Hello everyone, Earlier today the 1822 US Half Eagle that has been in numismatic headlines for a while sold for $8,400,000 at Stacks Bowers 2021 March Auction. It is a true rarity; being the only specimen available to the public as well as being the highest-graded example known. I am honestly surprised that it didn't go for more. Was hoping that it would break the $10M mark and possibly surpassing the 1794 $1 for being the most expensive coin in known history. I was somewhat disappointed as I believe it deserves to go for more. Otherwise I am glad to see a strong market in numismatics. Feel free to comment your thoughts
Seems strange to say but it seems like a little bit of a light price. That doesn’t seem like a good omen for the record being broken anytime soon
The Pogue sale last March had lots of weak bidding at the high-end during the beginning of Covid. But with the stock market almost doubling since, you'd think the high-end would be strong and if anything the lower-priced coins weak. But not the case. I just think that maybe there are no Big Bidders underneath like in the past -- Fox, Simpson, etc. -- and no outside type or historical collectors like Weitzman/1933 Saint.
In terms of the high end there does seem to be a lack of two that have to have it. That said there is a limit on money. I do really believe some of these are putting out to much at once in maybe not the right venue that artificially lowers the sale prices. At least one I believe didn’t really have a choice and was a forced sale With a coin like this it’s kinda impossible to say strong or weak, it does seem a little weak to me and obviously didn’t go to the moon, but I wouldn’t say it was low either.
I wonder how coins of this magnitude are delivered to their new owners? Surely this won’t ship in a traditional manner, would it?
Depends. No one will really say it but yes 6 figure coins get shipped all the time. The hope diamond was once shipped with just a few stamps But yea if you wanted to pick it up or pay for an armored car you could
The story around the 1822 half eagle is far less compelling than the one around the Specimen 1794 Dollar. The 1822 gold piece had a limited mintage, which may have all been shipped to Europe, where virtually all of the coins were melted. That’s not exciting, at least for me. All of the half eagles from that era suffered a similar fate and are very scarce to rare. The 1794 Dollars were the first examples of the United States flagship denomination. The $10 million coin is said to be a special striking that might have been the first one made. Subsequent pieces were not as well struck because the dies were misaligned in the press. Overall the press was too small to strike a coin of that size. After the 1794 coins were made, the mint did not strike any more dollars until June 1795 when a new, larger press was available. Also the buyer of the 1794 Dollar jumped the bid beyond the next normal increment when he bought it. That might have pushed up the record price.
I would guess Del Hansen bought it. If so, it will show in his registry set soon. He already has the #1 set for early $5 gold. See link. Cal https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/go...ulation-strikes-1795-1838/publishedset/148212
