The most anticipated
numismatic offering of the summer crossed the auction block last week in lot 2113 of
the Stack’s Bowers Galleries 2017 ANA World’s Fair of Money Auction. Coin
collectors from around the world focused their attention on the Colorado
Convention Center in Denver as one of the most famous examples of America’s
first silver dollar was offered at public auction for the first time in nearly
three decades. After great excitement and fierce bidding, $2.8 million was
realized for this historic treasure.
Certified MS-64 (PCGS)
and approved by Certified Acceptance Corporation, this near-Gem is one of the
finest known examples of the 1,758 silver dollars struck bearing this inaugural
date. Fewer than 150 examples are thought to remain. The stunning example
offered is fourth finest in the Condition Census and third finest among all
Mint State 1794 Flowing Hair dollars seen by PCGS.
This specimen has a
fascinating but familiar story, following the sale just two years ago of its
sibling, the MS-66+ (PCGS) Lord St. Oswald-Ostheimer 1794 dollar, in the
Stack’s Bowers Galleries D. Brent Pogue Collection, Part II sale. In that September 2015
auction, the Pogue counterpart realized $4,993,750.
These two 1794 silver dollars
had been obtained by English gentleman farmer William Strickland on his tour of
the young United States from September 20, 1794 to July 29, 1795. During his
visit, Strickland journeyed throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic, even
meeting with Thomas Jefferson at Monticello and with then-President George
Washington at Mount Vernon. The two coins were among a diverse group of 84
federal and pre-federal coins gathered during his 10 months in America and they
remained together for the first 170 years of their existence, until they were
offered as part of the Lord St. Oswald cabinet by Christie’s in 1964.
The sale of the MS-64
(PCGS) CAC Lord St. Oswald-Norweb example in the Stack’s Bowers 2017 ANA
Auction is the second offering of a significant 1794 dollar by the firm in this
year’s auction season, following the sale of the AU-58+ (PCGS) CAC Miles-Blue Moon
example this past March for just under $1 million.
Over the years, Stack’s Bowers
Galleries has forged a legacy of handling the very finest 1794 dollars extant,
including having sold every known Mint State example at least once over the
past three decades. The Specimen-66 (PCGS) Carter-Cardinal-Morelan 1794 silver
dollar, sold by the firm in January 2013,
set the record for the highest auction price realized for any coin at over $10
million.
Accompanied by rarities
like the 1853-O No Arrows half dollar in lot 2099 ($517,000)
and the incredible Gem Red Brown 1796 Draped Bust cent in lot 2013
($235,000), the $2.8 million sale of the Lord St. Oswald-Norweb 1794 dollar
marks another success for Stack’s Bowers Galleries as an official auctioneer of
the ANA World’s Fair of Money. For more information about the firm’s upcoming
auctions, visit www.StacksBowers.com or call
1-800-458-4646 for more details.
