Heritage January Sale Tops $8.7 Million

Heritage Auctions closed their January Signature Sale last night with impressive results that exceeded house estimates by nearly 20 percent overall. The auction realized $8.7 million across 1,847 lots, with US coins accounting for roughly 80 percent of the total.

Top Performers

A PCGS MS-66+ 1916-D Mercury dime led the sale at $147,000, representing strong demand for this perennial key date in high grade. The coin displayed original surfaces with exceptional luster that justified the plus designation.

Morgan dollars performed particularly well, with several common dates in superb gem condition bringing prices that would have seemed optimistic just two years ago. A PCGS MS-67 1881-S reached $3,840 against a $2,500 estimate, while an NGC MS-67+ 1884-O hammered at $4,560.

Trade dollars continued their recent strength. An 1877-S graded PCGS MS-65 brought $28,800, and an 1878-S in the same grade realized $33,600. Both results exceeded high estimates.

Surprising Results

The biggest surprise came from a group of toned Peace dollars that attracted fierce competition. A 1922 PCGS MS-66 with rainbow toning sold for $9,600, roughly four times the typical price for the grade.

Conversely, several high-grade Seated Liberty quarters failed to find buyers, passing at estimates that would have been conservative a year ago. The softness in this series contrasts with the general market strength.

Market Implications

These results suggest collector demand remains robust for popular series in exceptional condition. Quality premiums continue expanding, with the gap between MS-65 and MS-67 widening across most 20th-century series.

Dealers at the sale noted strong internet participation, with roughly 60 percent of lots going to online bidders. Floor activity was lighter than pre-pandemic levels but remained steady throughout the evening sessions.

Heritage’s next major US coin offering comes at the FUN Show auction in Orlando later this month, where a 1795 Flowing Hair dollar in PCGS MS-63 headlines the catalog.