Beyond the well-known half dollars of the classic commemorative series is the 1900 Lafayette Monument dollar, 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition Isabella quarter dollar, and a smattering of gold issues including a 1926 $2.50 quarter eagle celebrating the Sesquicentennial of American Independence.

The handsome gold commemorative saw a mintage of 46,019 — a large number for a gold commemorative, but a failure considering the 200,000 authorized by legislation — while the half dollar issued alongside it saw just 141,120 issued against the 1 million authorized.

In its March 25 auction, Stack’s Bowers Galleries offered a 1926 gold “Sesqui” graded Mint State 66+ by Professional Coin Grading Service with a green Certified Acceptance Corp. sticker that shares that grade with 14 other examples at PCGS, with only one finer at that service.

This lack of better-graded examples puts huge pressure on these MS-66+ issues. This one sold for $10,800 on March 25. When compared to the $3,840 that two PCGS MS-66 representatives realized in recent auctions, bidders agreed with the cataloger’s assessment when they wrote, “Bathed in a bold blend of frosty mint luster and vivid rose-gold patina, this is an exceptional coin that borders on pristine for the issue.”

Connect with Coin World:  
Sign up for our free eNewsletter
Access our Dealer Directory  
Like us on Facebook  
Follow us on Twitter