Category: Press Releases


July 2008 Baltimore ANA Signature and Platinum Night Auction Passes $40 Million

1825/4 $5 AU50 NGCDallas, TX. Heritage Auction Galleries has set the record for the most valuable ANA Auction ever! Significant and classic rarities from all series in American numismatics, most of them offered in the Platinum Night catalogs, smashed the previous record of $27.7 million set last year at the Milwaukee ANA event. The auction was held in Baltimore July 30 - Aug. 3, in conjunction with the World’s Fair of Money summer convention of the American Numismatic Association. Total prices realized for the American coins are currently $41,022,713, and will rise further when the post auction buys are finalized.

“This was Heritage’s 38th Official ANA Auction, a record in itself!” enthused Heritage C.E.O. Steve Ivy. “We were very pleased with our results in Milwaukee last year, and we think Baltimore has demonstrated the absolute strength of the market for important and high quality coins. Such high prices realized also mean a record-setting check will be provided to the ANA to support their educational and membership programs. We also take great pride that our total was 50% higher than our previous ANA record, and double that accomplished by any other ANA auctioneer. Heritage delivered for the ANA.”

“The great rarities included in this auction were simply dazzling,” commented Heritage President Greg Rohan. “Among the 400 consignors participating, several of the ‘named’ collections did especially well. Before the auction we predicted that many records would be set, and we were not disappointed! Ed Price’s marvelous - and unique - collection of early dime and quarter eagle varieties realized $5.7 million, Stephen Stokely’s Registry Collection of $20 Saint-Gaudens exceeded $2 million, Part Four of the Phil Kaufman Collection of Early Proof Sets brought in another $1.4 million, and the DMPL Morgans of the “Gift of Undeserved Favor” Collection realized a similar total. Of course, the ANA-donation luncheon with Jim Halperin topped $12,000!”

Two important lots tied for the most valuable in the auction, at $690,000 each: Lot 1406, a 1792 Disme, Judd-10, High R.6, PR62 Brown NGC from the Ed Price Collection, and Lot 1955, an 1825/4 $5, AU50 NGC BD-2, R.8, once thought to be a unique issue.

GOLDLINE ACQUIRES ROYAL CANADIAN MINT’S UNIQUELY DESIGNED 2008 “FIRST STRIKE” OF PUREST GOLD MAPLE LEAF COINS

Certified Limited Editions of the World’s Purest Official Mint Coin

uniquely designed 2008 .99999 pure gold one-ounce Maple LeafSanta Monica, Calif. - August 4, 2008 - Goldline International, Inc. today announced it has acquired the very first uniquely designed 2008 .99999 pure gold one-ounce Maple Leaf coins struck by the Royal Canadian Mint. These coins have been independently certified by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), one of the premier coin grading services, to be the first seventeen hundred 2008 .99999 pure Maple Leaf coins. The overwhelming majority of these “First Strike” coins are graded in Superb Gem Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) condition. Each graded coin will be sonically sealed in a rigid plastic container to preserve its mint condition. The PCGS certification includes a unique serial number for each coin.

The .99999 Maple Leaf was introduced by the Royal Canadian Mint in 2007 as the purest gold coin struck by a government mint. The original Maple Leaf coin was first minted in 1979 and contained .999 pure gold. In 1982, the Royal Canadian Mint increased the Maple Leaf’s purity to .9999 (or 24 karat), setting a new benchmark for gold bullion coins. The Royal Canadian Mint raised the standard once again with its .99999 Maple Leaf. The .99999 Maple Leaf features a new, elegant maple leaf gracing the reverse and a 12-sided design.

“When Canada increased the gold content of the Maple Leaf to .99999 fine, it set an unsurpassed standard for gold investment products,” said Mark Albarian, President and Chief Executive Officer of Santa Monica-based Goldline International, Inc. “The independently graded and certified 2008 First Strike .99999 Maple Leafs offer collectors and the investment community a special gold coin at a time when investors are seeking a traditional safe haven hedge against inflation and a falling dollar.”

For more information about these 2008 First Strike Maple Leaf gold coins, please visit www.99999mapleleaf.com or call 1-800-827-4653.

United States Mint and The Hermitage to Introduce New Andrew Jackson Presidential $1 Coin to the Nation at Old Hickory’s Home Near Nashville

Andrew Jackson Presidential DollarThe Andrew Jackson Presidential $1 Coin goes into circulation across the country on August 14, 2008, and an event at The Hermitage, President Jackson’s home near Nashville, Tenn. will introduce the coin to the Nation. United States Mint Deputy Director Andrew Brunhart will join Richard Cowart, the past regent of The Hermitage Board of Directors, on the front lawn of the historic mansion in a ceremonial “pour” of thousands of Andrew Jackson Presidential $1 Coins. The public is invited and may exchange their dollar bills for Andrew Jackson Presidential $1 Coins.

There will be free admission to the grounds (only). Each child under 18 years old attending will receive a free Andrew Jackson Presidential $1 Coin.

Andrew Jackson served two terms in office from 1829 to 1837. Prior to becoming President, he was the first person from Tennessee to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and he also was elected to the U.S. Senate. Jackson served as major general in the War of 1812 and was commander of U.S. forces that defeated the British at the battle of New Orleans. He was known as “Old Hickory” due to his reputation for being very tough. He dominated American politics for many years.

The United States Mint has issued more than one billion Presidential $1 Coins in the order the Presidents served, starting with the George Washington Presidential $1 Coin in February 2007. Andrew Jackson was the seventh President, and he is being honored with the seventh Presidential $1 Coin.

WHAT: Introduction of the new Andrew Jackson Presidential $1 Coin

For video and audio production: Thousands of shiny, new Andrew Jackson Presidential $1 Coins will be poured from United States Mint bags onto a table to “present” the coin to the Nation. (more…)

Kagin’s Offers $5,000 Reward for Standish Barry Counter-marked Coin

Photo info: The Eliasberg Collection's unique 1735 imitation Lima 8 escudos with Standish Barry counter-marks. Photo credit: Stack'sA $5,000 finder’s fee reward is being offered by Kagin’s, Inc. of Tiburon, California for confirmation of the second known gold coin counter-stamped with the genuine hallmark of Baltimore silversmith, Standish Barry. The only coin now known with the hallmark is the unique 1735 imitation Lima 8 escudos that was found in the collection of legendary Baltimore banker, Louis E. Eliasberg Sr.

Announcement of the finder’s reward was made by Donald H. Kagin, Ph.D., President of Kagin’s, when he displayed the counter-stamped doubloon at the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money convention.

“This is the first time it has been back in Baltimore since Eliasberg’s word coin collection was sold in a public auction in 2005.”

Described at the time of the action as “a highlight of the Eliasberg collection,” it has two, identical “SB” counter-stamps on the reverse, the same oval-shaped hallmark design as found on various early American silverware produced in Barry’s Baltimore workshop.

“Currently, the doubloon is the only coin we know that was countermarked by Barry. There are a small number of 1790-dated Standish Barry three-pence pieces known, but those were struck from regular dies by Barry, and not countermarked,” explained David McCarthy, Kagin’s Senior Numismatist and Researcher.

“We will pay $5,000 just to be the first to see the first, new, authentic Standish Barry-countermarked gold coin, and $1,000 per additional piece for that may turn up. We also will pay $1,000 for the first, genuine silver countermarked piece, and $500 for additional one,” said McCarthy. (more…)

PNG President’s Reaction to New U.S. Gold Coin

Gary Adkins PNG President and Ed Moy, Director of the US Mint(Baltimore, Maryland) — The brief comments below are in conjunction with the unveiling of a new U.S. gold coin, the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle, by United States Mint Director, Ed Moy, at the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money® in the Baltimore Convention Center on July 30, 2008.

“This is one of the most creative products to come from the United States Mint. I believe it will be one of the Mint’s most sought after coins,” stated Gary Adkins of Edina, Minnesota, President of the Professional Numismatists Guild (www.PNGdealers.com), a nonprofit organization composed of many of the nation’s top rare coin experts.

“Virtually every collector would like to own one of the Ultra High Relief gold pieces issued in 1907 because it’s one of the world’s most beautiful coins; however, because of scarcity and strong demand, prices can range from $10,000 and up. The 2009-dated Ultra High Relief Double Eagle gold coins will give collectors a chance to obtain this artistic rendition at a price closer to its actual gold bullion value,” Adkins said.

“In the early 20th century, President Theodore Roosevelt felt our circulating coins lacked artistic appeal, and he commissioned renowned sculptor, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, to create a numismatic work of art. His high relief, raised design was adopted, but after some controversy was quickly changed to lower relief because the coins could not be stacked on top of each other and there were problems with the minting process. The flat relief design that subsequently went into circulation in 1907 perhaps is not as esthetically appealing, but it made for easier commerce in the days when we actually had gold coins in circulation,” PNG President Adkins explained.

The new coin was unveiled by United States Mint Director Ed Moy on the opening day of the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money convention in Baltimore, July 30, 2008. After the presentation, Adkins briefly met with Director Moy and showed him an example of a 1907 High Relief Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle.

Founded in 1953, the Professional Numismatists Guild is a nonprofit organization composed of many of the top rare coin and paper money dealers in the United States and seven other countries. PNG member-dealers must adhere to a strict Code of Ethics in the buying and selling of numismatic merchandise.

For additional information about PNG, call (760) 728-1300 or visit online at www.PNGdealers.com.

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