The Donald G. Partrick Collection of Extraordinary United States Colonials Part I, will debut on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2014, as part of Heritage Auctions’ Jan. 7-10 Florida United Numismatists (FUN) Convention auctions at the Orange County Convention Center.
“This is the finest gathering of colonial coinage ever to appear at auction,” said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auctions. “It rivals the collections of the greatest names in numismatic history. Donald Partrick’s lifelong passion for early American coins is evident in this extraordinary offering.”
An unprecedented grouping of 12 different 1792 pattern coins will be offered (three more than the famous Parmelee and Garrett collections). Another significant highlight of this auction is one of only four original Confederate half dollars, the sole piece pedigreed to CSA president Jefferson Davis. A group of 12 Continental dollars, including two of only four known in silver, comprises another unmatched group of coins.
The finest known 1792 Birch Cent MS65 NGC CAC, from the famed Garrett Collection, is a Gem Uncirculated specimen that is a wonder to behold.
“The spectacular color and prooflike surfaces of this coin make it a leading contender for the most desirable specimen of the Partrick 1792 pattern set,” said Rohan. “The overall appearance of this carefully preserved coin is outstanding, and its importance cannot be overemphasized.”
Another highlight of this sale is a 1792 Eagle-on-Globe Copper Quarter Dollar MS63 NGC CAC.
“This coin has appeared at auction a mere four times in the past 152 years, and was last offered publicly in 1890,” said Rohan. “With one of the two known pieces closely held by the National Numismatic Collection, this is the sole example available to collectors. History suggests an opportunity of only once per generation to acquire one of the most prized patterns of 1792. This is that moment.”
More sought-after patterns include the finest of only three known plain edge 1792 copper dismes, with a grade of MS64 NGC CAC; the finer of two known 1792 thin flan silver dismes, graded AU50 NGC; and Partrick’s 1792 Silver Center Cent XF45+ NGC CAC, the United States’ first bimetallic coin, and a gorgeous example of one of the early experiments of the Mint.
Partrick’s unique Sans Silver 1792 One Cent MS62 NGC is the discovery coin that surfaced in 1993, uncovered by Sil DiGenova, Stuart Levine and Anthony Terranova before making its initial public appearance at auction in 1995. Twenty years later, the present sale marks only the second auction appearance of this one-of-a-kind coin.
As mentioned above, certainly one of the most colorful and historical offerings of The Partrick Collection is an 1861 original Confederate Half Dollar PR30 NGC CAC, one of only four struck and the only example that can be traced back to Confederate President Jefferson Davis. For absolute rarity and historic significance, the 1861 Confederate half dollar is unsurpassed in the annals of American coinage.
The four examples were struck at the New Orleans Mint in April of 1861, after that facility was “taken into trust” by the Confederacy. The coins were dispersed at the time of striking and all knowledge of the issue vanished for the ensuing 18 years. All four coins eventually resurfaced over a period of 110 years, but they were subsequently held tightly in important collections and institutions. The opportunity to acquire a specimen has been almost as rare as the coins themselves.
“Among the four known examples, this coin claims the most notable history of them all,” said Rohan. “How many collectors have looked at their favorite coin and wondered if George Washington or Abraham Lincoln ever held it or used it to buy a loaf of bread? The owner of this coin will know for certain that Jefferson Davis carried it as a keepsake for four years through all the turmoil of the Civil War.”
Rounding out the Partick Collection highlights are two of only four known Continental dollars in silver, important as examples of the first “hard money” of the United States. The 1776 Silver Continental Dollar MS62 NGC ex: Boyd, one of two Newman 3-D examples known in silver, is a coin that deserves a prominent place in the finest cabinet. The 1776 Newman Continental Dollar XF40 NGC ex: Garrett, one of only two known Newman 1-C pieces in silver, is most probably the very first Continental dollar in silver minted, and thus a coin of tremendous historic importance.