an important Caesar Aureus Overstrike (Lot 287).

Greek highlights include a Celtic Gold Stater of the Veneti with its intriguing chariot drawn by a human-headed horse (Lot 501); a magnificent Rhegion Tetradrachm, struck ca. 415/410-387 B.C. (Lot 521); and a finely-styled Archaic Athenian Tetradrachm (Lot 578). Additional Roman Rarities include a Choice “Spanish Homage” Denarius of Gnaeus Pompey Junior as Imperator, struck in Corduba, 46-45 B.C. (Lot 654) and an Asia mint-issue Sestertius of Augustus, struck ca. 25 B.C. which features a superb portrait of the architect of the Roman Empire.

Following the Ancient section is a collection of Coins and Medals of Ethiopia. Here, collectors will joyfully find one of Coin Galleries largest offerings of Axumite coins to date (e.g. Lot 799), a pleasing selection of Menelik II coins, including Patterns and Ethiopian Medals (e.g. Lot 830, Lot 829). (more…)