WCT News

Surprise July 4th Privy Trump Dollar Surfaces Days Before U.S. Mint Launch

Heritage Auctions numismatist Rene Alvarenga discovered an unannounced “July 4th” privy-mark 2026 Donald J. Trump $1 coin inside an Advanced Delivery roll, according to CAC Grading.

CAC announced the discovery on August 26. The grading service certified the discovery coin MS64. Its holder label identifies the piece as the “July 4th Privy,” “Discovery Coin,” and an “Advanced Delivery” example.

Heritage also plans to donate the discovery coin to the American Numismatic Association (ANA), according to CAC.

That gives an already unusual modern dollar an unexpected second chapter before collectors can even order the standard version from the U.S. Mint.

Image courtesy of CAC Grading – Trump “July 4th” Privy Mark Discovery Coin A Privy Mark Hiding in Plain Sight

The new privy mark appears on the obverse.

Look to the left of President Donald J. Trump’s por…

The U.S. Half Dollar With Three Dates, and a $19,200 Record

Some coins tell their story with a portrait. Others rely on a famous battle, monument, or national symbol.

The 1936 Delaware Tercentenary Half Dollar does something stranger.

It carries a 1936 date. Yet the Philadelphia Mint struck it in 1937. Meanwhile, its reverse celebrates an anniversary that did not arrive until 1938.

1936 50C Delaware MS68 PCGS.

That three-year calendar puzzle already makes the Delaware Half Dollar unusual. However, the story gets better. The coin connects early Swedish America, a 17th-century church, a colonial sailing ship, 1930s commemorative-coin speculation, and an international anniversary celebration.

Then, in August 2025, one extraordinary example added another chapter.

Heritage Auctions sold a PCGS MS68 Delaware Half Dollar from the Gregg Bingham Collection for $19,200. That result now stands as the auction record that PCGS reports for the issue. Her…

By Mike Byers – MintErrorNews …….

Unique Gold Piefort -Nürnberg “1700” 2 Ducats

Collectors know Nürnberg’s 1700-dated Paschal Lamb gold as one of the classic trophy series in German numismatics. Yet one coin breaks the pattern. A unique gold klippe piefort of 2-ducat weight first entered the public auction record at Künker’s June 2007 Auction 125, Lot 976. Then, nearly two decades later, it returned at Heritage’s NYINC sale on January 12, 2026, where it realized $12,200.

Nürnberg. Free City gold Klippe “Piefort” 2 Ducats 1700-Dated (1755-1764)-IMF MS61 PCGS

Heritage catalogs the piece as a Nürnberg Free City gold klippe “Piefort” 2 Ducats, 1700-dated, struck in the 1755-1764 window under mint master Johann Martin Förster. The firm gives the coin a weight of 6.91 grams and a diameter of 20 millimeters. Just as important, Heritage calls the variant unlisted in the major references and cites it as Kellner-Unl and Erlanger-…

By Jesse Kraft for American Numismatic Society (ANS) …..Updated and reformatted by CoinWeek

Goloid Dollars, the “Crime of ’73,” and America’s Silver Crisis

Few moments in American monetary history caused more disruption than the years after California’s gold discoveries. The flood of new gold upset the long-standing ratio between gold and silver. As a result, silver coins traded at $1.04 for every gold dollar. That gap looked small. However, it created a real crisis. Silver coins vanished from circulation because people hoarded them.

Congress stepped in with the Coinage Act of 1853. Lawmakers lowered the weights of the half dime, the dime, the quarter, and the half dollar. That change reduced their intrinsic value and pushed them back into circulation. However, Congress left the silver dollar at full weight. Officials did not want to disrupt its use abroad. At the time, the silver dollar still competed heavily with the Mexican peso in international trade.…

Atlas Numismatics has released a major new fixed-price list. In total, 589 coins, medals, and tokens are now available through its website. The selection spans ancient Greece, early modern Europe, and rare world gold issues.

Notably, this update highlights elite material. Collectors will find museum-quality rarities, high-grade certified coins, and historically significant pieces throughout the offering.

Updates to Atlas Numismatics’ online inventory are issued monthly. However, this latest release stands out for both depth and quality.

Ancient Icon: Syracuse Decadrachm by Kimon

One of the most important coins in the offering is an unsigned decadrachm attributed to the master engraver Kimon.

GREEK. SICILY. Syracuse. Dionysios I. (Tyrant, 407-367 BC). Struck c. 405-400 BC. AR Decadrachm. NGC VF (Very Fine)

1085365 | GREEK. SICILY. Syracuse. Dionysios I (407–367 BC) Struck circa 405–400 BC. AR Decadrachm. NGC VF. Strike 4/5, Surface 5/5. Fine Style.…

Collectors have a major opportunity ahead. Sedwick’s Auction 39 brings together rare gold cobs, historic shipwreck treasure, and elite collections from across the numismatic world.

This sale stands out for both depth and quality. Moreover, it reflects a growing interest in specialized areas that are gaining momentum among advanced collectors.

Dated Gold Cobs Gain Momentum After Landmark Publication

The auction opens with an important offering of dated 2 escudos gold cobs from Colombia. These coins arrive at a pivotal moment.

Interest has surged following the release of Arce’s Doubloons by Daniel Sedwick. As a result, collectors now better understand the rarity and artistry of this challenging series.

Consequently, demand continues to grow. This selection may mark the beginning of broader recognition and deeper academic study.

Shipwreck Treasure Anchors the Sale

As expected, shipwreck material forms the centerpiece of the auction. Read more about Sedwick Auction 39 Delivers Rare Gold Cobs, Shipwreck Treasure, and Landmark Collections

By CoinWeek Notes

The 1793 Chain Cent stands at the start of federal coinage. The United States Mint delivered the first 11,178 copper cents on March 1, 1793, from the first Philadelphia Mint. Over the next 12 days, the Mint produced 36,103 Chain Cents. For all practical purposes, these coins mark the first regular-issue United States coins that the federal government struck on its own machinery inside its own Mint building.

Henry Voigt, the Mint’s first Chief Coiner, cut the dies. He kept the design simple, because the young Mint still lacked mature engraving capacity. Even so, Voigt gave the coin a powerful visual identity. He also drew on Augustin Dupré’s Libertas Americana medal for Liberty’s portrait, which linked the new cent to the visual language of the American Revolution.

The Design That Launched the Cent

The obverse shows Liberty with flowing hair. LIBERTY appears above her, and the date 1793 sits below the bust truncation. The reverse…

Stack’s Bowers Galleries delivered a powerful result in its Spring 2026 Showcase Auction, reinforcing the strength of the high-end rare coin market. The Costa Mesa firm saw record prices in multiple categories, from Lincoln cents and Peace dollars to Southern gold and Proof-only rarities. The top prize went to a Gem Proof 1882 Liberty Head double eagle, which realized $810,000. That price more than doubled its previous public benchmark of $293,750, set in 2012.

1882 Liberty Head Double Eagle. JD-1. Rarity-6+. Proof-66 Deep Cameo (PCGS). CAC. CMQ. The 1882 Double Eagle Led the Sale

The 1882 double eagle gave the auction its defining moment. Stack’s Bowers described the coin as a Proof-66 Deep Cameo and noted that fewer than 20 examples survive. The firm also identified the piece as the finest known CAC-approved example. In other words, bidders did not chase just a rarity. They chased a trophy. As a result, the coin finished at $810,000 and set the tone for the rest of …

U.S. Pattern Coinage: Inside America’s Rarest “What-If” Coins

From the 1792 Half Disme to the Bob R. Simpson cabinet, U.S. Pattern coins tell the story of what the Mint tested, refined, and ultimately left behind. That history still gives the series unusual power for collectors today.

1879 Pattern Schoolgirl Standard Dollar. Judd-1608, Pollock-1804. Rarity-6+. Silver. Reeded Edge. Proof-65 (PCGS). CAC.

Charles Anderson built one of the finest U.S. Pattern coin collections ever assembled. In 2007, Bob R. Simpson bought that cabinet intact for more than $30 million, and contemporary accounts described the deal as the largest private numismatic transaction of its time. After that purchase, Simpson kept chasing additional Patterns in an effort to push the collection as far as possible. Garrett also noted that he placed several important Pattern coins into that cabinet over the years. Even so, no collector can truly complete the series. In fact, even a billionaire runs int…