Coin Highlights from the Walter J. Husak Auction

The amazing Walter J. Husak Collection of Early American Cents sold January 4, 2024, by Heritage Auctions and Early Cents Auctions exhibited excellence in both quality and eye appeal. A successful businessperson, Walter J. Husak had an eye for detail and quality control in his professional endeavors, and that carried over to his hobbies too!

I remember encountering Walt at coin shows. He always had a smile on his face. Like many happy numismatists, his joy was somewhat contagious because it was so obvious. The quality of the items Walt collected is a reflection of both his pursuit of excellence and the joy he experienced in that pursuit!

Husak’s first large cent collection was sold by Heritage Auctions in February of 2008. This fabulous collection was nearly complete by Sheldon variety with many finest known and other top-five-quality example coins.

In the Heritage Auctions catalog for the more recent sale of the Husak collection, it is said that Walt commented, after the sale of his 2008 collection, he planned to pursue “attractive middle-grade coins.” When asked within a year why he was “purchasing high-grade examples” of large cents once again, Walt explained, “I just can’t help myself!”

Upon perusing the Husak collection catalog, I was struck with the descriptions of most of the lots in the catalog, including these grade comparisons of finest-known examples that appear as “X finer…” I’m a number geek, but this is impressive; for just the eight PCGS-graded 1793-dated cents, only two have three finer examples, three have two finer examples, and three have only one finer example.

Yes, we get it… “Middle-grade” coins!

Some of the most amazing coins in this 218-lot auction included these three magnificent and distinctive early large cents, including a Flowing Hair Chain Cent, a Liberty Cap Large Cent, and a fabulous Draped Bust Large Cent.

Regardless of whether early U.S. large cents are your “cup of tea,” there is no question that much of the foundation of our numismatic pursuits have been built on these fundamental workhorses of commerce. Early U.S. large cents were not only heavily used for commerce, but the collection of U.S. coins through 1807 was unheard of during the production of all of our early U.S. coinage.

The Husak collection from the Liberty Cap Foundation auction held during the annual Florida United Numismatists Show in Orlando, Florida, will be mentioned frequently in years to come as a major U.S. large cent auction. Thanks, Walt…