By size (though not value), the dime is the smallest coin used regularly in the United States, with a diameter of just under 18 millimeters. In the past, particularly during the 19th century, this wasn’t always the case. The half dime (same face value as today’s nickel, but made out of silver) was just 15.5 millimeters across ...
Full Article: Little Coins Get a Little Bit Bigger - Heritage Blog
The Norweb Collection was a legend while still owned by its namesake family, and while two decades have passed since the three auctions that dispersed most of it, time has only added to its importance to collectors.
Quality and rarity are the chief watchwords; no discussion of early copper, colonials, proof silver, or early and Southern-Western gold would be complete without acknowledging the Norweb influence and legacy. Rarities such ...
Full Article: The Norweb-Bass MS66 1911-D Quarter Eagle - CoinLink
The last heavy stages of cataloging for Heritage’s Official ANA Auction next month are underway. Cataloging life is never more stressful than in “the crunch,” but at the same time, it doesn’t get any more interesting. It’s impossible to predict what will come next!
For me, this past Friday was the most interesting ...
Full Article: Fifty Large, Heritage Auction Galleries' style - Heritage Blog
A 1943-S Cent Struck on a Bronze Planchet, VF35 PCGS, an amazing 20th Century Branch Mint error rarity, proved itself once again as one of the most sought after error coins in U.S. numismatics when it soared to an impressive $207,500 tally as part of Heritage Auctions Feb. 4-7 Long Beach, CA Signature® U.S. Coin Auction.
All told the Heritage Long Beach event realized $8.76 million as almost 4,000 bidders competed for the rarities in this focused offering. All prices include 15% Buyer’s Premium.
"By certain standards this was indeed a small auction, but we’re thrilled with the prices," said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auction Galleries. "The market is definitely on the rise. We saw 91.2% of lots sold by value, and 93.7% sold by number of lots. Those are good numbers."
Full Article: Error Cent Brings $207,000 - CoinNews.net
One of the broad styles or modes of collecting coins, type collecting consists of acquiring and owning a series of coins, each representative of a subset, or “type” of coin. A type set of double eagles, for example, would include coins exemplifying its various designs over the years, both long-lived (such as the “Type Three” Liberty double eagle with denomination spelled out as TWENTY DOLLARS, struck from 1877 to 1907) and short-lived (the High Relief Saint-Gaudens double eagle was made only briefly in the latter year) ...
Full Article: The 1904 Double Eagle, Playing to Type - Heritage Blog
I had something of a "throwback moment" recently, reading through a copy of the "Greysheet" for the first time since — was it my internship here in the summer of 2004, or all the way back in 2002, when I was still in high school?
The Greysheet, more formally known as the COIN DEALER newsletter [sic], is a weekly publication listing "bid and ask" - suggested "buy" and "sell" prices - for many collectible U.S. coins in a variety of grades. The Greysheet, named for the signature color of its paper, has been a coin-shop staple since ...
Full Article: Coin Monday: ‘Well, now, I wouldn’t say that!’ - Heritage Blog
In fields such as fine art and jewelry, market commentators have pointed out the growing divide between the best and the rest. Heritage Auction Galleries' Platinum Night U.S. coin auction at the January Florida United Numismatists shows that more than ever, well-heeled collectors are all gravitating toward a handful of landmark rarities.
The performance of top rarities at auction is important because ...
Full Article: The best and the rest - Coin Values
The Canadiana Collection dominates auction action at The Waldorf Astoria, Jan. 3-4, 2010.
NEW YORK — Heritage Auctions’ World Coins division kicked off 2010 with a bang over the New Year’s weekend at the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan, setting an in-house record total with its $11 million+ Signature® World Coin Auction, Jan. 3-4, with the most famous Canadian coin in existence, the best of three known George V 1936 Dot Cents, leading all coins with a final price realized of $402,500. All prices include a 15% Buyer’s Premium.
"We don’t see any weakness in the World Coin market right now," said Cristiano Bierrenbach, Director of International Sales at Heritage Auctions. "It almost seems strange to say it, but it’s true. Usually one area or another will show some kind of slowdown, but there were a record amount of bidders vying for almost every coin in this auction, especially The Canadiana Collection, as the more than 90% sell-through rate indicates."
The Canadiana Collection did indeed top all ...
Full Article: Heritage's $11M NYINC Auction, Canadian Dot Cent $402K - CoinNews
As happens every year, Heritage’s official auction of the F.U.N. convention attracts the finest consignments of great coins. Nothing exemplifies this more than The Ralph P. Muller Collection of Twenty Dollar Saints, an incredible 59 pieces from the Saint-Gaudens series of double eagles, valued in the many millions of dollars. Every circulation strike example in the series is included, except for the ...
Full Article: Muller $20 Saint Coin Collection Highlights F.U.N. Offerings - CoinLink