Heritage and Santa Clara Coin Expo Combine for Another Impressive Auction

Dallas, Texas: The balmy springtime weather of the San Francisco Bay area played host to its first successful Heritage rare coin auction. The official auction of the Santa Clara Coin Expo, Heritage's Santa Clara Bullet Auction was conducted on Friday, April 14 and realized more than $310,500. "Since 1992, the November Santa Clara convention has been one of my favorite venues for a Heritage auction," noted Bob Korver, Director of Heritage Numismatic Auctions, Inc. "The growth of the hobby in and around Silicon Valley this past year prompted our first April trip to Santa Clara. And, judging by the fact that floor bidders purchased $161,280, or 52% of the lots sold, this new auction has more than earned its niche in our busy yearly schedule."

"The strong performance of Internet bidders in the April Santa Clara Auction also continues Heritage's growing World Wide Web presence," noted Heritage Co-Chairman Jim Halperin. "Our Interactive Internet™ accounted for 99 bidders, or 66% of the total. These bidders purchased 38% of the lots sold."

With a realized price of $6,440, a satiny 1854 three dollar gold piece MS 64 PCGS led the pack in the April Santa Clara Bullet Auction. A PCGS certified MS 64 1887/6-O Morgan dollar, an overdate variety that is rare to nonexistent in the preferred Mint State grades, took second place with a sum of $5,175.

Among the other strong performers in Heritage's recent auction was an 1883-S Morgan MS 64 Prooflike NGC that went to its new owner for $4,600, or $400 more than its Certified Coin Dealer Newsletter (commonly referred to as the "Bluesheet") bid. A conditionally rare 1851-C five dollar that NGC graded AU 55 also traded hands for $4,600 and, although lightly cleaned at one time, a low mintage 1872 eagle fetched a solid $4,542.50. The latter coin had been net graded to XF 45 by ANACS. The gavel fell at $4,370 for a PCGS AU 55 1851-O Liberty double eagle, an 1868-S AU 58 ANACS half eagle sold for $4,312.50, and another Liberty half eagle, a 1908 MS 66 NGC example, realized $4,025.