Formed over the past 25 years, the Centennial Collection of rare territorial gold coins and national bank notes from the state of Colorado is being auctioned by GreatCollections over four Sundays in June.

Among the coins are high grade examples of Clark, Gruber & Co. pioneer gold coins, including an 1860 Pikes Peak $10 eagle, with its fanciful depiction of a mountain, graded Professional Coin Grading Service MS-62 with CAC approval. The coin, in an old PCGS holder, exhibits red toning on the gold and original luster.

A gem 1860 Clark, Gruber & Co. $5 gold half eagle coin, graded PCGS MS-65 with a CAC sticker, is another highlight among the coins.

In paper money, aside from the exceedingly rare undated (1861) Colorado Territory Clark, Gruber & Co. $5 bank note that has not appeared on the market in almost 20 years, there is an extensive collection of national bank notes representing over 50 different towns.

One of the highlights of national bank notes is the unique Series 1882 $5 Brown Back note from the First National Bank of Creede with serial number 1. Just a few months after the bank opened, a major fire destroyed most of the business district, including the bank’s building. For over 100 years, not a single note was known from this town and county, until this lone example was discovered in 2012. It is widely believed to be one of the most important bank notes known from Colorado and sold for over $100,000 in its only auction appearance over 10 years ago.

“It is always a privilege to sell collections of coins and paper money that took decades to assemble, and it’s particularly fulfilling and an honor when the consignor is a numismatic professional,” said Ian Russell, president of GreatCollections.

The consignor of the Centennial collection has spent his whole career dealing in U.S. gold coins.  He started his personal collection focused on his home state of Colorado about 25 years ago, carefully procuring coins and bank notes with superior eye appeal. Many of the coins and notes are ranked in the finest few known of their issue.

All coins and notes in the Centennial Collection of Colorado are offered unreserved, with bidding ending over four Sundays in June. To view the collection in full, visit www.greatcollections.com/colorado.

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