Gold Hot in Heritage's May 2008 Long Beach $26.5 Million Auction Top prices realized of $161,000 were reached by two very different coins in Heritage Auction Galleries' May 28-30, 2008 Signature® in Long Beach
distinguished by the presence or absence of a rim break at the top of the obverse, over star 7.
http://www.HA.com/1108-83072&type=prte-pr060208a
Lot 937: 1871-CC dollar AU58 NGC.
Realized: $40,250
Another of the Carson City Mint's rare silver coins, the entire mintage of 1,376 1871-CC dollars (a figure more suited to 18th century American gold than 19th century silver) was struck in August of that year. Only four known finer.
http://www.HA.com/1108-33038&type=prte-pr060208a
Lot 2201: (1797) New York Theatre Penny Token, D&H-Middlesex-167, Rulau-E-NY-892, PR64 Brown PCGS. Realized: $40,250
The obverse shows THE THEATRE AT NEW YORK (Park Theater), which opened in New York City on Monday, January 29, 1798 with a performance of 'As You Like It.' The token is one of the nicest of the British Conder series. Ex: 2007 Milwaukee Signature Auction (Heritage, 8/2007), lot 1523, which realized $32,200.
http://www.HA.com/1108-1871&type=prte-pr060208a
Lot 2514: 1884-S Morgan dollar, MS63 PCGS.
Realized: $40,250
The 1884-S is the first truly elusive S-mint Morgan dollar one encounters in the series from 1878-S forward.
http://www.HA.com/1108-327001&type=prte-pr060208a
Lot 3785: (1837-42) C. Bechtler half eagle, 134G, With Star, MS63 NGC. K-20, R.4. Realized: $39,100
This variety is plentiful and widely available in better grades, making it a favorite of both type and specialty collectors.
http://www.HA.com/1108-215014&type=prte-pr060208a
Lot 801: 1795 Flowing Hair, Two Leaves dollar, B-3, BB-11, R.5, AU50 NGC. CAC.
Realized: $37,375
A "Silver Plugged" example created in 1795, as a thin silver sliver was added to the blank planchet to increase its weight -- by punching a hole in the planchet and inserting the sliver, which extended slightly past the planchet surface.
http://www.HA.com/1108-168004&type=prte-pr060208a
Lot 2723: 1880 Morgan dollar, PR68 Cameo PCGS. Ex: JFS Collection.
Realized: $37,375
In 1880, all of the Philadelphia Mint silver dollars featured the Slanted Arrow Feather reverse, also called Type of 1879; total production of proofs was 1,355 coins.
http://www.HA.com/1108-340001&type=prte-pr060208a
Lot 2140: 1776 Continental Dollar, CURRENCY, EG FECIT, Pewter, AU53 NGC. Crosby Pl. VIII, Newman 3-D, Breen-1095, R.3.
Realized: $35,794
The Continental dollars may have been intended to retire circulating Continental paper currency, or have served as a pattern for a planned issuance of silver dollars. What is nearly certain is that Elisha Gallaudet is the EG who engraved at least one set of dies--hence the EG FECIT on this variety.
http://www.HA.com/1108-283044&type=prte-pr060208a
Lot 2270: 1868 Indian cent, MS66 Red PCGS.
Realized: $35,650
The 1868 Indian cent reminds us that sometimes mintage figures can completely obfuscate the truth regarding current rarity; this is one of the three finest certified at PCGS. From The Estate of Robert R. Rollins Collection, Part One.
http://www.HA.com/1108-12013&type=prte-pr060208a
Lot 1822: 1652 Pine Tree Sixpence, Noe-33, MS63 PCGS.
Realized: $34,513
The obverse has pellets flanking the tree trunk, much like the Noe-1 shilling, and suggests that these pieces may have been made at about the same time. Only one example of this variety has been certified finer. Ex: David Proskey (11/28/1903); F.C.C. Boyd; John J. Ford, Jr. (Stack's, 10/2005), lot 136 Q; I FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2007), lot 711. From The Liberty Collection of American Colonial
