Got a Fedex package from Stacks yesterday....my rarities night winnings for your viewing pleasure

PeakRarities

All 3 of these coins are for my personal collection, and in my opinion, every one of them went at least 20% under what it should have brought in lthis market. Whether or not that means that I'm ahead of the market, it was a one-off auction, or perhaps there were just too many auctions this past week after ANA and nobody had any dry powder left. Every once in a while, a well-publicized auction has poor results, and if you're capitalized and you're paying attention, there are some bargains to be had.

1. 1852 Assay $10 .884 SSCA PCGS AU53 CAC

Not a particularly scarce issue, but when it's one that was underwater on a sunken ship for 160 years, and it sports a CAC sticker and some rust-toned highlights, it really has a lot going for it. It checks all the boxes, and the price I paid (12.6?) was a straight-up rip. I hadn't even planned to win this coin, but it was about to hammer at 10k and I threw a cut bid at it, and that $500 difference is all it took to make it mine.

2. 1794 50C O-101A PCGS VF35 CAC

PCGS has 27 in the pop report for VF35, and 33 coins graded higher. CAC has approved 8 in this grade, with 13 higher. In my opinion, this coin is a solid XF40, and when you compare to any other VF35 or XF40 thats sold publicly, you will see that this one is certainly in the upper echelon of the grade. There are NO distractions even worth mentioning, and some inconsequential adjustment marks blend inconspicuously into the obverse devices. The surfaces are virtually perfect, with no scratches, pockmarks, or rim bumps. The coin has a brutally honest battleship grey patina, and all things considered I think its just too nice of a coin for the grade. I don't think I'll ever let this one go, but I paid $21,600 when this exact coin sold for $28,800 all the way back in 2012. Considering that the CAC CPG jumps from 23k in VF35 to 37k in VF40, there's an argument to be made that this is easily a $30,000 coin. It doesn't matter anyways, because I fell in love with her the moment I had my hands on her, and I won't be letting her go anytime soon. 🙂

Ironically, I did no research whatsoever on this coin because I was fixated on coin #3, I liteerally saw this coin come across the auction block, pulled up the price guide real quick, and through a bid at it expecting to get blown away.

3. 1849 Mormon $2.50 PCGS AU50 CAC

PCGS has graded 7 in AU50, and 19 coins are graded higher. Between PCGS & NGC, there are a total of 58 coins in the pop reports across all grades, and as we know a number of those are likely resubmissions. CAC has approved 10 in all grades.

Basically, this issue is a hen's tooth, and finding a nice AU with a sticker is virtually impossible. I paid $84,000, and I would have happily went up to about 100-110 considering the originality and the hammered strike. This example is exceptionally detailed, and arguably the nicest rendition of the eye & miter design that you can find on any Mormon gold. This is my first Mormon piece, and I was trying to hold out for an 1850 or 1860 $5 but when I saw this coin I knew that it was meant for me.

The old flip with the price of $185 (LOL) was just a pleasant suprise, anyone know who V.N.L. is?

golden

I like your Mormon.

breakdown

Great coins all. Love that Mormon!

lermish

The coins speak for themselves. But the auctions... You've always been pretty good at them but this was a master stroke. Very nicely done.

pursuitofliberty

Great coins Dan ... that 1794 Half is gorgeous for the grade!

scubafuel

Wow! Those are 3 wonderful coins.

etexmike

That is a great group of coins.

skier07

Congrats!

Love the Mormon territorial.

JonBrand83

Fun group, congrats

Shurke

That’s a very impressive haul!

1northcoin

Very nice 2.50 Mormon. Whoever wrote beehive on that flip was mistaken. I believe that object above the eye is a Phrygian Cap that originated with the ancient Greeks as worn by persons from Phrygia. In the American Revolution it came to symbolize freedom and the pursuit of liberty.

I am guessing that Brigham Young, whose mint in Salt Lake City created the coin, was making a statement about the Mormons becoming a free people after departing from their oppressors who drove them out of Nauvoo, Illinois after their original Prophet Joseph Smith was martyred.

mattniss

Some very solid rips DD. Huge congrats on all, especially that Mormon!

gonzer

The ancient grocery bag flip is such an added bonus. The days of inserting flips in a typewriter seem like a dream. Congrats on your pickups.

jfriedm56

Fantastic coins all. Great pickups.

CharlotteDude

That’s a lovely trio you brought in there.

Morgan13

I really like that 1794. Not something that fits in my collection but it sure is a beauty.
Nice pick ups!

jdmern

Those are some beautiful pieces!

pcgscacgold

Outstanding additions Dan. WOW!!!!!

P0CKETCHANGE

Stunning pieces, congrats! I like the original silver half dollar especially.

1madman

@golden said:
I like your Mormon.

Agree. The Mormon is superb. The other 2 coins clearly show why they went for bargain prices.

lermish

@1northcoin said:
Very nice 2.50 Mormon. Whoever wrote beehive on that flip was mistaken. I believe that object above the eye is a Phrygian Cap that originated with the ancient Greeks as worn by persons from Phrygia. In the American Revolution it came to symbolize freedom and the pursuit of liberty.

I am guessing that Brigham Young, whose mint in Salt Lake City created the coin, was making a statement about the Mormons becoming a free people after departing from their oppressors who drove them out of Nauvoo, Illinois after their original Prophet Joseph Smith was martyred.

It's a miter, not a phrygian cap, as is seen on many other coins.

FlyingAl

Wonderful!

divecchia

Those are some amazing coins.

Nice score!!!

Donato

TrickleCharge

Love that the old flip was included with the one. In my experience Stacks seems to be the best at keeping and passing along things like that.

johnny010

Love that you got three for the price you were prepared to pay for one.

Nice acquisitions Dan. Well done 👊🏻

psuman08

Great pickups! I saw the Mormon and thought you might be involved.

cheezhed

Thanks for sharing your beautiful coins and your joy in acquiring them.

Proofmorgan

Nice coins! Funny to see “unc” on the Mormon flip. I’ve seen similar early grading on XF and AU coins. Beautiful group.

PeakRarities

@Proofmorgan said:
Nice coins! Funny to see “unc” on the Mormon flip. I’ve seen similar early grading on XF and AU coins. Beautiful group.

Thanks, but where do you see "unc"? I see "EF+" and "EF45".

mattniss

Perhaps they mistook the VNL. for UNC? It's clearly "VNL." to me.

1775

I remember "VNL" very near lucky!

pointfivezero

Great group, Dan. Now I understand the CMQ stickers (from my IG question last night).

Tim

WinLoseWin

Great coins.

Did not notice anyone with a last name starting with L and a first name starting with V after a quick look through "American Numismatic Biographies" by Pete Smith, located on the Newman Numismatic Portal. Possibly they are not initials or not someone well enough known to be in the list, or I could have missed it.

https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/623479

.
.

Somehow you passed on the NGC MS-67 1901 $10 gold that auctioned in that session for less than two thirds of Bluesheet?

Kliao

Wow amazing coins. Congrats on the pickups. Love that 1794 dollar.

PeakRarities

@Kliao said:
Wow amazing coins. Congrats on the pickups. Love that 1794 dollar.

Thank you, but the 1794 is only a lowly half dollar, sadly I don't have that much money 😅.

CaptHenway

Three nice coins!

CaptHenway

@mattniss said:

Perhaps they mistook the VNL. for UNC? It's clearly "VNL." to me.

Looks like a price code.

Kliao

@PeakRarities said:

@Kliao said:
Wow amazing coins. Congrats on the pickups. Love that 1794 dollar.

Thank you, but the 1794 is only a lowly half dollar, sadly I don't have that much money 😅.

Whoops didn't know why I wrote dollar when I knew it was a half dollar.

Smudge

Please enter me in your generous giveaway.

tcollects

wow cool

Jacques_Loungecoque

Gosh dang I hate you Dan.
You suck! 😉
Okay, okay I’m man enough to admit I’m just a jealous fool enamored with your acquisition prowess. Stunningly awesome and outstanding pieces all the way around.
Five snaps up from your fellow deplorable Floridian!!!

btw remember to keep only decaf next to that Mormon. It’s not nice to tempt the pious with the good stuff.

Dave99B

Super cool! Love the paperwork as well.

Dave

kaz

3 beauties! Really like the 1794 half.

oreville

The “VNL “ is really UNC (during raw grade inflation) but was crossed out in favor of the originally typed EF grade.

I have seen these before back in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
.

BLUEJAYWAY

As Mr. Spock would say"Fascinating".

SIowhand

The Mormon is fantastic. I’d be proud to own that. We’ll done.

lermish

@oreville said:
The “VNL “ is really UNC (during raw grade inflation) but was crossed out in favor of the originally typed EF grade.

I have seen these before back in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
.

It clearly stands for Very Nice Looking

oreville

@lermish said:

@oreville said:
The “VNL “ is really UNC (during raw grade inflation) but was crossed out in favor of the originally typed EF grade.

I have seen these before back in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
.

It clearly stands for Very Nice Looking

When I was 18 years old in 1971, I recall dealers touting these paper flips at the local New York City Sunday morning shows stating that the old time grades were way too conservative back in the 1950’s. The V was really a pointy U and the L was a sloppy slanted C. No one ever thought these were VNL.

By the way, the OP posted three absolutely fabulous coins but did not comment on them as it was near my bedtime so I forgot to post my reaction to the photos.

CRHer700

@PeakRarities said:

I think it is interesting that a previous owner graded it less than PCGS did. I would think that they would have exaggerated it.

PeakRarities

@CRHer700 said:

@PeakRarities said:

I think it is interesting that a previous owner graded it less than PCGS did. I would think that they would have exaggerated it.

You have to remember that flip is probably from the 60's or 70's based on the price of $185. Someone here might have more insight as to when thats possible, but at the time, EF45 probably WAS an exaggerated grade. Pioneer was always graded very conservatively, and many of the issues look like an XF as struck.

CRHer700

@PeakRarities said:

@CRHer700 said:

@PeakRarities said:

I think it is interesting that a previous owner graded it less than PCGS did. I would think that they would have exaggerated it.

You have to remember that flip is probably from the 60's or 70's based on the price of $185. Someone here might have more insight as to when thats possible, but at the time, EF45 probably WAS an exaggerated grade. Pioneer was always graded very conservatively, and many of the issues look like an XF as struck.

Yeah, you're right. I didn't think about the flat striking.