Top 10 Stories of 2015: Market Analysis Gene Gardner

Gene Gardner’s 1870-S Seated Liberty dollar grading EF-40 sold for $505,250 at Heritage’s May 12, 2015, Gardner III auction.

Original images courtesy of Heritage Auctions

2015 was an important year for rare coin auctions. Hundreds of named collections were sold at auction houses, but three stood out from the crowd. Selections from the amazing collection of Texas businessman D. Brent Pogue were offered at two Stack’s Bowers/Sotheby’s auctions in 2015, realizing more than $50 million. At Heritage, 2015 saw the conclusion of the Gene Gardner auctions, which exceeded $53 million, and the Donald G. Partrick collection, which brought nearly $26 million at the 2015 Florida United Numismatists show. Here are three rarities from these collections.

The Coin:
1870-S seated Liberty Dollar, EF-40

The Price:
$505,250

The Story:
The collections of Eugene H. Gardner were offered at four Heritage auctions in New York City in 2014 and 2015. Considered one of the finest collections of silver coins ever put together, it was especially strong in the Seated Liberty and Barber series.

One of Gardner’s highlights was an 1870-S Seated Liberty dollar graded Extremely Fine 40 by PCGS that sold for just over half a million dollars at Heritage’s Gardner III auction on May 12, 2015.

Connect with Coin World: 

Just nine examples of the 1870-S dollar are known today, making it rarer than the 1804 Draped Bust dollar. While the exact reason behind its production is unknown, researchers speculate that the issue may have been struck to serve as a memento of the new San Francisco Mint building, since all but one example is well-circulated.

More Top 10 Stories

Women on 20s

Coin and Chronicles sets

Special dimes in March of Dimes set

Major auctions: PartrickGardnerPogue

American Eagle silver bullion sales record

2016 gold centennial coins

Canada gold coin melt

New Queen Elizabeth II portrait

American Liberty, High Relief gold coin

1933 gold double eagle case continues


Community Comments

NEWS