SANTA ANA, CA.(August 10, 2017) — 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.
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 80-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 Norweb Collection, The Cardinal Collection and The Battle Born Collection — to name just a few. World coin and currency collections include The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection of World Gold Coins, The Kroisos Collection, The Alicia and Sidney Belzberg Collection, The Wa She Wong Collection, The Guia Collection, The Thos. H. Law Collection, and The Robert O. Ebert Collection.
Topping off this amazing numismatic history is the inclusion of the world record for the highest price ever realized at auction for a rare coin, the 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar graded Specimen-66 (PCGS) that realized over $10 million, part of their sale of the famed Cardinal Collection. The company is headquartered in Santa Ana, California, with offices in New York, Wolfeboro, Hong Kong, and Paris. Stack’s Bowers Galleries is an Official Auctioneer for several important numismatic conventions, including American Numismatic Association events, the New York International Numismatic Convention, the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Spring, Summer and Winter Expos, and its April and August Hong Kong Auctions.
