STACK'S BOWERS TO SELL POGUE COLLECTION

Stack's Bowers Galleries is honored to announce that the firm has been chosen to market the most valuable collection of federal American coins ever formed. Assembled over several decades by the Pogue family of Dallas, Texas and built under the connoisseurship of D. Brent Pogue, the collection focuses on copper, silver, and gold coins from the early 1790s to the late 1830s. Many of these extraordinary examples are the finest known today. It is anticipated that the collection will be sold over a series of auctions in New York City over the next several years.

"For over 30 years, under Brent's guidance, we participated in the most famous 'name' auction sales, many of which were presented by Stack's Bowers Galleries. Our goal was to develop a cabinet without precedent as to quality and value and I believe that we have accomplished that goal. It is only fitting that the legendary Q. David Bowers and the company's exceptional staff of numismatic professionals — specifically Harvey and Larry Stack, Christine Karstedt, and Greg Roberts — which we have had the pleasure of working with to build our collection, present it to a new generation of enthusiasts who will enjoy these coins as much as we have. Each is quite special, and most are well documented as to their history and pedigree," said a Pogue family representative.

"Working with the Pogue family and Brent Pogue on this project is a tremendous honor for me. Sharing the amazing accomplishments of the collectors and the fascinating stories behind the important rarities in definitive reference books and auction catalogs, will be one of the most memorable accomplishments in my career," stated Q. David Bowers, chairman emeritus.

Christine Karstedt, who has worked with the family for many years, will coordinate the educational displays, auction schedules, and marketing for this amazing collection. She stated, "We are now planning the grand suite of events to present the Pogue Collection, the most significant offering of finest known early coins ever formed. As a look behind the curtain, the cabinet includes two Class I 1804 dollars, including the finest known Imam of Muscat/Childs specimen, the only 1854-S half eagle to come on the market since 1982 when the family acquired this specimen during the Eliasberg sale, and the 1822 half eagle also an Eliasberg rarity and the only one in public hands, to mention just a tiny handful of legendary coins."

Additional announcements will be made as appropriate in coming months. Stay tuned at StacksBowers.com.

The last few years have been fertile, to say the least, for auction sales involving all-time great collections. We’ve seen the sales of the Newman collection, are seeing the current selling off of the Gene Gardner sets, and have also witnessed the not-as-splashy sales of a number of important general and specialized sets. But none of these sales affected me as much as the announcement of the upcoming sale(s) of the legendary Mac and Brent Pogue collection.

Around a week ago I read a press release stating that the Pogue collection would be sold by Stacks Bowers in a series of auctions “over the next several years.” My reaction? Unprintable in this blog (hint, starts with: Holy) but understandable, given that it is well-known within the dealer community that this is quite probably the greatest collection of American coins ever formed, and that there were no rumors floating around that it might be sold.

After pondering the Pogue Situation for a few hours, I’ve reached a few initial reactions which I’d like to share with you.

1. This Collection is Even Greater than You’ve Heard

Other than a handful of people, there are not many numismatists that are aware of the complete inventory of this collection, and I am not one of the lucky few. Over the years, I’ve been shown little date runs from the collection (I can remember looking at a phenomenal group of early quarters at Dave Akers’ table at an ANA convention 10-15 years ago that belonged to the Pogues and, at another ANA show maybe 15 years ago a group of Fat Head half eagles which were mind-blowing) and have received tidbits of information from Brent about what he has. But this is truly a once-in-a-generation collection and it is certainly the only collection that I would actually pay to see in person.

2. This Collection is More Valuable than You’ve Heard

It is nearly impossible to know the value of a collection which you haven’t seen in person and don’t even know for sure what it includes. If I had to give a good guesstimate, I’d say the collection is easily worth $150 million, and it could ultimately be worth $200 million or even more.

It contains a coin which is likely to set a record for most valuable United States issue ever sold at auction (the Childs/Pogue PCGS PR68 Original 1804 Dollar) and it contains at least two other coins (the 1822 half eagle and the 1854-S half eagle) that could break the $5 million dollar barrier. There are scads of mid to high six-figure coins in the Pogue collection, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a number of other coins which will break the $1 million dollar mark when they are sold at auction.

The Eliasberg 1822 Half Eagle

To read the complete article, see: Your Blogger Swoons at an Auction Announcement (raregoldcoins.com/market-blog/your-blogger-swoons-at-an-auction-announcement)

Prolific numismatic author Q. David Bowers is researching and developing two books to be written chronicling the Pogue family collection of United States coins.

Among the coins in the collection are two Class I, original 1804 Draped Bust dollars; the finest known regular strike 1795 Flowing Hair, Three Leaves dollar; and an 1822 Capped Head $5 gold half eagle and 1854-S Coronet half eagle, both of which have been off the market since 1982.

The two gold coins were last sold at auction in the Bowers and Ruddy Galleries Inc. sale Oct. 27 to 29, 1982, of The United States Gold Coin Collection, the anonymous name given to the holdings of renowned Baltimore numismatist Louis E. Eliasburg Sr.

To read the complete article, see: Q. David Bowers to write two books about Pogue family collection in conjunction with auctions (www.coinworld.com/insights/pogue-family-to-auction-extensive-collection-of-united-states-co.html)

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