IRVINE, Calif. – Bowers and Merena Auctions, America's leading rare coin and currency auction house, launches the 2009 auction year with the Bowers and Merena Orlando Rarities Sale on January 4 prior to the FUN Convention. The auction will be held at the International Plaza Resort & Spa in Orlando and begins with lot viewing January 2-4, capped off by the auction on January 4 starting at 4 p.m. EST. Nearly 1,400 rarities will be presented during a single session.
A leading consignment in Bowers and Merena's Orlando Rarities Sale, the Riverside Collection offers an impressive selection of rare, high-quality proof type coins from the mid-to-late 19th century. "It has been quite some time since we have offered such a wide array of 19th century proof type coins in a single sale," stated Bowers and Merena president Steve Deeds. "The Riverside Collection includes selections from series as diverse as Shield Nickels and Liberty Double Eagles, the unifying theme being the strong technical merits and fabulous eye appeal that each individual coin possesses.” Most pieces also include a Cameo or Deep/Ultra Cameo designation as part of the grade assigned by PCGS or NGC.
Standouts from the Riverside Collection include lot 250, an enigmatic proof 1867 Rays Shield Nickel rarity, one of the finest examples known of perhaps just 40 to 60 coins believed to exist in all grades, tied for Condition Census #1 and graded by NGC as Proof-66 Cameo. Also noteworthy is lot 978, an exceptionally smooth and attractive 1882 Trade Dollar in Proof-67 Ultra Cameo by NGC. Its NGC Census is just four with a lone Proof-68 UC finer; the finest Deep Cameo specimens known to PCGS grade Proof-66.
The entire Riverside Collection consists of:
Lot 250 1867 Shield Nickel. Rays. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 256 1876 Shield Nickel. Proof-66 Cameo (PCGS).
Lot 258 1877 Shield Nickel. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 273 1883 Liberty Nickel. No CENTS. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 275 1883 Liberty Nickel. With CENTS. Proof-66 Ultra Cameo (NGC).
Lot 285 1896 Liberty Nickel. Proof-67 (NGC).
Lot 292 1903 Liberty Nickel. Proof-67 Cameo (PCGS).
Lot 293 1903 Liberty Nickel--Rotated Reverse--Proof-65 (PCGS).
Lot 297 1910 Liberty Nickel. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 515 1859 Seated Liberty Quarter. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 516 1859 Seated Liberty Quarter. Proof-65 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 518 1860 Seated Liberty Quarter. Type II Obverse. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 519 1860 Seated Liberty Quarter. Proof-65 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 520 1863 Seated Liberty Quarter. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 522 1868 Seated Liberty Quarter. Proof-65 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 531 1882 Seated Liberty Quarter. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 533 1884 Seated Liberty Quarter. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 534 1885 Seated Liberty Quarter. Proof-67 Ultra Cameo (NGC).
Lot 535 1886 Seated Liberty Quarter. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 536 1887 Seated Liberty Quarter. Proof-67 (NGC).
Lot 538 1889 Seated Liberty Quarter. Proof-67 (NGC).
Lot 543 1892 Barber Quarter. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 545 1893 Barber Quarter. Proof-68 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 546 1893 Barber Quarter. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 549 1897 Barber Quarter. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 552 1900 Barber Quarter. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 554 1901 Barber Quarter. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 555 1902 Barber Quarter. Proof-67 Cameo (PCGS).
Lot 557 1905 Barber Quarter. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 559 1907 Barber Quarter. Proof-67 Ultra Cameo (NGC).
Lot 561 1908 Barber Quarter. Proof-67 (PCGS).
Lot 562 1909 Barber Quarter. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 563 1909 Barber Quarter. Proof-66 Cameo (PCGS).
Lot 566 1911 Barber Quarter. Proof-68 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 567 1911 Barber Quarter. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 568 1912 Barber Quarter. Proof-65 (NGC).
Lot 570 1913 Barber Quarter. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 680 1859 Seated Liberty Half Dollar. Proof-65 * Cameo (NGC).
Lot 682 1860 Seated Liberty Half Dollar. Type II Reverse. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 685 1862 Seated Liberty Half Dollar. Proof-65 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 687 1868 Seated Liberty Half Dollar. Proof-65 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 689 1870 Seated Liberty Half Dollar. Proof-65 Cameo (PCGS).
Lot 692 1872 Seated Liberty Half Dollar. Proof-65 * Cameo (NGC).
Lot 694 1873 Seated Liberty Half Dollar. No Arrows. Closed 3. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 696 1873 Seated Liberty Half Dollar. Arrows. Proof-65 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 698 1874 Seated Liberty Half Dollar. Arrows. WB-101. Small Arrows. Proof-65 (NGC).
Lot 700 1884 Seated Liberty Half Dollar. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 701 1885 Seated Liberty Half Dollar. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 706 1895 Barber Half Dollar. Proof-67 * Cameo (NGC).
Lot 711 1897 Barber Half Dollar. Proof-67 Cameo (PCGS).
Lot 712 1897 Barber Half Dollar. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 713 1898 Barber Half Dollar. Proof-67 Ultra Cameo (NGC).
Lot 714 1898 Barber Half Dollar. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 717 1899 Barber Half Dollar. Proof-66 Ultra Cameo (NGC).
Lot 719 1900 Barber Half Dollar. Proof-67 Cameo (PCGS).
Lot 721 1901 Barber Half Dollar. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 724 1904 Barber Half Dollar. Proof-66 (NGC).
Lot 728 1909 Barber Half Dollar. Proof-67 Cameo (PCGS).
Lot 729 1909 Barber Half Dollar. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 730 1910 Barber Half Dollar. Proof-67 Cameo (PCGS).
Lot 733 1911 Barber Half Dollar. Proof-68 (PCGS).
Lot 734 1911 Barber Half Dollar. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 735 1911 Barber Half Dollar. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 806 1878 7 Tailfeathers Morgan Silver Dollar. Reverse of 1878. Proof-64 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 817 1879 Morgan Silver Dollar. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 976 1877 Trade Dollar. Proof-67 * (NGC).
Lot 978 1882 Trade Dollar. Proof-67 Ultra Cameo (NGC).
Lot 1109 1872 Gold Dollar. Proof-65 Ultra Cameo (NGC).
Lot 1111 1876 Gold Dollar. Proof-64 Deep Cameo (PCGS).
Lot 1155 1908 Indian Quarter Eagle. MS-62 (NGC).
Lot 1157 1909 Indian Quarter Eagle. MS-62 (NGC).
Lot 1159 1910 Indian Quarter Eagle. MS-62 (NGC).
Lot 1161 1911 Indian Quarter Eagle. MS-62 (NGC).
Lot 1164 1911-D Indian Quarter Eagle. MS-62 (NGC).
Lot 1168 1912 Indian Quarter Eagle. MS-62 (NGC).
Lot 1171 1913 Indian Quarter Eagle. MS-62 (NGC).
Lot 1175 1914 Indian Quarter Eagle. MS-62 (NGC).
Lot 1177 1914-D Indian Quarter Eagle. MS-62 (NGC).
Lot 1180 1915 Indian Quarter Eagle. MS-62 (NGC).
Lot 1183 1925-D Indian Quarter Eagle. MS-62 (NGC).
Lot 1186 1926 Indian Quarter Eagle. MS-62 (NGC).
Lot 1188 1927 Indian Quarter Eagle. MS-62 (NGC).
Lot 1190 1928 Indian Quarter Eagle. MS-62 (NGC).
Lot 1192 1929 Indian Quarter Eagle. MS-62 (NGC).
Lot 1203 1860 Three-Dollar Gold Piece. Proof-64 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 1205 1862 Three-Dollar Gold Piece. Proof-66 Ultra Cameo (NGC).
Lot 1212 1876 Three-Dollar Gold Piece. Proof-64 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 1346 1878 Liberty Double Eagle. Proof-64 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 1352 1892 Liberty Double Eagle. Proof-66 Ultra Cameo (NGC).
Lot 1353 1896 Liberty Double Eagle. Proof-66 Deep Cameo (PCGS).
Lot 1354 1902 Liberty Double Eagle. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 1356 1906 Liberty Double Eagle. Proof-66 Cameo (NGC).
Lot 1357 1907 Liberty Double Eagle. Proof-64 Cameo (NGC).
All lots and images in the Bowers and Merena Orlando Rarities Sale, including the Riverside Collection, can be viewed online at www.bowersandmerena.com, and printed catalogs are available upon request by calling 800.458.4646.
Bidding is open now and pre-auction bids are welcome at www.bowersandmerena.com; by e-mail at auction@bowersandmerena.com; by phone at 800.458.4646; by fax at 949.253.4091; and by postal mail addressed to Bowers and Merena, Orlando Rarities 2009, 18061 Fitch, Irvine, CA, 92614. Interested bidders are also encouraged to view lots January 2-4, 2009, and bid in-person at the live auction January 4, or live online through the Bowers and Merena website. A complete auction and lot viewing schedule is available at www.bowersandmerena.com or by calling 800.458.4646.
Bowers and Merena Auctions was founded in 1983 and has grown to become the world's preeminent numismatic auctioneer with more than half a billion dollars in rare coin and currency sales. They have been awarded the prestigious honor of Official Auctioneer for the 2009 American Numismatic Association Conventions in Portland and Los Angeles, in addition to their continued service as Official Auctioneer of the Baltimore Coin and Currency Conventions three times every year. Bowers and Merena has handled four of the five most valuable United States coin collections ever sold, including the Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. Collection, the Harry W. Bass Jr. Collection, the Garrett Collection for The Johns Hopkins University, and the Norweb Collection.
For more information about Bowers and Merena’s Orlando Rarities Sale in January, call 800.458.4646. For media inquiries, ask for President Steve Deeds. Complete prices realized for all past auctions are available at www.bowersandmerena.com.