Lot 1139
1917 McKinley Dollar. PCGS graded MS-66 Premium Quality. Especially bright and lustrous for this issue, with pristine fields and surfaces. Unbroken luster and a real beauty for the specialist. PCGS has graded 228 this high, with a mere 38 higher, all as MS-67 above.
Estimated Value $4,500-UP.

Near Gem 1915-S Round Panama-Pacific Gold $50

Lot 1140
1915-S Panama-Pacific $50 Round. PCGS graded MS-64. Nearly a gem with splendid luster and a good strike on the devices. Minerva boasts her proud helmet and forward looking gaze as the nation celebrated the Panama Pacific Exposition in San Francisco during 1915. It was a moment of celebration as the clouds of war were gathering in Europe and all too soon America would be embroiled in that world conflict. Glowing luster and a delight to behold.
Designed by Charles Aitken and struck in very limited quantities, which were sold at the Exposition. When the Exposition closed, the unsold coins were melted, freezing the mintage at 483 net pieces. Naturally, few could afford to buy these huge gold coins, which is why they are so rare today. Things haven't changed all that much, these remain expensive, and few can afford to secure one for their collection. PCGS has graded 120 this high of the original mintage, and importantly, just 8 higher! One of the most sought-after coins produced in the 20th Century.
Estimated Value $32,500-37,500.

A Mate for the Round $50

Lot 1141
1915-S Panama-Pacific $50 Octagonal. PCGS graded MS-64. Glowing luster and boldly struck. The surfaces are nearly of gem quality, and this is about as nice as these large coins are ever found. In fact, PCGS has graded only 150 this high, with 12 higher, all MS-65 above, and that's out of the original mintage of 645 coins. Apparently the octagonal coins were more popular than the round format $50s, and if a buyer could only afford one coin, then the octagonal was favored as reflected in the higher mintage. On the octagonal coins, the devices were smaller such as Minera's head and helmet, and the owl as well, but eight small dolphins were added into the corners of the coin, which no doubt attracted a number of buyers, as there were no dolphins on the round version. Always in great demand and about as nice as a collector could hope to find for the grade.
Estimated Value $32,500-37,500.

One of the Finest Graded 1926 Sesquicentennial Quarter Eagles

Lot 1142
1926 Sesquicentennial $2.50. NGC graded MS-66. One of the finest graded of this important commemorative gold coin. The surfaces are ablaze with luster, and the strike is sharp throughout. We do note the signs of contact on Liberty, and these must have kept this from an even higher grade. Certainly near the top of the population reports, NGC has graded 23 this high with none graded higher, and PCGS has graded 55 this high with a single coin higher. Hence, this is one of the very best, likely well up in the top 100 that exist today. Keep that in mind when bidding.
Estimated Value $13,000-15,000.