Stack's Bowers & Ponterio
January 2020 NYINC Auction 17-18 Jan 2020
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PHILIPPINES. Gold Wilson Medallic "Dollar," 1920. Manila Mint. PCGS MS-62 Gold Shield.
KMX-11b; HK-1031; cf. Basso-128 (silver). Obverse: PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, bust of Wilson left; Reverse: TO COMMEMORATE THE OPENING OF THE MINT / MANILA P. I., Juno Moneta kneeling left, balancing scales and instructing putto how to use minting equipment to left. An INCREDIBLY RARE medallic issue, this piece was struck--in an extremely low quantity--to commemorate the opening of the mint in Manila on 16 July 1920. Up to that point, mints in the United States had struck the entirety of coinage for the islands--then under U.S. administration for two decades. An always popular type for collectors in the silver and bronze modules, the gold striking of this medallic "so-called dollar" is seldom seen, and always one which generates a tremendous degree of interest and appeal for its excessive rarity. From the original gold mintage (listed as 5, but in actuality 7-9 or a few more), one was presented to President Wilson himself, one to Secretary of War Newton D. Baker, and the remainder were held in the Philippines. Outside of the present piece, this cataloger could locate evidence for 6-8 more, with only one or two rivaling our well struck specimen, an NGC MS-62 realizing a hammer (plus buyer's premium) of $74,750 in July 2008, as well as another PCGS MS-62 (though this piece is not reflected in their current census). The present example, offering brilliant luster and a charming golden-orange tone, is clearly among the finest of those known, and is undoubtedly headed for the finest of Filipino cabinets following a spirited round of enthusiastic bidding.
Estimate: $60000.00- $80000.00
KMX-11b; HK-1031; cf. Basso-128 (silver). Obverse: PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, bust of Wilson left; Reverse: TO COMMEMORATE THE OPENING OF THE MINT / MANILA P. I., Juno Moneta kneeling left, balancing scales and instructing putto how to use minting equipment to left. An INCREDIBLY RARE medallic issue, this piece was struck--in an extremely low quantity--to commemorate the opening of the mint in Manila on 16 July 1920. Up to that point, mints in the United States had struck the entirety of coinage for the islands--then under U.S. administration for two decades. An always popular type for collectors in the silver and bronze modules, the gold striking of this medallic "so-called dollar" is seldom seen, and always one which generates a tremendous degree of interest and appeal for its excessive rarity. From the original gold mintage (listed as 5, but in actuality 7-9 or a few more), one was presented to President Wilson himself, one to Secretary of War Newton D. Baker, and the remainder were held in the Philippines. Outside of the present piece, this cataloger could locate evidence for 6-8 more, with only one or two rivaling our well struck specimen, an NGC MS-62 realizing a hammer (plus buyer's premium) of $74,750 in July 2008, as well as another PCGS MS-62 (though this piece is not reflected in their current census). The present example, offering brilliant luster and a charming golden-orange tone, is clearly among the finest of those known, and is undoubtedly headed for the finest of Filipino cabinets following a spirited round of enthusiastic bidding.
Estimate: $60000.00- $80000.00