Stack’s Bowers Galleries’ Official Auction of the 2023 Whitman Winter Expo realized $22,958,460 across a wide range of American numismatic material. Selections from the Sydney F. Martin, Fairmont, Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. and other named collections attracted strong bidder participation over a dozen live and internet only auction sessions. Record prices were realized on many coins, while others brought solid, strong prices, showing continued strength in the numismatic market. (All prices include the buyer’s fee.)
The Rarities Night session heralded the entry of CMQ and CMQ-X approved coins to the numismatic auction realm. These were well received by the bidders and the prices were very strong across the board for these premium quality pieces. This session was anchored by fabulous coins from multiple sources, including the Barbaro Acres, Olds, Dr. William Aden, and Louis E. Eliasberg collections. Among the Eliasberg pieces were two Territorial “trophy” coins which brought the two highest prices in the sale. An 1855 Kellogg & Co. $50 gold piece in PCGS Proof-63 Cameo brought $780,000, while an 1860 Clark, Gruber, & Co “Pikes Peak” $20 in PCGS AU-55 sold for $552,000. Another fabulous Proof gold rarity, the 1907-D Branch Mint Proof double eagle graded Proof-62 by PCGS, realized $432,000. One of fewer than a handful known, it was struck to commemorate the end of the Longacre’s Liberty Head design, as the new Saint-Gaudens type was being ushered into service. A total of 16 coins saw bidding vault them well into six-figure prices.
Further selections of original gold coins from the Fairmont Collection, these from the Kronen Set, brought healthy prices overall. The offering included scarce and rare date half eagles, eagles, and double eagles, the latter denomination showing the highest prices of the session, with Carson City, New Orleans, and San Francisco mint examples garnering strong attention from collectors. Dahlonega mint half eagles also saw considerable bidding action, as this series has seen strong growth since the first offering of Fairmont Collection. An 1872-CC half eagle, Winter 1-B. EF-45 (PCGS) CAC, realized $18,000, an 1875-CC eagle, Winter 1-A. EF-45 (PCGS), brought $22,800 and an 1866-S No Motto double eagle graded AU-53 (PCGS) CAC sold for $45,600.
The annual Winter Expo Auction is also held in conjunction with the Colonial Coin Collectors’ Club (C4). This year’s sale featured Part V of the Sydney F. Martin Collection, which consisted of Betts and Early American medals, Wood’s Hibernia, Voce Populi, and Saint Patrick’s coinage, as well as 1787 Connecticut coppers, Auctori Plebus tokens, and more. Specialists in these fields found extensive and high end offerings that are unlikely to be seen again for many years. Complete prices realized from the Sydney F. Martin Collection Part V are available at StacksBowers.com.
Other colonial-era coinage highlights included a (ca. 1616) Large Portholes Sommer Islands sixpence from the Eliasberg Collection that realized $72,000 and a “1799” (ca. 1800) Washington Funeral Urn medal in gold that sold for $66,000. Impressive pieces from the Muddy River Collection of Massachusetts Silver Coins were actively bid on by collectors of all experience levels. Notable prices included a Rarity-8 1652 Noe-17.5 Oak Tree sixpence that realized $9,600 and a 1652 Noe-6 Large Planchet Pine Tree shilling pedigreed to the Hain and Partrick collections that brought $20,400. The Numismatic Americana session also saw strong bidding, with prices led by a newly discovered 1789 East Florida Carlos IV Proclamation medal (4 reales) that sold for $72,000.
U.S. Paper Money saw considerable action as impressive results throughout the two sessions garnered a total of $2,873,156 in sales. More information is available at StacksBowers.com.
Physical Cryptocurrency has continued to become more popular with each sale, since Stack’s Bowers Galleries’ first public offering of this specialty in November 2021. The November 2023 Physical Cryptocurrency presentation comprised two sessions, with the highest price garnered by a stunning 2011 Casascius 1 Bitcoin that sold for $55,200.
“We are very pleased with the results of our November 2023 Expo auction,” said Brian Kendrella, president of Stack’s Bowers Galleries. “Great coins brought great prices, especially the highest quality pieces approved by CAC or CMQ/CMQ-X. With these services helping to identify the best pieces, buyers can rest assured they are going to get a marvelous addition to their collections.”
Complete prices realized for the Stack’s Bowers Galleries November 2023 Whitman Expo Auction are available at StacksBowers.com. The firm is currently accepting consignments of United States coins, medals, tokens, and paper money for their Spring 2024 Expo Auction. For more information about consigning to this or another upcoming auction 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 nearly 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, and The Thos. H. Law 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, South Carolina, Virginia, 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.
