We have coins nicknamed after their designers (Morgan, Barber and Saint-Gaudens being the most obvious), but there is only one coin holder, the PCGS “doily” that bears connection to its namesake. The word “doily” derives from a London draper of the name “Doyley or Doiley” in business during the early 18th century and known for their intricate wool patterns.
The “doily” is among the scarcer of PCGS holders, used for only part of 1989 (according to the PCGS website — there are differing accounts of the actual dates used), and is not often seen for sale in auction or otherwise. While there is no current census of original doilies, 1,000 is a good rough estimate.
The doily introduced a new type of counterfeit protection, but was discontinued due to problems with the bar code. You can see the progression of PCGS holder history here.
It’s unusual for a doily to come up for sale or auction, let alone four in the same sale with the same denomination. However, in our October 23, 2024 Old Holders Auction, we feature four PCGS MS-64 Walking Liberty half dollars from the 1940s in original doily holders. With the coins grading 64, there is little incentive to crack them in search of a significantly higher grade, but this an affordable opportunity for the historian or slab collector to add a doily to their set. In this exceptional case, we expect bidding to center around the holder, not coin!
