On March 2nd and 3rd, Stack’s will present items from The Eliasberg & Krause Collections, along with many other important numismatics properties at the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland.

The sale includes items from over 80 consignors and offers over 2,500 lots of coins, tokens, medals, and currency.

In addition to the pieces offered from the Eliasberg & Krause Collections, Stack’s will proudly feature the Peter Scherff Collection of Colonial Coins, the Alan Bleviss Collection of Civil War Tokens Part IV, and selections from the Collection of Jerry Byrne, Sr.

Session One: U.S. Tokens, Medals, and Americana; U.S. Coins

Lot 40 – Ohio, Ashland. (1861-65) Ella Buchanan. Watchmaker. Fuld Rarity-9. MS-62 (NGC).

A modest selection of Hard Times tokens leads us into Part IV of the Alan Bleviss Collection of Civil War Tokens. This particular offering from this immense collection features nearly 300 lots of Ohio store cards. One interesting piece is a rare brass Ella Buchanan token from Ashland that was struck over a McClellan for President token! Cleveland issues include a rare A. & H. token, a Rarity-9 copper piece that is graded MS-63 BN by NGC. Following this piece is a somewhat cryptic Brattin token in copper-nickel; these were probably issued by the watchmaker as repair receipts and not intended as a currency substitute. Urbana tokens feature a copper C. McCarty token in MS-63 (NGC) and an MS-64 RB (NGC) example of the rare Walker’s Ale Depot issue in copper.

Lot 505 – 1855 large cent. N-10. Rarity-5. Slanted 55.
Proof-66 BN (PCGS).

The second half of Session One is comprised of U.S. coins from half cents through quarters, silver and gold commemoratives, sets and errors. Half cents feature a wonderfully appealing and desirable 1794 C-2a example in AU-55 (PGS) from the Pittman Collection and large cents provide a startling high grade Proof 1855 N-10 example. This Slanted 55 variety is graded Proof-66 BN by PCGS, and no Proof of this date has been certified finer in any color designation by PCGS. (more…)

By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com

In their recently concluded January 2010 Americana sale held in New York, there were two record-setting Dahlonega gold coins that I think are worth taking a closer look at. What were these two pieces and why did they sell for as much money as they did?

The first piece was an 1861-D gold dollar graded AU53 by PCGS. I had sold this exact coin a few years ago and was familiar with it. It was very high end for the date and grade and, by today’s standards, would probably grade AU55 to AU58. I expected that it would bring around $40,000 or so. It sold for $57,500. I believe that this is an all-time record price for a circulated 1861-D dollar.

This coin did so well for a number of reasons. The first, obviously, is that it was a nice coin. 1861-D gold dollars are not well-known for having good eye appeal and the last few that have been available have either been damaged or not terrifically appealing. The second is that there is currently an unprecedented demand for this date. The 1861-D dollar is an indisputably cool coin and a lot of people are looking for coins like this right now. Given the supply/demand ratio, it seemed likely that this coin would sell for a strong price but, again, I was pretty stunned at it bringing close to $60,000.

What would this coin have sold for in another environment? Probably a lot less. One thing about auctions is that it only takes two people to really want a coin and it can sell for a ton of money. If I had owned this exact 1861-D dollar and put it on my website, I’m sure my asking price would have been in the low $40’s and I might have not even expected to get that much money for it. But now that the bar has been raised for the 1861-D dollar, I expect that the next one offered will be priced enthusiastically, to say the least. (more…)

Over the last two days, Stack’s held its annual January Americana in its private gallery in New York City. The sale began with a packed auction room and saw spirited and competitive bidding throughout both sessions.

Over 3,000 lots were sold, and $5 million worth of material changed hands. Properties from over 125 consignors were showcased in this sale, and included items from the Manhattan Collection, the Maryland Historical Society, the Clinton Sherwood Ward Collection of U.S. Gold Coins, Clem Schettino Collection of New Jersey Coppers, the Museum of the Fur Trade, the Alan Bleviss Collection of Civil War Tokens, Part III, and medals from the family of Charles E. Barber.

American Paper Currency began the sale, and Obsolete Currency led the way. The second lot of the sale was an exceptionally rare California and Salt Lake Mail Line $10 note, a note that was not represented in the Ford Collection and is only the second of its kind that we have catalogued. This very rare type is in Very Fine condition and sold for $18,400. Hawaiian obsolete currency offered the rare six-piece set of Lahainaluna Seminary scrip notes, a beautiful set of “token” currency that sold for $14,375. Obsolete notes also featured the exceedingly rare and important Union Bank of Missouri $5 note issued from the branch in Kansas City that sold for $8,050. New York notes showcased a breathtaking Ontario County Bank $1 Proof note from Phelps, NY that was once part of the Ford Collection. This Gem Uncirculated note sold for an impressive $8,625.

Colonial currency lots boasted the extremely rare New York 1709 Twenty Five Shillings in Very Fine condition. Only 800 notes of this denomination were authorized, and competition for this prize was fierce to the tune of $17,250. Vermont colonials offered the newly discovered example of the 1781 Half a Crown note. This item, graded Fine-15 by PMG, came to us via the Museum of the Fur Trade and was reportedly obtained in the Washington, D.C. area in the 1960s before that. It joined a new collection after a top bid of $12,650. (more…)