- More
1975 10C No S PR68 PCGS....
Click the image to load the highest resolution version.
Description
1975 No S Roosevelt Dime, PR68
Only Two Examples Traced
Finest Known
1975 10C No S PR68 PCGS. Listed in first place in the third
edition of the 100 Greatest U.S. Modern Coins, the 1975 NO S
proof Roosevelt dime is one of the rarest issues in all of American
coinage. Only two examples are known to collectors today and they
have been tightly held, by just a few owners, in the 40+ years
since their discovery. Heritage Auctions is pleased to offer the
finest-known example of this famous modern rarity in just its
second auction appearance.Creation of a Modern Rarity
Until 1996, all U.S. coinage dies were produced at the Philadelphia Mint. The dies were then shipped to the various branch mints as needed, complete with the appropriate mint mark. Proof coins were struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1975 and all 2,845,450 proof 1975 dimes should have featured the S mintmark. However, the San Francisco Mint also struck 71,991,900 business-strike dimes with no mintmark that year, to help the Philadelphia Mint provide the 585,673,900 coins needed for circulation. There is no way to differentiate the business-strike coins that were struck at San Francisco from those struck at Philadelphia, since they were all struck from dies without a mintmark. According to an excellent article by Bill Gibbs in the September 1, 2011 edition of Coin World, while all the dies were manufactured in Philadelphia, the proof dies were actually polished to impart the proof finish in San Francisco. It seems that one of the dies with no mintmark, intended for business-strike production, was accidentally polished up, along with the proof dies, and used to strike a small run of proof dimes before the mistake was noticed. The San Francisco Mint has been tight-lipped on this subject, but quality control must have been excellent that year, as it seems that only two NO S dimes escaped detection and were released with the regular proof sets. Any other NO S dimes that were struck must have been detected and destroyed before leaving the Mint.
The Coin are Discovered
One lucky California collector ordered five proof sets from the U.S. Mint in 1975. Miraculously, she noticed that two of the sets contained proof dimes with no mintmark. She submitted one of the coins to Coin World's Collectors' Clearinghouse in July 1977 and later had both coins certified by ANACS. ANACS announced the certification of one of the coins in January 1978 and Coin World published the first article about the coins in its February 22 edition, causing much excitement in the numismatic community. Collectors have been diligently examining their 1975 proof sets ever since but, so far, no more 1975 NO S dimes have been discovered. The original owner sold both proof sets to Bloomington, Illinois coin dealer Fred Vollmer, the first in early 1978, and the second in 1979.
Vollmer, who specialized in the various NO S proof issues that have appeared over the years, marketed the first set to a list of collectors who had purchased proof NO S dimes from 1968 and 1970 from him in the past. An Ohio collector purchased the set (the same one that was submitted to Coin World) on an installment basis for $18,200. Vollmer later told the collector he had another phone offer for the set only 10 minutes after he committed to sell the coins to him. The Ohio collector still owns that set and the 1975 NO S dime has been certified PR66 by PCGS.
Vollmer sold the second set, which contained the present coin, to another private collector in 1980 for $38,550. That set later passed to prominent dealer Ken Goldman, who consigned it to the ANA Rarities Night Auction (Stack's Bowers, 8/2011). The set appeared in lot 7297 of the catalog, where it realized a staggering $349,600. The PR68 PCGS 1875 NO S Roosevelt dime has remained in the present collection ever since.
The Present Coin
The coin offered here is a stunning PR68 example, with fully struck design elements and deeply reflective fields on both sides. The virtually pristine surfaces are blanketed in attractive shades of cerulean-blue and pale jade toning. Overall eye appeal is terrific. This coin is the finest of only two known specimens. The 1975 NO S dime is absolutely essential to complete a collection of Roosevelt dimes and Registry Set enthusiasts will find no suitable substitute for this remarkable specimen, once this lot has passed. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire one of the rarest issues in the U.S. federal series. Population: 1 in 68, 0 finer (7/19).
Ex: California private collector; Fred Vollmer; unknown intermediaries; Ken Goldman; Rarities Night Auction (Stack's Bowers, 8/2011), lot 7297, realized $349,600; the present consignor.
From The Poulos Family Collection, Part II. (Registry values: P1)
Coin Index Numbers: (PCGS# 5254)
Weight: 2.27 grams
Metal: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel (Over Copper Center)
View all of [The Poulos Family Collection, Part II ]
Auction Info
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
20% of the successful bid (minimum $19) per lot.
Calculate Standard Domestic Shipping Sales Tax information | PCGS Guarantee of Grade and Authenticity
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms | Coin Grading Tutorial
Floor auctions
Open for bidding: (View All)Currency
Ends on 04/21/2021
Fine Art
Ends on 04/21/2021
US Coins
Ends on 04/22/2021
Fine Art
Ends on 04/22/2021
US Coins
Ends on 04/22/2021
World & Ancient Coins
Ends on 04/25/2021
Decorative Art
Ends on 04/27/2021
Decorative Art
Ends on 04/29/2021
Currency
Ends on 04/30/2021
Illustration Art
Ends on 04/30/2021
Entertainment
Ends on 05/01/2021
Luxury Accessories
Ends on 05/02/2021
Jewelry & Timepieces
Ends on 05/03/2021
Fine Art
Ends on 05/05/2021
World & Ancient Coins
Ends on 05/06/2021
Sports Collectibles
Ends on 05/06/2021
Fine Art
Ends on 05/07/2021
US Coins
Ends on 05/08/2021
Fine Art
Ends on 05/13/2021
US Coins
Ends on 05/15/2021
World & Ancient Coins
Ends on 05/16/2021
Currency
Ends on 05/16/2021
Photography
Opens about 04/21/2021
Decorative Art
Opens about 04/23/2021
Historical
Opens about 04/26/2021
Manuscripts
Opens about 04/30/2021
Fine Art
Opens about 04/28/2021
Silver
Opens about 04/29/2021
Comics & Comic Art
Opens about 04/22/2021
Space
Opens about 05/03/2021
Western & Texas Art
Opens about 04/30/2021
Historical
Opens about 05/03/2021
US Coins
Opens about 04/22/2021
Currency
Opens about 04/23/2021
Decorative Art
Opens about 05/04/2021
Fine Art
Opens about 05/05/2021
US Coins
Opens about 04/29/2021
US Coins
Opens about 04/29/2021
Jewelry & Timepieces
Opens about 05/03/2021
Fine Art
Opens about 05/12/2021
Fine Art
Opens about 05/14/2021
Jewelry & Timepieces
Opens about 05/21/2021
Entertainment
Opens about 05/17/2021
Arms & Armor
Opens about 05/18/2021
US Coins
Opens about 05/08/2021
Rare Books
Opens about 05/21/2021
Fine Art
Opens about 05/19/2021
Photography
Opens about 05/19/2021
Decorative Art
Opens about 05/20/2021
US Coins
Opens about 05/15/2021
Fine Art
Opens about 05/26/2021
Nature & Science
Opens about 05/27/2021
Decorative Art
Opens about 05/28/2021
Western & Texas Art
Opens about 05/28/2021
Heritage membership
- Past Auction Values (prices, photos, full descriptions, etc.)
- Bid online
- Free Collector newsletter
- Want List with instant e-mail notifications
- Reduced auction commissions when you resell your
winnings
- Cash Advances
- More Bidders
- Trusted Experts
- Over 200,000 Satisfied Consignors Since 1976
Learn about consigning with us
If/when you are considering selling your treasured collection, it would be in your best interest to consider Heritage.View More Testimonials
HA.com receives more traffic than any other auction house website. (Source: Similarweb.com)
Video tutorial
Getting the most out of search