PCGS Blog

Wow…Report from first ANA auctions

Posted on August 9, 2010 by David Hall

I attended the Bowers and Merena auction on Saturday and the Stack’s auction today (Sunday) in Boston. I can tell you there is no economic slowdown in today’s coin market. Prices, while a little mixed overall…which is how it usually is in all auctions, were quite strong overall. This was especially true in three areas: Gem Two Cent pieces, rare $10 Liberties, and O-Mint $20 Liberties.

Bowers and Merena sold one of the best sets of Two Cent pieces ever assembled and the prices were super strong. Here are a few of the prices that were way over the PCGS price guide;

1864 Small Motto PR65CAM $161,000 (PCGS Price Guide was $100,000)

1864 Large Motto PR65RD CAM an incredible $20,700

1865 PR65RD CAM $9,775

1866 PR66CAM $20,700

1870 PR66+RD $24,457

1871 PR66RD CAM $24,437

1872 PR66RD $14,950

1873 Closed 3 PR67RD $52,900 (just a little over the PCGS price guide, but perhaps the coolest coin in the set. Laura bought it!

Stack’s had a nearly complete set of high grade Early $10 and $10 Liberties. The prices on some of the rare $10 liberties were way over our Price Guide, examples;

1842-O MS61 sold for a mind boggling $74,750 versus the PCGS Price Guide of $20,000

1848-O AU55 $12,650

1853-O catalogued as “Specimen 61″ $316,250

1862 AU58 $25,300

1863 $27,600 which I had to buy as it was one of only two coins I needed to complete my personal collection of $10 Liberties…and they really made me pay for it.

1864 AU53 $23,000

I was talking to Dave Bowers before the sale and he told me he thought $10 Liberties were the most underappreciated gold series. You wouldn’t have known it from his auction prices.

I also tried to buy some O Mint $20 Liberties as I feel they are great coins, but I didn’t even get close. Those coins are always very hard to buy.

There were two Ultra Rarities that sold in the B&M auction for about what they should have sold for.

1870-S Seated Dollar EF45 $632,500

1854-O $20 Liberty $517,500

I’ll BLOG after the Wednesday Heritage Platinum Night auction and later in the show. This should be a great ANA!