Incredible Piece of History Being Auctioned by Heritage

[barrysloate]

Thanks for those links Irv. I always thought the 1933 was unique in private hands. But now a family owns 10 of them. I don't think that will help the value of the one sold for $7.6 million. Wonder of others will make it to the auction block.

[irv]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Thanks for those links Irv. I always thought the 1933 was unique in private hands. But now a family owns 10 of them. I don't think that will help the value of the one sold for $7.6 million. Wonder of others will make it to the auction block.

You're welcome, Barry.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Damn those are beautiful coins. The lawsuit where the government lost the appeal was decided years ago but can't find any recent information on the fate of the 10 coins.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Thanks for those links Irv. I always thought the 1933 was unique in private hands. But now a family owns 10 of them. I don't think that will help the value of the one sold for $7.6 million. Wonder of others will make it to the auction block.

It turns out the government ultimately won the case. The family doesn't own any, the courts found they were stolen. The coins presumably are back in Fort Knox. And 2 others are in a museum in D.C.

[barrysloate]

There is a long history of well connected collectors befriending mint employees and getting them to steal, or in some cases even fabricate, rare coins for them. The 1913 Liberty Head nickel, of which five are known, has an interesting story.