A 1920 Wilson gold dollar will be offered in the upcoming Stack’s Bowers Galleries Winter 2014 Official Auction of the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Baltimore Expo, October 30—November 2, 2014. The gold medal produced to commemorate the opening of a new mint in Manila on 1920.
On July 16, 1920, President Woodrow Wilson authorized the reopening of the former mint in the Philippines that had been built by Spain, the only time in U. S. history that a Branch United States Mint was established on foreign soil. Three different medals were coined to commemorate this event; 2,200 silver, 3,700 bronze and 5 gold Wilson Dollars.
Neil Shafer (1961) stated that the president and secretary of war received gold examples while three remained in the islands, where they were presumed lost in battle in Manila or in the general devastation of World War II. Shafer and So-Called Dollars authors Hibler and Kappen reported that two gold pieces were then (1963) in private collections in California and Iowa.
A wide range of rarities, collector coins and exonumia from the United States are among the highlights of the upcoming Stack’s Bowers Galleries Winter 2014 Official Auction of the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Baltimore Expo, October 30—November 2, 2014. Extensive collections, including The 1853 Collection, The George Gund III Collection, The Stu Keen Portfolio, The Collections of The Strong (Rochester, New York), The William Tabachnik Collection, The Raymond W. Dillard Collection, and other important rarities are expected to cross the block.
Session one, held Wednesday, October 29, at 6 p.m. (ET) begins with Americana and U.S. copper coins (half cents through two-cent pieces). Among the highlights is an extensive offering of so-called dollars. Other areas represented in this session include early American medals, Hard Times tokens, Civil War and sutler tokens, a wide range of encased postage stamps, and other numismatic specialties.
Session two, held Thursday, October 30, at 11 a.m. (ET) includes American coins, with three-cent pieces, five-cent pieces, half dimes, twenty-cent pieces, quarters, half dollars, classic and modern commemoratives, bullion coins, mint sets, and coin rolls.
Session four, held Thursday, October 30, at 6:30 p.m. (ET), signature Rarities Night Auction, will run concurrently with session three, includes impressive offering of coins, medals and tokens originating from that pivotal year in American numismatics. Many of the coins from this collection possess impressive pedigrees, including those of numismatic legends Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr., Harry W. Bass, Jr., Ed Milas, James A. Stack, Jimmy Hayes, Norman Stack, and others.
Session five will offer pattern coins through double eagles, and begins at 11 a.m. (ET) on Friday, October 31. Continuing its tradition of partnering with the Colonial Coin Collectors Club (C4), Stack’s Bowers Galleries will present its C-4 Auction as part of session six. This session contains a wide variety of colonial and early American coins. With more than 400 lots, the C-4 Auction presents a diverse assemblage of coins with many popular types and rare varieties, ideal for collectors of colonial and Confederation era coinage.
Highlights include lot 10026 — an 1853-O No Arrow half dollar in VG-8 (PCGS), CAC, OGH, one of only four such coins known. An 1853 silver dollar, graded MS-66 and housed in an OGH PCGS holder with CAC approval, will also excite bidders.
Further selections offered in the Rarities Night Auction include a silver Andrew Jackson Indian peace medal, as well as federal and territorial issues. A Choice AU 1793 Chain cent will be offered, in addition to a nicely toned and well struck example of the key date 1916 Standing Liberty quarter, graded MS-66 FH by PCGS. A toned, premium Gem MS-66 (PCGS) 1903-S Morgan dollar is sure to see strong participation, as will a Proof-67 Cameo (PCGS-CAC) 1878 trade dollar. A Sand Blast Proof 1912 quarter eagle in Proof-66 (PCGS) -- among the finest certified, -- will be offered, as will the finest NGC-certified 1894 half eagle, graded Proof-67 * Ultra Cameo. A Condition Census 1885 double eagle, graded PCGS MS-62, will also cross the auction block. High grade commemoratives are represented by a Proof 1893 Isabella quarter, and two Matte Proof 1925 Norse-American Centennial medals. Pattern and Territorial gold pieces round out the session with important rarities such as lot 10269 — an original striking Judd-79 half dollar graded Proof-64 (PCGS).
To view and bid on all lots featured in the Stack’s Bowers Galleries Winter 2014 Official Auction of the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Baltimore Expo visit StacksBowers.com. For more information or to request a catalog, call 800.458.4646 (West Coast) or 800.566/2580 (East Coast).
