Saint-Gaudens $20 Brings $126,500 To Lead Long Beach

The following is a press release from Heritage

Gold carries the day in $8.5+ million auction; 1915-S Pan--Pac $50 brings $86,250

Collectors put particular emphasis on acquiring high-grade Saint-Gaudens coinage in Heritage's $8.596 million http://coins.ha.com/common/auction/...152">Long Beach Signature® U.S. Coin Auction[/url], Feb. 5-6, at the Long Beach Convention Center. The auction saw a 94% sell-through rate by value and 97% sell-through rate by lot. All prices below include 15% Buyer's Premium. "I think steady and solid is the best way to categorize the results," said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auctions.

"Not spectacular, but about what we expected, with a little more on top. Certainly gold continued to be the chief consideration for high-end buyers." A http://coins.ha.com/common/view_ite...725">1921 Saint-Gaudens $20 MS62 NGC[/url], the second rarest series issue in high grades, was the top lot of the auction, with collectors bidding the coin all the way up to $126,500. The coin is one of very few known and, as stated in the 2008 second edition of the David Akers Handbook of 20th Century United States Gold Coins, 1921 Saint-Gaudens $20s "that grade MS-63 or finer are offered only once in a very long while." A http://coins.ha.com/common/view_ite...">Premium Gem 1907 $20 High Relief, Flat Rim MS66 PCGS[/url], one of the most highly sought-after of the High Relief Saint-Gaudens varieties, was the second highest lot in the auction, challenging the six figure mark, but coming up just short, as it finished the auction at $97,750. This coin is remarkable for many reasons, not the least of which is that it purely represents the original designs of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, before his death in 1907, and the subsequent changes to his designs, made by longtime rival Samuel Barber, which appeared on future gold coinage. Always a highly anticipated event when they turn up at auction, a http://coins.ha.com/common/view_ite...9">1915-S $50 Panama-Pacific 50 Dollar Octagonal MS63 PCGS[/url], the last and greatest coin in an original four-piece commemorative set, lived up to the billing by bringing $86,250, amid spirited bidding, to round out the top trio of the Heritage Long Beach event. A classic gold rarity, in the form of an http://coins.ha.com/common/view_ite...651">1885 $20 MS61 PCGS, CAC[/url], one of only 751 pieces struck -- ranking among the lowest production totals in the entire regular-issue series of U.S. gold coinage -- realized $80,500, while a http://coins.ha.com/common/view_ite...3">1920-S $20 MS62 PCGS, CAC[/url], among the most elusive in the Saint-Gaudens series, realized $80,500.

Further highlights include, but are not limited to:

http://coins.ha.com/common/view_ite...">1879-CC $5 MS62 PCGS. CAC[/url]: Realized: $69,000.

http://coins.ha.com/common/view_ite...431">1860 $3 PR66 Cameo NGC[/url]: Realized: $66,125.

http://coins.ha.com/common/view_ite...753">1908 $20 Motto PR66 NGC[/url]: Realized: $60,375.

http://coins.ha.com/common/view_ite...2">1920-S $20 MS62 NGC[/url]: Realized: $54,625.

http://coins.ha.com/common/view_ite...031">1895 $1 PR64 Cameo PCGS[/url]: Realized: $54,625.