IRVINE, CA.- Numismatic auction house Stack’s Bowers Galleries has announced their forthcoming auction highlights of one the rarest nickels in existence and the most valuable U.S. paper money collection ever assembled. The Eliasberg Nickel, the finest and most valuable U.S. nickel in existence, and Part II of the legendary Joel R. Anderson collection of United States paper money will be crossing the block at the Stack’s Bowers Galleries official auction of the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money at Philadelphia’s Pennsylvania Convention Center, August 14-18.

The Eliasberg Nickel
The Eliasberg 1913 Liberty Head Nickel, one of only five ever produced, is the finest graded example of its kind and traces its provenance to the only complete collection of United States coins by date and mintmark. It comes from the family of Dr. William Morton-Smith, an old-time collector whose numismatic interests were spurred by a remarkable discovery.

Morton-Smith’s passion for collecting goes back generations. As in any family, certain heirlooms pass down through the generations and in this particular circumstance, a beautiful antique Colonial desk was inherited by Bill. As he was combing through the desk discovering its many features, he came across a compartment that housed a coin collection consisting of colonial coins, half cents, large cents, a complete set of Proof Liberty Head nickels and much more. These had once belonged to his great grandfather.

Bill was amazed that the coins had been in the desk all this time. He determined to learn all he could about them and add to the collection. He spent decades adding important rarities to the collection, which had been started generations before. A connoisseur at heart, he pursued other collectibles, all of which he enjoyed sharing with others.

Named for the collector who bought it in 1948 and amassed the greatest coin collection in U.S. history, Louis E. Eliasberg Sr., the Eliasberg 1913 Liberty Head Nickel was the centerpiece of his collection, which included a cabinet complete with every date and mintmark from the 1793 half cent to the 1933 double eagle. No collection like this had been assembled before, and none like it will likely ever be formed again.

The Joel R. Anderson Collection
The Joel R. Anderson Collection of paper money is acknowledged by numismatic experts worldwide to be the best collection EVER put together of vintage U.S. paper money. Collectors regard the extreme detail and intricacy of the engraving of these notes as fine art one would admire at the Smithsonian or Getty museums and, even compare them to the likes of Cezanne and Renoir masterpieces of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Many of the bills were obtained by Anderson at the finest numismatic auctions over the last 15 years as part of past iconic collections that were the best of their kind at the time. Two starring standout examples at this auction include the extremely rare silver certificates from the series of 1880, both of which are so exceptional that most of the remaining five examples for each are on display in museums. They are the 1880 $500 Silver Certificate and the 1880 $1000 Silver Certificate.

The Joel R. Anderson collection is also being sold at this and two additional auction events through 2019 and beyond. They expect the total Anderson offerings to continue to break record prices for the entire collection and exceed $30 million in estimated sales for the full series of auctions.

Ironically, all of this comes at a time in the history of money when credit cards and alternative crypto-currencies are the rage. And it’s not just Americans who will bid millions for American money, but also a large following of international buyers who are some of the wealthiest collectors in the world.