Confederate half dollar sets record
An 1861 Confederate Half Dollar certified by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation led the way in Heritage Auctions’ sale of Part IX of the Eric P. Newman Collection on Nov. 1. It…
An 1861 Confederate Half Dollar certified by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation led the way in Heritage Auctions’ sale of Part IX of the Eric P. Newman Collection on Nov. 1. It realized a record $960,000.
Newman IX contains 427 NGC-certified coins, tokens and medals, the latest in a series of auctions of the numismatist’s legendary collection. The Nov. 1 live auction featured 116 of the most valuable NGC-certified coins in Newman IX, according to the firm.
The auctions of Newman’s coin collection, which has been entirely certified by NGC, have achieved nearly $59 million, including $3.7 million for Part IX thus far.
The Confederate half dollar was one of only four struck at the New Orleans Mint in the short time it was operated by Confederate forces. The obverse reused an 1861-O Seated Liberty die, while the reverse features a shield surrounded by the words “CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA.”
It is graded NGC PF-40 and was previously owned by collectors Waldo Newcomer and “Col.” E.H.R. Green.
Two other Confederate Half Dollars have been sold recently. One, graded NGC PF-30 and pedigreed to the Partrick Collection, was sold by Heritage for $881,250 in January 2015. Another, graded NGC PF-40, was sold by Stack’s Bowers in March 2015 for $646,250.
The remaining specimen is in the collection of the American Numismatic Society.
Another highlight of the Newman IX auction was a 1795 Small Eagle $5, which realized $336,000. Graded NGC MS-64, it is a high-grade example of this rare, one-year type – one of the first gold coins struck by the U.S. Mint.
The highest price for a Newman coin was achieved by a 1796 Draped Bust quarter graded NGC MS-67+ (Star) that sold for $1,527,000 in Newman Part II in 2013.
Another 1796 Draped Bust quarter, this one graded NGC MS-64+, was among the top performers in the Newman IX auction, realizing $264,000.
Rounding out the top five prices realized in Newman IX are an 1861 Confederate Cent (graded NGC PF-63+; realized $186,000) and a 1797 Draped Bust half dollar, which is among the finest (graded NGC AU-55; realized $168,000).
To see NGC’s gallery of coins from the Newman collection, visit www.NGCcoin.com/Newman.
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