In a full day’s sale, Stack’s sold $10,691,677 worth of numismatic material and fine minerals, an impressive one-day tally that surpassed pre-auction expectations. The diverse nature of the lots offered – from American Bank Note Company plates to new discoveries in the American series to rare gold crystals – resulted in strong participation in-person and through internet and phone venues.

Among colonial coins, the leader was not much to look at but was rich with history. One of the rarest of all colonial coins, the ca. 1658-59 Maryland denarium is the first American copper coin and is known by only a handful of specimens. Lot 213 was found by a Virginia metal detectorist before being consigned to Stack’s; it sold for a robust $41,400.

Early American copper coins starred a lovely example of the 1796 With Pole half cent, graded MS-61 BN by NGC. After opening at $92,000, the well-pedigreed key date coin saw active competition before the hammer finally fell at $218,500. It was the second highest priced coin in the sale.