Historic numismatic literature and rare Spanish Colonial gold coinage from the D. Brent PogueCollection realized over $592,000 last week in the Stack's Bowers Galleries August 2020 Las Vegas Auction. Thisoffering represents a departure from the United States coins and paper money from the Pogue Collection sold byStack's Bowers Galleries from May 2015 through March 2020, and showcases the collector's eye for quality acrossa range of categories. Total prices realized for the D. Brent Pogue Collection now exceed $131,980,000, reaffirmingits status as the most valuable numismatic collection ever sold.

While his library of numismatic literature was a peripheral focus, D. Brent Pogue was serious about acquiringimportant references and might well have assembled one of the great American libraries had he been able tocontinue the pursuit. Numbering more than 100 lots, the works included in the Stack's Bowers Galleries sale rangedfrom an elusive 17th-century reference on medallic issues of 1500-1600 to more personal volumes presented andinscribed to him by Q. David Bowers over the years.

In between these bookends were many important works, from desirable plated Chapman sales to extremely rarereferences. The highest priced lot among the literature was Louis E. Eliasberg's personal Green's Checklist offeredin lot 2036. This incredible accounting of the formation of this famous American collection in Eliasberg's own handbrought $28,800. Lot 2027 featured one of five deluxe presentation copies of A.W. Browning's work on earlyquarters, which realized $26,400. A beautifully matched leather-bound set of The Numismatist also drewconsiderable excitement in lot 2014. Containing every issue from the rare original first six volumes through Volume65, it earned $26,400.

A highlight among the auction catalogs in the sale was a magnificent leather-bound and plated volume containingthe first four large-format Chapman sales, including the Bushnell, Warner, Cleneay, and Winsor sales. It brought$6,600 in lot 2060.

Featured among the World coinage in the sale were magnificent examples of the Spanish Colonial Royalpresentation gold coinage from the D. Brent Pogue Collection. The exceedingly rare Royal presentation issuesstruck at mints in Bolivia, Peru, and Mexico were a distinct departure from the normal "cob" coinage that wasstandard during the first few centuries of Spanish Colonial rule in the New World. The Royal presentation issueswere manufactured with obvious care, and it is clear that each planchet was hand-selected for excellent quality andstruck using special dies that featured subtle differences. Overall, the high degree of craftsmanship employed in themanufacturing process for these issues was unparalleled in the New World.

The Stack's Bowers Galleries August 2020 Las Vegas Auction featured two of these exceptional and intricately produced coins. Offered in lot 21445 was an MS-66 (PCGS) 1714 8 Escudos that was considered to be the finest known by respected numismatist and former owner Don Canaparo. Plated in The Standard Catalog of Mexican Coins by Krause Publications, it brought $312,000. It was accompanied by an MS-65 (PCGS) 1711 4 Escudos that was one of just three specimens to appear at auction over the past two decades. As the only example graded byPCGS, it earned $84,000 in lot 21446.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
THE D. BRENT POGUE NUMISMATIC LIBRARY(https://www.coinbooks.org/v23/esylum_v23n27a02.html)