Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 70

The September 2-5, 2012

Commemorative Gold

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 2237		1903 Louisiana Purchase-McKinley Dollar. PCGS graded MS-64. CAC Approved. The sale of the McKinley dollars aided in paying for a memorial building at Niles, Ohio, the fallen president�s birthplace. The obverse shows a profile of President William McKinley and was designed by Charles E. Barber; the reverse, with the memorial building was designed by George T. Morgan (PCGS # 7444) . Estimated Value $675 - 700. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $891
Lot 2238		1915-S Panama-Pacific $2.50. NGC graded MS-67. Only 6,749 pieces minted. A frosty untoned coin. The first impression of this delightful Commemorative Quarter Eagle example is one of elegant color: vibrant golden luster augments by outstanding eye appeal of this captivating design. Superb specimens are indeed elusive, and every step up the grading scale heightens the challenge. Pop 124; 2 finer, 1 in 67 Star and 1 in 67+. Estimated Value $8,500 - 9,000. The Stocker Estate. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $9,775
Lot 2239		1915-S Panama-Pacific $50 Round. NGC graded MS-64. Mostly untoned. A very popular coin. Only 483 minted. The largest format Commemorative gold coin ever struck by the United States Mint, the 1915-S Fifty-Dollar gold piece was produced for sale at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco in 1915. Ostensibly held to celebrate the completion and opening of the Panama Canal, the Exposition also afforded the city of San Francisco with an opportunity to showcase its revival following the 1906 earthquake and fire. The Fifty-Dollar gold pieces were authorized by Congress with a specified mintage of 3,000 coins. This figure is further divided into 1,500 examples each for the octagonal and round types. Both exhibit essentially identical designs, the obverse with a bust of the goddess Athena (Minerva in Roman mythology) wearing a crested helmet pushed back on top of her head. The goddess holds a shield upon which is inscribed the date 1915 in Roman numerals MCMXV. The field above the central device is inscribed with the motto IN GOD WE TRUST, the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is above and the denomination FIFTY DOLLARS is below. The use of Athena is due to her status as the goddess of wisdom, skill, agriculture, horticulture, spinning and weaving--all of which are critical to the economy of California. The reverse depicts Athena's owl--symbol of wisdom--perched atop a branch of ponderosa pine. The Latin motto E PLURIBUS UNUM is present in the field behind the owl, the inscription PANAMA-PACIFIC EXPOSITION is above and the city SAN FRANCISCO is below. The octagonal pieces, but not the round coins, display an extra inner border with a dolphin device that signifies the continuous waterway created through the opening of the Panama Canal. The coin's designer is Robert Aitken. The price for Exposition attendees was $100 per Fifty-Dollar gold coin, a sum that also entitled the buyer to an example of the Panama-Pacific Half Dollar, Gold Dollar and Quarter Eagle at no extra charge. A complete five-piece set could be had for $200. These asking prices were apparently too high, however, and many examples of both the octagonal and round Fifties were eventually melted as unsold. The net mintage for the octagonal variant is just 645 coins, while that for the round type is a mere 483 pieces. Due in part to the lower net mintage, the round type is much more challenging to locate in choice grades than the octagonal type. You can imagine our enthusiasm, therefore, at being able to offer this attractive Mint State 64 for the consideration of advanced collectors. Fresh and original. Satiny luster is full and rich inasmuch as it seems to have a life all its own apart from the rest of the coin. It is deeply set among the devices, nonetheless, from where it accents a sharp strike for both sides. The level of surface preservation is just as desirable as the luster quality, with only a few of the extensive hairlines visible, and these require a glass to see; scruffiness and other disturbances are entirely absent. Make a note! Pale yellow-gold surfaces are so smooth, in fact, that this coin would almost certainly reside in a higher-grade holder. Solid quality in every sense of the term, this beautiful piece is sure to sell for a very strong bid. Among the most beautiful coins ever conceived! Pop 147; 78 finer (PCGS # 7451) . Estimated Value $75,000 - 80,000. The Stocker Estate. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $85,100
Lot 2240		1915-S Panama-Pacific 5-piece Set. The coins grade About Unc to Brilliant Uncirculated. Comes with the original box of issue. The case includes the descriptive insert. A lovely set. Arguably, the most popular U.S. set ever issued! The five thematic coins issued for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition stand at the apex of American commemoratives. In all, 60,000 half dollars were coined, of which 34 were kept back for assay. Of the 59,966 pieces available, 27,100 were eventually sold while the remainder were destroyed later at the Mint. 25,034 gold dollars were coined, of which 34 were used for assay and the balance all sold. 10,017 $2.50 gold pieces were struck, of which 17 were set aside for assay, leaving 10,000 available. Of these there were 6,750 sold and the rest were melted. Turning next to the two prestige denominations in the set, there were 1,509 of the octagonal $50 pieces made, of which nine were used for assay, 646 were actually sold and the remainder went to the melting pot. There were 1,510 round $50 pieces including 10 for assay. Just 483 were sold. All the Pan-Pacific coins were struck at the San Francisco Mint and bear the "S" mintmark. For the coining of the massive $50 pieces an hydraulic press weighing 14 tons, with a striking power of 450 tons, ordinarily used at the Philadelphia Mint for the minting of medals, was shipped by rail to the San Francisco Mint. Historic note: Following the advent of third-party grading (PCGS, NGC, etc.), many original Panama-Pacific International Exposition sets were removed from their cases. It is now rare to find one with an original leather case for a five-coin Panama-Pacific Commemorative Set. The case shows some minor handling, as expected. The felt-lined mounting board inside the case is well preserved, as is the original card save for a few moderate crinkles and tears at the central top and bottom. The interior of the case is in quite nice condition. Original leather cases such as this are eagerly sought as integral parts of complete Panama-Pacific Commemorative sets. Estimated Value $95,000 - 105,000. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 2241		1915-S Panama-Pacific Dollar. NGC graded MS-65. CAC Approved PQ. Lovely golden toning. The otherwise pinkish-gold color yields to faint warmer golden hues in areas. The gem-quality luster shimmers. Furthermore, as with most Panama-Pacific Gold Dollars, this one was struck with systematic exactness throughout (PCGS # 7449) . Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,300. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,438
Lot 2242		1915-S Panama-Pacific Dollar. PCGS graded MS-65. CAC Approved PQ. Housed in an Old Green Holder. Wonderful golden toning; frosty luster (PCGS # 7449) . Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,300. The Stocker Estate. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,380
Lot 2243		1916 McKinley Dollar. PCGS graded MS-65. CAC Approved PQ. Fresh, even toning on this classy lookiing Gem. President McKinley held office from 1897 to 1901. His Vice President, Theodore Roosevelt took over upon his death in the summer of 1901 (PCGS # 7454) . Estimated Value $950 - 1,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,323
Lot 2244		1922 Grant Dollar With Star. NGC graded MS-66. Mostly untoned. Intense but still satiny frost, the coin brilliant with a soft golden color through which brighter gold radiance persists almost undiminished. A dampened is never often found on Grant Dollars, all were carefully made. Therefore, rather than being halfhearted, this particular coin's design is boldly crisp (PCGS # 7459) . Estimated Value $2,300 - 2,400. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 2245		1926 Sesquicentennial $2.50. PCGS graded MS-63. Untoned and quite frosty. Some light marks (PCGS # 7466) . Estimated Value $500 - 525. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $575
Lot 2246		1926 Sesquicentennial $2.50. NGC graded AU-58. An attractive coin loaded with mint luster. Estimated Value $250 - 300. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $357
Lot 2247		An 11-Piece Commemorative Gold Set. All coins are PCGS graded MS64 except the 1915-S PPI $1, 1922 Grant No Stars, and 1926 $2½ Sesquicentennial which are NGC graded MS64. Most of the coins are nicely toned and PQ. The grey sheet bid is $18,230. Estimated Value $17,000 - 18,000. View details	Unsold