Auction Highlights

The year 2024 proved to be great for numismatics, as many fascinating and important coins were bought and sold throughout the year. The U.S. Mint also issued several popular new coins, bringing excitement to the market. Meanwhile, many significant coins and banknotes crossed the block during the closing months of the past year, and we’re going to check some of these out now. Still, we can’t wait to see what exciting pieces come out of the numismatic woodwork in 2025!

1975 No-S Roosevelt Dime, PCGS PR67

The first coin in our Auction Highlights is a 1975 Proof No-S Roosevelt Dime. To this day, only two examples have been reported. This variety was first discovered in 1977 by a collector from California who discovered both examples in 1975 proof sets. The 1975 No-S Roosevelt Dime has appeared for sale just a handful of times over the decades, so when one does pop up in a public offering, it's big news and attracts many engaged bidders. This is exactly what occurred when a PCGS PR67 example was offered by GreatCollections. More than 200 bids were placed on the coin, which was hammered on October 27, 2024, for a record $506,250. 

1948 Franklin Half Dollar, PCGS MS68FBL

In 1948, the Philadelphia Mint struck 3,006,814 Franklin Half Dollars for circulation. There is still an abundance of examples that exist in circulated and uncirculated grades. However, examples grading as high as MS68 are considered a rarity amongst the series. So, it’s really impressive that a Franklin Half Dollar struck in 1948 survives in such immaculate condition. Only one circulation-strike Franklin Half Dollar has been encapsulated by PCGS in the grade MS68 with the Full Bell Lines (FBL) designation. And it so happens to be this amazing 1948 Franklin Half Dollar in PCGS MS68FBL, which sold at a Stack's Bowers Galleries auction for $84,000 in 2024.

Canada 1935 $500 Banknote, PCGS About Unc 53 PPQ

The 1935 $500 Charlton# BC-17 represents the first, last, and only time the Bank of Canada used this denomination. Printed the year the Bank of Canada opened for business, smaller than previous issues as a Depression-era cost-saving measure, they replaced the previous, much larger Dominion of Canada notes and helped phase out the currency of the many Chartered Banks then in operation. According to the 2024/35th edition of the Charlton Catalogue, there are only 40 outstanding (not redeemed) and a 2022 census claims just 12 known in existence. This unusually well-preserved PCGS Banknote example in About Uncirculated 53 PPQ realized $228,000 at a Heritage Auctions event in 2024.