Stack's Bowers Galleries August 2024 Global Showcase Auction Achieves Spectacular Results

For more than nine decades, Stack’s Bowers Galleries has achieved worldwide acclaim for its presentations of rare coins, medals, tokens and other numismatic issues.

Highlighting Rarities Night on Monday, August 12 and continuing through Friday, August 16, the Stack’s Bowers Galleries August 2024 Global Showcase Auction featured an incredible offering of United States coins, medals, tokens and other numismatic issues. The auction produced spectacular results for its consignors, garnering worldwide attention from numismatic enthusiasts on its way to nearly $50 million in total prices realized. (All prices include the buyer’s fee.)

Across the live and internet-only sessions featuring United States material, strong prices were realized in every category from numismatic Americana to early American copper and colonial issues, type coins, silver and gold. Comprising over a dozen named collections and many additional consignments, the offering was one of the largest in Stack’s Bowers Galleries’ history. Specialized sessions included Part VI of the Sydney F. Martin Collection and the Fairmont Collection—Sussex Set, offerings that attracted strong bids from connoisseurs of early American medals and colonial coinage and rare date gold coins, respectively.

Additional sessions featured items from the Cold Spring Harbor Type Set, the Great Pacific Collection, The Tom Hyland Collection, the Knohl Collection, the PentaMint™ Collection, the Senator Platt Family Collection, the Reich Family Collection, the Lucius S. Ruder Collection, the Srotag Collection, and the Walden Collection, alongside other quality consignments. Many coins had been off the market for decades, while other holdings were carefully assembled more recently by selecting top quality specimens that appeared on the market.

“Demand from collectors and dealers remains very strong,” said Brian Kendrella, President of Stack’s Bowers Galleries. “Rarities Night started the week with tremendous excitement and the action remained intense throughout all sessions. Our world class professionals, working with consignors, brought some great properties to market, and the outstanding presentation resulted in fabulous results.”

Notable prices realized from the Stack’s Bowers Galleries August 2024 Global Showcase Auction include:

Lot 4030. Undated (ca. late 18th-early 19th century) United States Consular Seal Embossing Stamp. Brass, Wood Handle. Choice Extremely Fine. Realized $31,200.

A rare survivor, this United States Consular Seal Embossing Stamp is made of brass and features a wood handle. It is undated but was likely made in the late 18th or early 19th century. The stamp is in Choice Extremely Fine condition and was offered from the Lucius S. Ruder Collection.

Lot 4043. Undated (ca. 1889-1907) Studio Card of Cloud Chief, of the Cheyenne. Realized $9,600.

This cabinet card photograph depicts Cloud Chief, a Cheyenne war chief who fought against the United States Army in the late 19th century. The photograph is likely a studio card and was taken between 1889 and 1907. It is offered from the Senator Platt Family Collection.

Lot 4053. 1803 Washington Fame Medal. Musante GW-87, Baker-84. Bronze. Plain Edge. MS-63 BN (PCGS). Realized $7,200.

This 1803 Washington Fame Medal was struck in bronze and features a plain edge. It is graded MS-63 BN by PCGS and was offered from the Lucius S. Ruder Collection.

Lot 4067. 1921 Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge Inaugural Medal. Dusterberg HIM-S70, MacNeil WGH-1921-2. Silver. Specimen-55 (PCGS). Realized $48,000.

This 1921 Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge Inaugural Medal was struck in silver and is presented to Harding. The medal is graded Specimen-55 by PCGS and was offered from the PentaMint™ Collection.

Lot 4078. 1869 United States Assay Commission Medal Mule. JK AC-7. Rarity-8. Columbia. Aluminum. Specimen-63 (PCGS). Realized $28,800.

This 1869 United States Assay Commission Medal Mule is struck in aluminum and features the Rarity-8 Columbia variety. The medal is graded Specimen-63 by PCGS and was offered from the Lucius S. Ruder Collection.

Lot 4135. 1915 United States Assay Commission Medal. JK AC-59. Rarity-7. Silver. Presented to John Skelton Williams. Specimen-65 (PCGS). Realized $28,800.

This 1915 United States Assay Commission Medal was struck in silver and is presented to John Skelton Williams. The medal is graded Specimen-