Heritage to Offer Rare $5 and $10 Sailor Head Coins!

Dallas, Texas: Heritage Numismatic Auctions, Inc (HNAI) will offer a pair of rare 1875 Sailor Head coins, both a $5, PR65 NGC, and a $10, PR64 NGC, in their upcoming Signature Auction, to be held May 4-7, 2005 as part of the Central States Numismatics Society convention to be held in St. Louis, MO.

"Gold patterns, including those of the 'Sailor Head' design, have assumed near-legendary status among pattern specialists," said Greg Rohan, President of HNAI. "Many are unique, making them unobtainable, or off the market for a generation or more to even the most determined collector, regardless of how well financed he might be. Because of their rarity - there are only two known examples of each of these beautiful coins - it is impossible for more than two collectors in any given generation to attempt a collection of gold patterns. The last assemblage of gold patterns was tried by the late Ed Trompeter, who managed to purchase 10 pieces in 30 years of collecting."

"The five dollar gold pattern we're offering was once in the collection of Dr. John Wilkison," continued Rohan. "Wilkison was a savvy collector who realized early in his collecting career that he wanted to direct his energies in the direction of major U.S. rarities. The ten dollar pattern was originally owned by beer magnate and legendary numismatist, Virgil Brand. Both are magnificent gold patterns, and the appearance of the pair in the same auction represents a singular opportunity for any aficionado of 19th century gold coinage."

The two pieces carry a pre-auction minimum bid of $600,000 hammer ($690,000 including Buyer's Premium) for the pair, and each coin will be offered conditionally on the total for both coins reaching that minimum.

Images, descriptions, and prices realized from all of Heritage's previous sales are available in the Permanent Auction Archives at the Heritage website.

To purchase a catalog, please contact Nicole Jewell at 800 872 6467 ext 272, 3500 Maple Avenue, 17th Floor, Dallas, TX., 75219.