Coins with major problems provide a value proposition for collectors who may not otherwise be able to afford a certain rarity. Stack’s Bowers Galleries offered a historic 1792 half disme pattern graded by Professional Coin Grading Service as Very Good Details, Holed, a piece unlisted among the 169 examples identified in the 2017 book 1792: Birth of a Nation’s Coinage. 

It sold for $20,400 at the Baltimore Expo Rarities Night auction on May 23. 

Inside Coin World: Spotlight on two 1916-S dimes: Columns found only in the June 17 issue of “Coin World” look at 1916-S dimes, death from cleaning coins, and counterfeiter biographies.

The cataloger wrote, “The hole through the B of LIBERTY is smooth and well patinaed, indicating a considerable time spent cherished as jewelry long ago,” before calling it, “A significant example that is both original and delightful to examine in-hand.” 

The issue was produced from $75 of silver bullion deposited by Thomas Jefferson and the entire mintage was struck in the cellar of a shop several blocks from the first Philadelphia Mint. 

The Baltimore offering provided a second chance to bidders who might have missed it in its recent offering at Heritage’s January Florida United Numismatists auction in Orlando, where it realized $18,000.  

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