Wikipedia

GreatCollections

GreatCollections is an American numismatic online auction house founded in 2010, and based in Irvine, California. The company is an auctioneer of certified rare coins and paper money.[1]

GreatCollections
Company typePrivate
Founded2010; 14 years ago (2010) in Irvine, California, U.S.
Founder
  • Ian Russell (founder/president)
  • Raeleen Endo (co-founder)
Headquarters17891 Cartwright Road,
Irvine, California, U.S.
ProductsCertified coins and paper money
ServicesAuctioneer
Websitegreatcollections.com

History edit

The auction house was co-founded Ian Russell, who serves as its president, and Raeleen Endo. They developed the company's website and operational infrastructure over a period of six months.[2][3] Prior to founding the company, Russell had been president of Teletrade, Inc.[4] and chief operating officer of Bowers and Merena Auctions; two of the largest coin auction houses in North America. Endo had previously worked at Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), and Collectors Universe.[5]

The GreatCollections.com website launched in late 2010, facilitating the sale and purchase of coins and paper money in online auctions.[6] It has since become well known for auctioning rare examples of American currency,[7][8] such as the Cigarra Collection,[9] and a collection of Indian Head nickels that sold for over $500,000.[10]

GreatCollections auctioned a group of U.S. coins called the Turino Collection in March 2012. The collection included a 1907 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle that sold for $110,000, and a 1915-S Panama-Pacific Exposition $50 piece that sold for $79,750.[11]

In July 2012, the company sold the only confirmed example of a Sacagawea dollar with edge lettering.[12] In 2014, the company began selling "Capuano Everyman" sets of Morgan Dollars.[13]

In 2015, talk show host Larry King interviewed Ian Russell about GreatCollections and coin collecting.[14] GreatCollections expanded into a larger facility in Irvine, nearer to PCGS headquarters, in August 2015.[15]

In November 2021, GreatCollections acquired the finest graded 1913 Liberty Head Nickel.[16] The nickel is one of the most well known rarities in American numismatics, with only five examples known. The example acquired by the company was previously a centerpiece of the Eliasberg Collection. It last traded at auction for $4.56 million in 2018.[17]

In January 2022, GreatCollections acquired the first U.S. Silver Dollar for $12 Million.[18][19] The company became the official auctioneer of the American Numismatic Association in March 2022.[20] Later that year, the auction house loaned four coins to the Central States Numismatic Society for a special exhibition in Schaumburg, Illinois.[21] In August, GreatCollections auctioned ten 100-year-old pennies for $1.1 million. The pennies were specially struck proof coins made for collectors by the United States' Philadelphia Mint, in the early years of the Lincoln cents.[22][23]

GreatCollections relocated within Irvine once more in August 2023, now in a dedicated building eight times the size of its previous location.[24]

GreatCollections has graded the two highest value coins in history; the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle valued at $19 million,[25][26] and the "Gold Cas", the 1000 BTC Casascius Physical Bitcoin valued at $48 million.[27]

References edit

  1. ^ Paul Gilkes (December 30, 2016). "GreatCollections gold coin sale brings top prices". Coin World. Amos Media Company. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  2. ^ "Video News: New internet auction trading platform GreatCollections.com". CoinWeek. CoinWeek, LLC. February 13, 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  3. ^ "Russell to launch collecting site". Numismatic News. Active Interest Media. July 8, 2010. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  4. ^ "Ian Russell Named Teletrade President". www.coincollector.org. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
  5. ^ Bowers and Merena On-line Experts, bowersandmerena.com, June 2007
  6. ^ "Russell launches auction site". Numismatic News. Active Interest Media. March 28, 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  7. ^ "Great Collections to Auction Rattlers, Old Holders". Numismatic News. Active Interest Media. November 29, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  8. ^ Steve Roach (June 19, 2020). "GreatCollections to offer 'blue chip' coins in online auction of Catskill Collection". Coin World. Amos Media Company. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  9. ^ Paul Gilkes (April 2, 2015). "GreatCollections auction features coins missing Mint marks". Coin World. Amos Media Company. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  10. ^ Paul Gilkes (September 14, 2018). "Indian Head 5-cent coins shine at GreatCollections". Coin World. Amos Media Company. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  11. ^ "GreatCollections to auction Turino Collection of U.S. coins". CoinWeek. CoinWeek, LLC. March 13, 2012. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  12. ^ Paul Gilkes (August 1, 2012). "The only Sacagawea $1 with edge lettering just sold". Coin World. Amos Media Company. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  13. ^ Paul Gilkes (December 6, 2014). "GreatCollections to sell Everyman silver dollar collection online". Coin World. Amos Media Company. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  14. ^ Paul Gilkes (January 14, 2015). "Larry King talks coins with Ian Russell of GreatCollections.com". Coin World. Amos Media Company. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  15. ^ "GreatCollections moves to larger quarters in California". CoinWorld. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
  16. ^ William T. Gibbs (December 3, 2021). "'Big Three' rarities sell on Thanksgiving". Coin World. Amos Media Company. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  17. ^ Chris Morris (August 16, 2018). "Rare Nickel Sells for Record-Breaking $4.5 Million". Fortune. Fortune Media Group Holdings. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  18. ^ Chris Williams (January 29, 2022). "Rare US silver dollar coin sold for $12M by Las Vegas man". KTTV. Fox Television Stations. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  19. ^ Alexis Ford (January 27, 2022). "Las Vegas man sells one of the world's rarest coins for $12M". Las Vegas Review-Journal. News + Media Capital Group LLC. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  20. ^ Chris Bulfinch (March 12, 2022). "GreatCollections, ANA sign three-year contract". Coin World. Amos Media Company. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  21. ^ Erdenekhuyag, Enji (April 22, 2022). "4 Rare Coins Worth Millions to Be Displayed in Schaumburg". NBC Chicago. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
  22. ^ Travis Schlepp (August 29, 2022). "10 pennies sold for $1.1 million by Irvine auction house". KTLA. Nexstar Media Group. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  23. ^ Dorian Batycka (August 31, 2022). "10 Rare Pennies Just Sold for $1.1 Million at a California Auction, With the Rarest of All Fetching $365,000". Artnet. Artnet Worldwide Corporation. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  24. ^ "GreatCollections moves to larger quarters in California". CoinWorld. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  25. ^ "Constable: The 'Big 4' at Schaumburg coin show are quite a cache". Daily Herald. April 28, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  26. ^ Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez (July 27, 2021). "PCGS Encapsulates Legendary 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle". COINage. EG Media Investments LLC. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  27. ^ "PCGS Coin of the Week: 2012 1000 Gold Cas Bitcoins". COINage. October 12, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2022.

External links edit

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=GreatCollections&oldid=1180718685"