Fresh, Old-Time Collection Yields Surprising Rarity!

One of the greatest parts of working with collectors (or their family members) is being able to announce good news. This happened recently with a consignment that is in the process of being cataloged for our Summer Global Showcase Auction.

A few months back, I received a phone call from the spouse of a long-time Stack’s client. She asked if we could help with a “collection of paper money and gold coins.” In the course of a normal week, we field many such calls, so I figured, she might have some generic pre-1933 gold and some silver certificates. But when she arrived a few days later with three duffel bags filled with albums, boxes, and Capital Plastics holders, I was really surprised, and in a good way!

In those albums, boxes, and holders were partial sets of Trade dollars, an assortment of better date minor coins, and an impressive selection of gold coins. While the provenance information was lost decades ago, she explained that her husband and father-in-law were frequent visitors to the Stack’s gallery at 123 West 57^th Street. They first worked with Ben Stack, and then began a long running relationship with Harvey Stack.

Once the collection was organized, we discussed placing the items in the Summer Global Showcase Auction, where it will be featured as the Jefferson Street Collection. Then the production process began with submitting the coins to PCGS for grading. One of the highlights of the collection was a really flashy 1795 Small Eagle $5 that had but the slightest hint of friction and earned a grade of AU-58. While any near-Mint example of the first gold coin struck by the fledgling U.S. Mint in Philadelphia is desirable, this coin is all the more important as it is only the second known – and by far the finest – example of the BD-11 die marriage.

Prior to this piece being “discovered” in the Jefferson Street Collection, the only other example of this exceedingly rare die marriage was a “possibly ex jewelry” piece that was in the Bass Collection, where it had resided for 51 years since Bass bought it from Abe Kosoff in 1972. The prior pedigree of the Bass coin was unknown, but it was stated “possibly Waldo Newcomer and Col. Green.” No doubt early gold die marriage collectors will clamor for this piece, which combines extreme rarity, high grade, exceptional visual quality, and freshness that cannot be beat!