Previously Unknown Newfoundland Half Dollar To Be Sold in Heritage’s May 2003 Long Beach Auction

Dallas, Texas. Heritage World Coin Auctions’ May 2003 Long Beach Signature Sale is highlighted by a Canadian coin of the utmost rarity: an 1888 Newfoundland Half Dollar, graded Specimen 64 by PCGS. Prior to the appearance of this example, its possible existence as a Specimen strike was only conjectural, and the highest graded business strike survivor was an AU 55 example.

According to HWCA Director Warren Tucker, “After viewing and cataloging the world-class Belzberg Collection that we sold in January, I didn’t expect to ever see a finer or rarer Canadian coin. Not coincidentally, an old friend of mine whom I hadn’t seen in thirty years saw the Belzberg catalog, and it reminded him that he had put away an extraordinary Newfoundland Half in his bank vault several decades ago. He had previously sold his entire collection of Canadian coins, but kept this one Half because he believed that it was something really special. After PCGS confirmed its status as a Specimen strike - and in such a lofty grade, his opinion from so many years ago was absolutely confirmed.”

Continued Tucker, “Lot 11157 really is quite an extraordinary coin, with outstanding toning and a solid strike creating plenty of eye appeal; the portrait of Queen Victoria on the obverse is especially attractive. The 1888 Newfoundland Half Dollar was missing in Specimen condition from the Pittman, Norweb, and Belzberg collections, so its new owner will be an important part of a very limited pedigree. Newfoundland Halves were minted intermittently between 1870 and 1919, and many of the issues during the 1880s are exceedingly scarce. This is the rarest of the Newfoundland Half Dollars above AU in the business strikes, and this is quite probably the only Specimen of this issue that exists. Watch for heated bidding to carry this important rarity well above the $25,000 mark. This may be the only opportunity for another three decades to obtain this issue, graded so much higher than the previous finest known, and in so doing also acquire the only known Specimen.”

The HWCA catalog is now available online at http://www.HeritageCoin.com, including full-color enlargeable images of this important Newfoundland rarity.

HWCA’s May Long Beach Signature catalogs contain two thousand lots of ancients, world coins, and world currency. Many specialty areas in the auction are especially strong. The Hawkeye Collection of Swedish Plate Money is the finest group that Heritage as ever seen or offered. Countries with especially strong sections are Canada & Provinces, Great Britain & Empire, Germany and States, Japan, and Spain and colonies. HWCA is an official auctioneer of the Long Beach Coin Expo. Ancients will be sold on Thursday evening, followed by world coins and currency on Friday evening.

Bidders can also participate through the printed catalog, available for $30 through Heritage, or free with the submission of any recent invoice exceeding $1,000 from any coin dealer.

The Heritage name is recognized worldwide for bringing unparalleled value to every consignor and bidder. Year 2002 sales exceeded $170 million ($92 million at auction) and assets were approximately $30 million. HeritageCoin.com is the Internet's most popular and highly trafficked rare coin site, with over 80,000 registered members. HeritageCoin.com is the only coin site chosen twice by Forbes.com’s Best of the Web (1999 and 2001) as one of the 250 best websites on the Internet, and also won the most recent Numismatic Literary Guild award for Best Numismatic Internet Site. For more information on how to consign your coins to our next Sale contact one of our consignment coordinators at 1-800-US COINS (800.872.6467). We also invite you to visit us on the web at http://www.HeritageCoin.com.