NGC-certified Confederate Half Dollar Sells for Record $960,000
Posted on 11/2/2017
An 1861 Confederate Half Dollar certified by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®) led the way in Heritage Auctions’ sale of Part IX of the Eric P. Newman Collection on Wednesday, Nov. 1. It realized a record $960,000.
Newman IX contains 427 NGC-certified coins, tokens and medals, the latest in a series of auctions of the numismatist’s legendary collection. (Wednesday's live auction featured 116 of the most valuable NGC-certified coins in Newman IX.)
The auctions of Newman’s coin collection, which has been entirely certified by NGC, have achieved nearly $59 million, including $3.7 million for Part IX thus far.
The Confederate Half Dollar was one of only four struck at the New Orleans Mint in the short time it was operated by Confederate forces. The obverse reused an 1861-O Seated Liberty die, while the reverse features a shield surrounded by the words CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA.
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| The Newman Collection's 1861 Conferedate Half Dollar Proof Click images to enlarge. |
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It is graded NGC PF 40 and was previously owned by collectors Waldo Newcomer and “Col.” E.H.R. Green.
Two other Confederate Half Dollars have been sold recently: one graded NGC PF 30 and pedigreed to the Partrick Collection was sold by Heritage for $881,250 in January 2015. Another, graded NGC PF 40, was sold by Stack’s Bowers in March 2015 for $646,250.
The remaining specimen is in the collection of the American Numismatic Society.
Another highlight of Wednesday’s Newman IX auction was a 1795 Small Eagle $5, which realized $336,000. Graded NGC MS 64, it is a high-grade example of this rare, one-year type — one of the first gold coins struck by the US Mint.
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| Newman IX's 1795 Small Eagle $5, graded NGC MS 64. Click images to enlarge. |
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The highest price for a Newman coin was achieved by a phenomenal 1796 Draped Bust Quarter graded NGC MS 67
that sold for $1,527,000 in Newman Part II in 2013.
Another 1796 Draped Bust Quarter, this one graded NGC MS 64, was among the top performers in the Newman IX auction, realizing $264,000.
Rounding out the top five prices realized in Newman IX are an 1861 Confederate Cent (graded NGC PF 63; realized $186,000), and a 1797 Draped Bust Half Dollar, which is among the finest (graded NGC AU 55; realized $168,000).
Prominent numismatists Stuart and Maureen Levine, who serve as advisers to the nonprofit Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society (EPNNES), said, "We are thrilled by the results of the Eric P. Newman Collection, Part IX. NGC's accurate and consistent grading gave bidders the confidence to again pay strong prices for the NGC-certified selections from the Newman Collection."
More items from Newman IX will be auctioned on Friday, Nov. 3. Visit HA.com/1260 to see these Internet-only selections.
To see NGC’s gallery of coins from the Newman collection, visit NGCcoin.com/Newman
EPNNES Foundation Statement Items being sold are from the extensive collection of Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society (a Missouri not-for-profit corporation) and have been assembled over a period of 90 years. Proceeds of the sale of all items will be used exclusively for supplementing the Society’s museum operations and scholarly numismatic research efforts and for the benefit of other not-for-profit institutions selected by Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society for public purposes.
Related links
- NGC Certifies Eric P. Newman Part IX
- NGC-certified Newman Collection Rarities Realize Top Dollar at Heritage Auction
- NGC-Certified Eric P. Newman Part II Tops $23 Million
- NGC-certified Eric P. Newman Part III Realizes $6.1 Million
- NGC-certified Eric P. Newman Part IV Realizes $11 Million
- NGC-certified Newman Part V Achieves $10.4 Million
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