The Stack’s Bowers Galleries August 2024 Showcase Auction saw intense collector interest as strong bids poured in from collectors around the world and across the United States. The two live U.S. Currency sessions realized nearly $6 million, as impressive highlights and seldom offered rarities crossed the auction block, with items from the Porter and Eric Agnew collections performing admirably. (All prices include the buyer’s fee.)
Leading the highlights was lot 21117, an Fr. 203 1863 $50 Interest Bearing Note from the Porter Collection. One of just eight currently recorded and graded Very Fine 25 by PMG, this note sold for $126,000 against a high estimate of $120,000. Also from the same collection, lot 21364, a “Regular Paper” Fr. 1609* Experimental $1 Silver Certificate graded Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ by PMG brought $36,000 against a $25,000 high estimate.
One of just 5,000 printed and the finest known survivor, an exceptionally rare Fr. 17 1862 $1 Legal Tender Note (PMG Choice Very Fine 35 EPQ) in lot 21010 realized $45,600 against a high estimate of $30,000. Another American Civil War era rarity in lot 21115, a Fr. 196a 1863 $10 Interest Bearing Note graded Choice Very Fine 35 by PMG, exceeded its high estimate of $30,000, reaching $36,000 once bidding had ended.
Various California National Gold Bank Notes from the Eric Agnew Collection were offered and met strong realizations. Among these historically significant notes from the early decades of California statehood, lot 20220, a $20 National Gold Bank Note graded Choice Fine 15 by PMG and issued by the First National Gold Bank of San Francisco (Charter# 1741) brought $22,800 against its high estimate of $17,500. This result portends strong demand for National Gold Bank Notes in future auctions and for subsequent offerings of this type from the Eric Agnew Collection.
Other notable U.S. currency highlights from the August 2024 Global Showcase Auction include:
Lot 20086. T-27. Confederate Currency. 1861 $10. PMG Very Fine 25. This note realized $20,400 against a high estimate of $15,000 reflecting its seldom offered quality.
Lot 20322. Fort Benton, Montana Territory. $5 1875. Fr. 404. The First NB. Charter #2476. PMG About Uncirculated 53. Realized $40,800.
Lot 20325. Auburn, Nebraska. $100 1902 Red Seal. Fr. 686. The First NB of Auburn. Charter #3343. PMG Very Fine 25. One of four examples of this exceedingly rare type and denomination recorded for Nebraska realized $66,000.
Lot 20323. Uncut Sheet of (6) Hamilton, Montana. $5 1929 Ty. 1. Fr. 1800-1. First NB. Charter #9486. PMG About Uncirculated 55 EPQ. Serial Number 1. This remarkable uncut sheet from a rare state brought $28,800.
Lot 20332. Salem, New Jersey. $100 Original. Fr. 454a. The Salem National Banking Company. Charter #1326. PMG Choice Very Fine 35 Net. Restoration. The sole example of this type and denomination from the Garden State realized $114,000.
Lot 21100. Fr. 153. 1875 $50 Legal Tender Note. PMG Very Fine 20. One of two publicly held examples, $102,000 was realized eclipsing this note’s previous result of $72,000 in March 2020.
Lot 21113. Fr. 190b. 1864 $10 Compound Interest Treasury Note. PMG Very Fine 25. Very few examples of this denomination and type have survived and this example more than doubled its high estimate realizing $18,000.
Lot 21118. Fr. 212d-I. July 15th, 1865 $50 Interest Bearing Note. PMG Very Fine 20. The Plate Note in various editions of the Friedberg text realized $108,000.
Lot 21199. Fr. 285a. 1878 $10 Silver Certificate. PMG Choice Fine 15. One of eight recorded examples for the Friedberg number realized $22,800.
Lot 21272. Fr. 776. 1918 $2 Federal Reserve Bank Note. Dallas. PMG Choice Uncirculated 63 EPQ. Serial Number 1. One of three theoretically available and bearing Serial Number 1, this note realized $40,800 eclipsing its January 2016 auction appearance where it realized $35,250.
Complete results for the Stack’s Bowers Galleries August 2024 Global Showcase Auction are available at StacksBowers.com. For information about consigning to one of the firm’s upcoming Showcase or Online auctions call 800-458-4646 or email Consign@StacksBowers.com.
About Stack’s Bowers Galleries
Stack’s Bowers Galleries conducts live, internet and specialized auctions of rare U.S. and world coins and currency and ancient coins, as well as direct sales through retail and wholesale channels. The company’s 90+ year legacy includes the cataloging and sale of many of the most valuable United States coin and currency collections to ever cross an auction block — The D. Brent Pogue Collection, The John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, The Joel R. Anderson Collection, The Norweb Collection, The Cardinal Collection, The Sydney F. Martin Collection and The Battle Born Collection — to name just a few.
World coin and currency collections include The Pinnacle Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection of World Gold Coins, The Kroisos Collection, The Alicia and Sidney Belzberg Collection, The Salton Collection, The Wa She Wong Collection, the Augustana Collection of gold rarities from across western Europe, the Richard Margolis Collection of world coins and medals and The Thos. H. Law Collection. Recently the firm was awarded the privilege of bringing the most valuable world coin collection to auction – the L. E. Bruun Collection.
The company is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, with galleries in New York, Boston and Philadelphia. Offices are also located in New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Sacramento, South Carolina, Virginia, Copenhagen, Hong Kong, Paris and Vancouver. Stack’s Bowers Galleries hosts an annual Global Showcase in August featuring United States coins and currency, Ancient coins and World coins and currency in its Costa Mesa auction gallery. They are also the Official Auctioneer for several important numismatic events, including the New York International Numismatic Convention, the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Spring, Summer and Winter Expos, the Spring and Fall Hong Kong shows, and the Maastricht Paper Money shows.
