Crossing the Block

1915-S Panama-Pacific Half Dollar, PCGS MS67+

A significant highlight from a coin that sold earlier this year is a 1915-S Panama-Pacific Commemorative Half Dollar graded PCGS MS67+. This example stood out when it was sold in July 2023 by Legend Rare Coin Auctions at a record $32,900 for the MS67+ grade. Before the sale, the PCGS Price Guide listing for this coin was $11,000; the last public sale of this issue in the same grade hammered $9,694.

Several factors caused this example to sell for a strong premium. The first one is eye appeal. It just looks gorgeous! It exhibits some beautiful colors and is very attractive on both the obverse and reverse. The second factor is the quality of its surfaces, which appear practically flawless.

1794 Flowing Hair Dollar, PCGS XF45

One of the more important coins at a November 16, 2023, Heritage Auctions sale was none other than a rare 1794 Flowing Hair Dollar graded PCGS XF45. The last public sale of a PCGS XF45 specimen was in January 2009, when that piece took $184,000. The specimen that traded has an impeccable provenance dating back to at least 1906, tracing through the notable cabinets of Harlan P. Smith, Jasha Heifetz, The Richmond Collection, Steve Contursi, and the Troy Wiseman Collection.

Owning a 1794 Flowing Hair Dollar in any condition is an important accomplishment, as only 1,758 examples are believed to have been struck, and approximately 150 are thought to exist. Many surviving examples have been significantly damaged, so specimens with nice surfaces are challenging. The example that sold at Heritage Auctions on November 16, 2023, had really nice surfaces overall, helping the coin realize an impressive $528,000.

1861-D Gold Dollar, PCGS MS61

With an estimated mintage of 1,000 pieces, the 1861-D is considered the rarest of the Dahlonega gold dollars. Many believe 1,000 to 1,500 examples were struck, but far fewer are known today, with some experts hypothesizing that anywhere from 60 to 75 examples in all grades combined. Most examples are in circulated grades, but there are still several in uncirculated grades.

On November 16, 2023, Heritage Auctions offered a remarkable PCGS MS61 example in their Signature sale. This specimen sold for $126,000, eclipsing the previous auction price of $70,500 hammered in 2015.