Stack’s Bowers Rarities Night – November 2025
The rare coin market once again flexed its strength during Stack’s Bowers Galleries’ November 2025 Rarities Night auction, a featured session of the firm’s official sale for the Whitman Baltimore Expo. With 226 handpicked lots crossing the block, the session realized an impressive $15.2 million in total prices (including buyer’s premiums).
The star of the evening—and the talk of the market—was the 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar from the legendary Brand-Boyd-Cardinal-Legend-Texas Gentleman pedigree. Graded MS-63+ by PCGS and approved by both CAC and CMQ, the coin drew intense bidder activity before hammering at $4.5 million, setting a new record for a non-Gem example of this iconic first-year silver dollar.
Only one other business strike 1794 dollar has ever brought more: the Lord St. Oswald-Ostheimer-Hayes-Pogue-Simpson specimen, graded MS-66+ by PCGS/CAC, which realized $4.99 million in 2015 and $6.6 million in 2021.
“The auction saw fierce competition, as many trophies were offered and the demand for such coins remains insatiable,” said Brian Kendrella, President of Stack’s Bowers Galleries. “Bidding for the 1794 dollar opened at $2.6 million, and multiple bidders battled to push it to $4.5 million. We congratulate the new owner on acquiring such a phenomenal piece of American numismatic history.”
Beyond the headliner, the session reinforced collector and investor confidence in elite U.S. rarities, particularly those backed by significant provenance, quality, and historical gravitas. These coins are increasingly seen not only as prized collectibles but also as enduring assets and cultural artifacts, standing at the intersection of art, history, and tangible value.
Other phenomenal price results from Stack’s Bowers Sale include:
- Lot 3006. 1794 Liberty Cap Cent. S-19b, B-3b. Rarity-4+. Head of 1793, Double Chin. AU-55 (PCGS). CAC. CMQ. One of the finest S-19b cents extant realized $84,000, tying the record for the variety.
- Lot 3026. 1853 Liberty Seated Half Dime. Arrows. Proof-61 (NGC). An extremely rare Proof half dime realized $66,000, a record for an NGC-graded example.
- Lot 3039. 1796 Draped Bust Quarter. B-2. Rarity-3. MS-65 (PCGS). CMQ. The famed Reed Hawn Gem realized $480,000, an auction record for any 1796 quarter graded MS-65 or lower.
- Lot 3062. 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar. BB-1, B-1. Rarity-4. VF-20 (PCGS). A popular collector grade example of this important rarity brought $216,000, a record for the grade.
- Lot 3102. 1796 Capped Bust Right Quarter Eagle. Stars on Obverse. BD-3. Rarity-5+. MS-63+ (PCGS). The second finest known and the Harry Bass Core Collection specimen realized $576,000, a record price, surpassing the previous record for this coin by nearly $100,000, set when it sold in May 2023.
- Lot 3127. 1863 Liberty Head Half Eagle. JD-1. Rarity-6+. Proof-65 Cameo (PCGS). The Amon Carter- Ed Trompeter coin realized $204,000, a record price for this incredibly rare issue in the Cameo designation.
- Lot 3180. 1879-O Liberty Head Double Eagle. Winter-1. MS-63 (NGC). The single finest graded of this rare New Orleans Mint $20 brought a record price of $264,000, nearly doubling the previous record.
- Lot 3209. 1879 Pattern Morgan Quarter Dollar. Judd-1593, Pollock-1787. Rarity-7-. Silver. Reeded Edge. Proof-68 (PCGS). CAC. CMQ. The magnificent Simpson example sold for a record $66,000, far surpassing the previous record for this Judd number realized by this example back in 2020.
- Lot 3214. Undated (1837-1842) Christopher Bechtler $2.50. K-11. Rarity-5+. 64.G., 22 CARATS, Uneven 22. AU- 53 (PCGS). Gold CAC. CMQ-X. A spectacular Choice AU example fresh to the market realized a world record $48,000, surpassing all previous results for this popular territorial gold type.
- Lot 3227. 1883 Hawaii Dollar. Medcalf-Russell 2CS-5. MS-66 (PCGS). CAC. CMQ. An exceptional quality example brought $114,000, a record for any PCGS-graded example of this popular Hawaiian issue.
The post Texas Gentleman’s 1794 Dollar Realizes $4.5 Million in Record-Setting Stack’s Bowers November Rarities Night appeared first on CoinWeek: Rare Coin, Currency, and Bullion News for Collectors.
