Feb. 16, 2001, The Benson Collection Part 1, Sale 8
Lot 2200
1903. PCGS graded
Proof 65. One of the all mirror dates, with the devices not as frosted, but
a bit reflective. Deep watery fields and only a few hairlines and a speck or
two of toning. Great cheek on Liberty, without the usual contact marks or other
problems. Only 23 graded this high by PCGS and 27 graded higher.
Estimated
Value $3,000-4,000.
Lot 2201
1903. Proof 60.
Fully mirrored and untoned save for the extreme rims, with reflective
fields. The surfaces have been cleaned, with resulting hairlines in the fields.
Liberty's cheek is nice for the grade. One that would improve with a bit of
toning.
Estimated Value $600-700.
Lot 2202
1903-O. MS-63.
Typical bagmarks for the date. Frosty and untoned.
Estimated Value
$150-175.
Lot 2203
1903-O. MS-63.
Frosty and white, with ample luster.
Estimated Value $150-175.
Lot 2204
1903-O (2 pieces). A
pair of this scarce date, both of which grade Mint State 60 to 63. Lot
of 2 coins.
Estimated Value $350-400.
Lot 2205
1904. PCGS graded
Proof 67. Deep smoky gray and blue toning around the rims, with the middle
portion of the obverse and reverse a lighter rose hue. To obtain a grade this
high, you know that this is a special coin, this obviously has been undisturbed
for many years likely in the original mint wrappers. No signs of the usual
hairlines or contact hits, just mint fresh surfaces overlaid by mottled blues,
yellow and red colors. A stunning coin.
Estimated Value $7,000-8,000.
Lot 2206
1904. Proof 63.
This scarce proof issue has been cleaned, and the surfaces show some minor
hairlines. Now a bit cloudy in appearance. Only 650 Proofs struck, this one
probably about average of those to survive.
Estimated Value $900-1,100.
Lot 2207
1904. NGC graded
MS-65. Here is a condition rarity, only 51 have been graded this high, with
just 2 graded higher by NGC. This one is flashy and white, without toning and a
decent strike. Another opportunity to put away one of the most challenging
dates in gem.
Estimated Value $1,800-2,000.
Lot 2208
1904-S. NGC graded
MS-65 Prooflike. This coin is tied with 4 others as the finest graded by
NGC in Prooflike or Deep Prooflike. In fact, only 3 coins have been graded
higher by that service without the prooflike fields. Deeply impressed by the
dies and remarkably clean for the grade. Untoned and blazing white.
Estimated Value $4,000-5,000.
Lot 2209
1904-S. AU-50.
Lightly cleaned and still lustrous.
Estimated Value $200-250.
Lot 2210
1921 Zerbe. PCGS
graded Proof 64. One of the famous Zerbe proofs struck to commemorate the
striking of Morgan dollars after a 17 year hiatus. This is one of the better
ones, as the surfaces have not suffered from poor handling. Toned a deep rose
with blue shades on both sides. A touch weak on the lower wreath, where the
mintmark would be if this were a branch mint coin. Perhaps 200 of these were
struck in all, of which PCGS has graded 19 as PR-64, with 18 graded higher.
Estimated Value $4,000-5,000.
Lot 2211
1878 to 1904, group of 33
pre-1921 Morgan Silver Dollars. Good to Extremely Fine. Several scarce
dates are included, and some high grade circulated coins.
Estimated Value
$400-UP.
Lot 2212
1878-1904. A selection of
Philadelphia Mint Morgan Dollars. This group includes 121 coins, several of
which are high grade. The lot grades from About Uncirculated to Mint
State. Lot of 121 coins.
Estimated Value $1,250-UP.
Lot 2213
1878. A Morgan Dollar lot.
This lot includes the following: 1878 8 Tail Feathers (3 pieces), 7/8
Tail Feathers Strong (2 pieces), 7/8 Tail Feathers Weak, 7 Tail Feathers (5
pieces) and 7 Tail Feathers reverse of 1879 (2 pieces). Grades
range from About Uncirculated to Brilliant Uncirculated. Lot of 13 coins.
Estimated Value $450-550.
Lot 2214
1878-CC to 1891-CC. Carson
City Morgan lot. The following coins are included in this lot: 1878-CC
(2 pieces), 1879-CC, 1880-CC, 1882-CC (2 pieces) and 1891-CC (2
pieces). The 1879-CC is rare and pretty decent for the grade. Grades
range from Very Good to Extremely Fine. Lot of 8 coins.
Estimated Value
$250-300.
Lot 2215
1878-S to 1882-S. Roll of
Silver Dollars. These grade from Mint State 60 to 63. Several are
choice pieces and most are flashy and white. An opportunity to put these away.
Lot of 20 coins.
Estimated Value $300-400.
Lot 2216
1878-S, 1879-S, 1880-S,
1881-S and 1882-S. A five piece set of Morgan Silver Dollars, all
grading Mint State 60 to 63. Mounted in a custom Capital Plastics
holder. Lot of 5 coins.
Estimated Value $60-80.
Lot 2217
1879-O to 1926-S. Three
dollars in a lot. This lot includes an 1879-O AU-50, 1923 PCGS
graded MS-63 and a 1926-S MS-63. Lot of 3 coins.
Estimated
Value $100-125.
Lot 2218
1879-S. Third reverse,
1881-S, 1885-S, 1887-S (2 pieces) and 1890-S. These grade from About
Uncirculated to Brilliant Uncirculated. Lot of 6 coins.
Estimated Value
$140-160.
Lot 2219
1880-O to 1904-O. A group
of New Orleans Morgan Dollars. This group of 79 coins grades from About
Uncirculated to Brilliant Uncirculated. Check 'em out! Lot of 79 coins.
Estimated Value $900-UP.
Lot 2220
1880-S to 1904-O. Morgan
dollar lot. This lot is all NGC graded as follows: 1880-S MS-64; 1883-O
MS-64; 1884-O MS-64; 1886 MS-64 and 1904-O MS-64. Each is flashy and white,
except for the 1886 which has bizarre multicolored hues on the reverse. Lot of
5 coins.
Estimated Value $150-175.
Lot 2221
1880-S, 1922, 1973-S and
1976-S. Silver dollar lot. The 1880-S grades MS-65 Prooflike; the 1922
MS-60; the 1973-S MS-63 and the 1976-S PF-65. Lot of 4 coins.
Estimated
Value $100-125.
Lot 2222
1881, 1881-O, 1884,
1884-O, 1886 and 1901-O. These grade from Very Fine to Brilliant
Uncirculated. Lot of 6 coins.
Estimated Value $70-80.
Lot 2223
1881-S to 1898-O. Morgan
dollar lot. All the following coins are PCGS graded MS-63: 1881-S ,
1885-O, 1887, 1896 and 1898-O. Lot of 5 coins.
Estimated Value
$100-120.
Lot 2224
1887-S to 1897-S. San
Francisco Morgan Dollar lot. This lot includes the following: 1887-S (3
pieces), 1890-S (2 pieces), 1891-S and 1897-S (3 pieces). Each grades Mint
State 60. Lot of 9 coins.
Estimated Value $300-350.
Lot 2225
1887-S to 1904-2. A lot of
San Francisco Morgan Dollars. The following are included: 1887-S (2
pieces), 1890-S (3 pieces), 1891-S (3 pieces), 1892-S (5 pieces), 1894-S,
1897-S (4 pieces), 1899-S, 1902-S, 1903-S and 1904-S (2 pieces). Grades from
Good to About Uncirculated, so inspection recommended. Lot of 23 coins.
Estimated Value $250-300.
Lot 2226
1889-O to 1897-O. A New
Orleans Mint Morgan Dollar lot. This lot includes 1889-O, 1892-O (3
pieces), 1896-O and 1897-O (2 pieces). Several scarce date coins are
included, as noted. Grades range from About Uncirculated 50 to 58. Lot
of 7 coins.
Estimated Value $400-450.
Lot 2227
Pre-1921. A selection of
185 Morgan Silver Dollars. The grades range from Good to About
Uncirculated, with the average of Extremely Fine for the group. Here is an
excellent way to start your date collection of these important silver coins.
Many dates and mints are represented, and the overall condition of these coins
is quite pleasing. Sorting these would be fun for a new or old collector who
enjoyed searching for low-mintage dates and filling up albums. Lot of 185
coins.
Estimated Value $1,750-UP.
Lot 2228
1921 Morgan Dollar lot,
all mints, PDS. 31 pieces, Very Fine to Brilliant Uncirculated. Many are
mintmarked, increasing desirability. Lot of 31 coins.
Estimated Value
$150-200.
Lot 2229
A fabulous lot of LaVere
Redfield letters, photographs and newspaper clippings. Here is a box chock
full of correspondence to LaVere Redfield, the famous tax evader who didn't
believe in banks, and thus kept his million plus dollars at home. Further, he
didn't believe in paying taxes, and there is even a 1957 Registered letter from
the IRS to him. Rarely photographed, the shy millionaire was robbed on several
occasions, diminishing his hoard of dollars, and a detailed newspaper article
is included. These letters were taken from his personal home by a relative and
held as keep sakes for many years. Several photographs are included, a few of
the famous millionaire himself, and of his lovely home in Reno, Nevada. A fun
box of numismatic history to wade through, LaVere Redfield, of course, formed
the huge hoard of Morgan silver dollars which was sold for $7.3 Million to
young Steve Markoff, owner of A-Mark Coins. The 407,283 were broken up and sold
over years by various intermediaries, and form the basis for countless
collections across the country. Redfield used his banking and business
connections to order bags of 1,000 silver dollars directly from the Treasury
Department, which was glad to be rid of the things after nearly 80 years in its
vaults. When the new bags would arrive, Redfield would burn a cigarette hole in
the bag, see what date and mintmark the bag was, then either send them on to
Reno to the gambling casinos, or keep the bag, if it happened to be a better
date. His hoard grew to well over a million coins, but Redfield was robbed
several times, and many were carried off. Nevertheless, when his hoard of
silver dollars was sold after his death in 1974, it was the largest numismatic
transaction up to that time. Needless to say, the name Redfield will always be
synonymous with Morgan Silver Dollars. Why not buy this box and get inside the
mind of the Redfield family. Obviously, this is a unique opportunity for the
advanced Morgan dollar specialist not to miss! Enjoy.
Estimated Value
$1,000-UP.