GreatCollections
TypePrivate
Founded2010 (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

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]

History

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

  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.
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