Costa Mesa, CA – Stack’s Bowers Galleries is proud to announce that a Texas gentleman has consigned a small but powerful group of iconic rarities to the firm’s showcase auction scheduled for February 4-5, 2025. The Property of a Texas Gentleman will be remembered for bringing to market the finest known example of the famed 1849 Pacific Company $5 gold piece, one of about a half a dozen examples known. Graded AU-58 by PCGS and approved by CAC and CMQ, the coin offers a provenance to such illustrious cabinets as the Garrett and Riverboat collections and served as the plate coin in the 2023 reference on Private and Territorial gold coins by Donald Kagin and David McCarthy. Only four examples are traced today, one of which is held permanently in the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution. Another has not sold at auction since 1987 and is currently in a private collection. The only other example was stolen from the duPont Collection in 1967 and has never been recovered. With just this piece on the market for the foreseeable future, this will be specialists’ only opportunity to purchase one.
“After selling a Baldwin Horseman $10 for a record shattering $1.26 million in our November Rarities Night Auction, we are honored to present another world class Gold Rush era gold coin,” stated Brian Kendrella, President of Stack’s Bowers Galleries. “The Property of a Texas Gentleman also features notable early American coins in superb quality,” Mr. Kendrella continued. “It includes Mint State examples of the 1793 half cent (graded MS-65 BN by PCGS) and 1792 half disme (NGC-graded MS-62), as well as 1795 dollars of both the Flowing Hair (NGC MS-64) and Draped Bust (MS-65 NGC) design types.”
Other notable coins from this world class cabinet include: Lot 1165. 1921 Peace Silver Dollar. High Relief. Matte Proof-65 (NGC) CMQ. Lot 1166. 1921 Peace Silver Dollar. High Relief. Satin Proof-66 (NGC). Lot 1182. 1795 Half Eagle. Small Eagle. BD-3. Rarity-3+. MS-61 (PCGS) CMQ. Lot 1206. 1803 Eagle. BD-3, Taraszka-28. Rarity-4. Small Stars Reverse. MS-64 (PCGS) CMQ. Lot 1231. 1904 Double Eagle. JD-1. Rarity-4+. Proof-66+ Cameo (NGC) CMQ.
Other important highlights of the February 2025 Showcase Auction include:
Lot 1038. 1937-D Buffalo Nickel. FS-901. 3-Legged. MS-65 (PCGS) CAC. Ex Pogue. Lot 1045. 1837 Liberty Seated Half Dime. No Stars. Small Date. MS-68 (NGC). Lot 1048. 1840-O Liberty Seated Half Dime. Drapery. Small O. MS-64+ (NGC). Lot 1078. 1943-S Washington Quarter. MS-68 (PCGS). Lot 1112. 1839 Gobrecht Silver Dollar. Name Removed. Judd-104 Restrike, Pollock-116. Rarity-3. Silver. Reeded Edge. Die Alignment IV. Proof-63+ (PCGS) CAC. Lot 1241. 1925-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle. MS-64 (PCGS). Lot 1254. 1860 Mormon $5. K-6. Rarity-5+. MS-62 (NGC) CMQ.
The Fairmont Collection – Riviera Set
After nearly seven years of offering coins from this extensive holding of United States gold coins, the Riviera Set of the Fairmont Collection will be the final named set of gold coins to be presented in its own catalog. The Fairmont Collection is the largest accumulation of United States gold coins to ever come to market. Like previous Stack’s Bowers Galleries offerings from this collection, the Riviera Set contains over 320 gold coins consisting of half eagles, eagles, and double eagles. There is a wide variety of dates and mints featured from the Liberty Head, Indian Head, and Saint-Gaudens series and, as with all the previous Fairmont offerings, every coin is totally fresh to the market.
“It is a bittersweet feeling,” said Brian Kendrella. “For the better part of a decade, each time a selection of Fairmont Collection coins crossed the auction block records were achieved and numismatic history was made.”
The entire Stack’s Bowers Galleries February 2025 Showcase Auction is available for viewing and pre-sale bidding at StacksBowers.com. To consign to one of the firm’s showcase or online auctions call 800-458-4646 or email Consign@StacksBowers.com.
