GreatCollections explained

GreatCollections
Type:Private
Founded: in Irvine, California, U.S.
Hq Location:17891 Cartwright Road
Hq Location City:Irvine, California, U.S.
Products:Certified coins and paper money
Services:Auctioneer

GreatCollections is an American numismatic online auction house founded in 2010, and based in Irvine, California. The company is an auctioneer of certified rare coins and paper money.[1]

History

The auction house was co-founded Ian Russell, who serves as its president, and Raeleen Endo. They developed the company's website and operational infrastructure over a period of six months.[2] [3] Prior to founding the company, Russell had been president of Teletrade, Inc.[4] and chief operating officer of Bowers and Merena Auctions; two of the largest coin auction houses in North America. Endo had previously worked at Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), and Collectors Universe.[5]

The GreatCollections.com website launched in late 2010, facilitating the sale and purchase of coins and paper money in online auctions.[6] It has since become well known for auctioning rare examples of American currency,[7] [8] such as the Cigarra Collection,[9] and a collection of Indian Head nickels that sold for over $500,000.[10]

GreatCollections auctioned a group of U.S. coins called the Turino Collection in March 2012. The collection included a 1907 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle that sold for $110,000, and a 1915-S Panama-Pacific Exposition $50 piece that sold for $79,750.[11]

In July 2012, the company sold the only confirmed example of a Sacagawea dollar with edge lettering.[12] In 2014, the company began selling "Capuano Everyman" sets of Morgan Dollars.[13]

In 2015, talk show host Larry King interviewed Ian Russell about GreatCollections and coin collecting.[14] GreatCollections expanded into a larger facility in Irvine, nearer to PCGS headquarters, in August 2015.[15]

In November 2021, GreatCollections acquired the finest graded 1913 Liberty Head Nickel.[16] The nickel is one of the most well known rarities in American numismatics, with only five examples known. The example acquired by the company was previously a centerpiece of the Eliasberg Collection. It last traded at auction for $4.56 million in 2018.[17]

In January 2022, GreatCollections acquired the first U.S. Silver Dollar for $12 Million.[18] [19] The company became the official auctioneer of the American Numismatic Association in March 2022.[20] Later that year, the auction house loaned four coins to the Central States Numismatic Society for a special exhibition in Schaumburg, Illinois.[21] In August, GreatCollections auctioned ten 100-year-old pennies for $1.1 million. The pennies were specially struck proof coins made for collectors by the United States' Philadelphia Mint, in the early years of the Lincoln cents.[22] [23]

GreatCollections relocated within Irvine once more in August 2023, now in a dedicated building eight times the size of its previous location.[24]

In October 2024, GreatCollections auctioned an extremely rare 1975 No "S" Dime for just over $500,000.[25] [26] . The coin was struck by the U.S. Mint in San Francisco, and is one of just two known proof coins to exist without its distinctive "S" mint mark.

GreatCollections has graded the two highest value coins in history; the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle valued at $19 million,[27] [28] and the "Gold Cas", the 1000 BTC Casascius Physical Bitcoin valued at $48 million.[29]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: December 30, 2016. GreatCollections gold coin sale brings top prices. en-US. Paul Gilkes. Coin World. Amos Media Company. August 31, 2022.
  2. News: February 13, 2011 . Video News: New internet auction trading platform GreatCollections.com . en-US . . CoinWeek, LLC . August 25, 2022.
  3. News: July 8, 2010 . Russell to launch collecting site . en-US . . . August 31, 2022.
  4. Web site: Ian Russell Named Teletrade President . 2022-09-19 . www.coincollector.org.
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20070602064743/http://www.bowersandmerena.com/experts.aspx Bowers and Merena On-line Experts
  6. News: March 28, 2011. Russell launches auction site. en-US. Numismatic News. Active Interest Media. August 25, 2022.
  7. News: November 29, 2019 . Great Collections to Auction Rattlers, Old Holders . en-US . . . August 31, 2022.
  8. News: June 19, 2020. GreatCollections to offer 'blue chip' coins in online auction of Catskill Collection. en-US. Steve Roach. Coin World. Amos Media Company. August 25, 2022.
  9. News: Paul Gilkes . April 2, 2015 . GreatCollections auction features coins missing Mint marks . en-US . . Amos Media Company . August 31, 2022.
  10. News: Paul Gilkes . September 14, 2018 . Indian Head 5-cent coins shine at GreatCollections . en-US . . Amos Media Company . August 31, 2022.
  11. News: March 13, 2012 . GreatCollections to auction Turino Collection of U.S. coins . en-US . . CoinWeek, LLC . August 31, 2022.
  12. News: Paul Gilkes . August 1, 2012 . The only Sacagawea $1 with edge lettering just sold . en-US . . Amos Media Company . August 31, 2022.
  13. News: Paul Gilkes . December 6, 2014 . GreatCollections to sell Everyman silver dollar collection online . en-US . . Amos Media Company . August 31, 2022.
  14. News: January 14, 2015. Larry King talks coins with Ian Russell of GreatCollections.com. en-US. Paul Gilkes. Coin World. Amos Media Company. August 25, 2022.
  15. Web site: GreatCollections moves to larger quarters in California . 2022-09-19 . CoinWorld . en.
  16. News: William T. Gibbs . December 3, 2021 . 'Big Three' rarities sell on Thanksgiving . en-US . . Amos Media Company . August 30, 2022.
  17. News: Chris Morris . August 16, 2018 . Rare Nickel Sells for Record-Breaking $4.5 Million . en-US . . Fortune Media Group Holdings . August 30, 2022.
  18. News: Chris Williams . January 29, 2022 . Rare US silver dollar coin sold for $12M by Las Vegas man . en-US . . . August 30, 2022.
  19. News: Alexis Ford . January 27, 2022 . Las Vegas man sells one of the world's rarest coins for $12M . en-US . . News + Media Capital Group LLC . August 30, 2022.
  20. News: March 12, 2022. GreatCollections, ANA sign three-year contract. en-US. Chris Bulfinch. Coin World. Amos Media Company. August 25, 2022.
  21. Web site: Erdenekhuyag . Enji . April 22, 2022 . 4 Rare Coins Worth Millions to Be Displayed in Schaumburg . 2022-09-19 . NBC Chicago . en-US.
  22. News: Travis Schlepp . August 29, 2022 . 10 pennies sold for $1.1 million by Irvine auction house . en-US . . . August 30, 2022.
  23. News: Dorian Batycka . August 31, 2022 . 10 Rare Pennies Just Sold for $1.1 Million at a California Auction, With the Rarest of All Fetching $365,000 . en-US . . Artnet Worldwide Corporation . August 30, 2022.
  24. Web site: GreatCollections moves to larger quarters in California . 2023-10-18 . CoinWorld . en.
  25. News: October 28, 2024 . Rare dime bought by Ohio farm family and hidden for decades fetches $500,000 at auction . en-US . . October 31, 2024.
  26. News: October 28, 2024 . Rare dime bought by Ohio family and hidden for decades sells for over half a million dollars . en-US . . October 31, 2024.
  27. Web site: 2022-04-28 . Constable: The 'Big 4' at Schaumburg coin show are quite a cache . 2022-09-20 . Daily Herald . en-US.
  28. News: July 27, 2021. PCGS Encapsulates Legendary 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle. en-US. Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez. COINage. EG Media Investments LLC. August 30, 2022.
  29. Web site: October 12, 2021 . PCGS Coin of the Week: 2012 1000 Gold Cas Bitcoins . 2022-09-20 . . en-US.

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