Lafayette Dollar and Gold CAC Quarter Eagle Reach $7,930 to Lead Heritage’s U.S. Coins in Early Holders Showcase Auction to $715,068

A 1900 Lafayette Dollar, DuVall 2-C, MS65 NGC and an 1853 Liberty Quarter Eagle MS63 NGC. Gold CAC each sold for $7,930 to lead Heritage’s September 22 U.S. Coins in Early Holders Showcase Auction to $715,068.

The Lafayette dollar holds a distinctive place in American numismatics: It was the first U.S. commemorative silver dollar and the first legal-tender United States coin to depict an American president. Issued to help fund construction of a statue honoring General Lafayette, the Frenchman who served alongside George Washington during much of the Revolutionary War, the coin features conjoined busts of Washington and Lafayette on the obverse and Lafayette on horseback on the reverse.

With a final distribution of just 36,026 pieces, the Lafayette dollar is accessible through the Gem level, while finer examples become elusive. The example in the Sept. 22 auction displays luminous luster across champagne-silver surfaces accented by hints of rose on the obverse and shades of ice-blue on the reverse. Its strong strike and outstanding eye appeal are complemented by its Generation 4 NGC “fatty” holder.

The 1853 Liberty quarter eagle carries a grade of MS63 by NGC and a Gold CAC sticker. From a mintage of 1,404,668 pieces, the coin is housed in a Generation 2 NGC White Label “fatty” holder. As of August 2026, CAC reported just one Gold sticker in MS63 and none finer at that service, adding another layer of interest to a coin combining classic U.S. gold with an early-generation certification holder.

A superb 1880-S Morgan dollar graded MS68 by PCGS realized $6,100. The San Francisco Mint struck 8.9 million silver dollars in 1880, and the issue has long been accessible in high grades, making exceptional preservation an important distinction. This VAM-94 example features boldly struck devices and virtually flawless fields covered in radiant luster that produces a lively cartwheel effect. As of August 2026, PCGS reported only five numerically finer non-Prooflike examples. The coin is housed in a Generation 3.1 PCGS green label holder.

Matching that $6,100 result was a 1911-D Indian Head quarter eagle graded AU50 by PCGS. With a mintage of only 55,680 pieces, the Denver issue is housed in a Generation 3.0 PCGS green label holder, pairing a significant 20th-century U.S. gold issue with one of the vintage holder styles highlighted throughout the auction.

The auction also produced notable results among an array of classic U.S. gold coins in earlier PCGS and NGC holders.

A 1908-D Indian half eagle graded MS64 by NGC brought $5,856. From a mintage of 148,000 pieces, the coin is housed in a Generation 4 NGC “fatty” holder.

Carson City gold also made its presence felt when an 1877-CC Liberty double eagle graded Fine 15 by PCGS and approved by CAC realized $5,734. Just 42,565 examples were minted. The coin is housed in a Generation 3.0 PCGS green label holder; as of July 2026, PCGS reported two examples in Fine 15, while CAC reported one at that grade.

Gold CAC-certified Saint-Gaudens double eagles were another recurring theme among the auction’s leading results. A 1927 Double Eagle graded MS63 PCGS with Gold CAC realized $5,638. Housed in a Generation 3.0 green label holder, the coin is from a mintage of 2,946,750 pieces. As of July 2026, Gold CAC reported 36 examples at MS63 and three finer.

Two more Gold CAC Saint-Gaudens double eagles each realized $5,612: a 1922 Double Eagle MS62 PCGS housed in a Generation 3.1 green label holder and a 1924 Double Eagle MS63 PCGS in a Generation 3.0 green label holder. The 1922 issue had a mintage of 1,375,500, while 4,323,500 examples of the 1924 double eagle were struck.

Another vintage PCGS holder helped frame a 1908 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle No Motto graded MS61 that finished at $5,368. The coin, from a mintage of 4,271,551, is housed in a Generation 2.0 PCGS “Doily” label holder.

An earlier-generation holder also accompanied a 1904 Liberty double eagle graded MS64 PCGS and approved by CAC that reached $5,246. The coin, from a mintage of 6,256,797, is housed in a Generation 1.2 PCGS “rattler” holder. Another Generation 1.2 rattler contained a 1924 $20 Saint-Gaudens double eagle graded MS63 PCGS that realized $5,189.

Complete results can be found at HA.com/60568.