Private and Territorial Coins Draw Six Figures

At the ANA’s World’s Fair of Money last month, Stack’s Bowers offered Private and Territorial gold coins from the Samuel J. Berngard Collection in the Rarities Session, bringing the evening to a close.

An incredibly rare 1830 Templeton Reid $5, one of just six known, garnered $204,000 in lot 5462.This is a remarkably attractive coin despite the PCGS designation of Genuine-Damage, both sides retoned nicely in warm honey-gold patina. The Templeton Reid $5 is one of the great rarities among private and territorial gold issues. Dr. Dexter C. Seymour, whose research has provided us with much of what we know about Templeton Reid, estimates the mintage for the half eagle at just 300 pieces. Most of these coins were melted in the United States Mint after a letter written by a local citizen and published in the August 16, 1830 edition of the Georgia Courier revealed that one of Reid’s $10 coins contained only $9.38 in gold.

A MS-61 (NGC) example of the 1849 Pacific Company $1 in lot 5475 realized $264,000. It is deemed as the finest of just three examples known, with one of those three stolen in 1967 and lost to the numismatic community ever since.This is an endearing specimen, both sides with delicate pale rose and powder blue highlights to dominant light golden patina. The strike is exceptional for a privately issued gold coin, all design elements boldly to sharply defined. Wispy hairlines and a slightly subdued finish explain the MS-61 grade from NGC, but the in-hand appearance is quite smooth, and the eye appeal is far superior to that of the only other example of this type currently traced.The history of this coin is very interesting and readers can find more information by visiting the page for lot 5475 at stacksbowers.com.

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All images courtesy of Stack's Bowers Galleries.