The Mickley-Hawn-Queller specimen of the 1804 $1 silver dollar or known among collectors as King Of American Coins” sold for $3,877,500 including buyer premium in Heritage Auction Platinum Night event on Friday, Aug. 9. This one of the world’s most famous coins sets a house record! “Although it’s dated 1804, it was actually made in 1834 or 1835,” said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auctions. “It was intended to be given as a diplomatic gift on behalf of President Andrew Jackson by State Department representatives on trade missions to the Middle East and Asia. It’s one of only eight of its kind known and would be a prized possession for any collector of American history.”
Heritage Auctions did not disclose the name of the buyer, but what is known that previous owners have included the Massachusetts Historical Society and Adam Eckfeldt, who served as the Chief Coiner of the United States Mint from 1814 to 1839. Only eight coins exist for the Class I 1804 $1 and the Mickley-Hawn-Queller specimen of the 1804 $1 auction by Heritage is graded PR62 by both PCGS and NGC, from The Greensboro Collection, Part IV. The front of the coin depicts the symbolic Miss Liberty, the date 1804 and the word, LIBERTY. The back has an eagle, 13 stars to represent the original 13 colonies, and the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the motto, E PLURIBUS UNUM (Latin for “one from many” or “one out of many”).
