Sunday, October 12, 2014

Auction Items in the News

The legendary 1890 $1,000 Treasury Note, popularly referred to as the "Grand Watermelon note," became the most valuable banknote in existence when it sold for $3,290,000, Jan. 10, 2014.

It's known as the 'Grand Watermelon' due to the large zeroes on the back of the bill. It was estimated to be worth $2 million. The last time this note was at auction was 1970, when it brought $11,000.


1863 $1,000 Legal Tender. PCGS Fine 15. $881,250
The 1880 $4 Coiled Hair Stella is six grams of pure gold and was never released in circulation. The coin was designed when there was a push in the United States for its own international coinage to enable easier trade with Europe. Congress rejected the initiative, but not before a handful were produced.

It is believed that no more than 10 to 15 exist. The coin made $2.75 million in late 2013.
A 1787 Brasher Gold Doubloon brought $4.58 million on Jan. 9, 2014.

A 1913 Liberty Nickel, "The Hawaii Five-O Specimen" brought $3.29 million at the same auction.
The blaster pistol belonging to Harrison Ford's "Star Wars" character Han Solo in "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi".

The prop, based on a Mauser C96 pistol, changed hands for $ 200,000.
Lucille Ball's signature Lucy Ricardo black and white polka-dot dress worn on "I Love Lucy" sold at auction on July 30, 2013.

The estimated price was $40,000 - $60,000 ... it sold for $168,000.
An Apple 1 prototype computer, built in 1976, accompanied by an operation manual and schematic as well as a photo of its inventors, Steve Wozniak, left, and Steve Jobs.

One of the very first Apple 1 computers. An Apple-1 sold for $671,000 in May 2013 in Germany.
A Jean-Michel Basquiat painting titled "Dustheads" set a new auction record for the graffiti artist at a sale of postwar and contemporary art in New York.

Christie's says "Dustheads" sold for $48.8 million on May 15, 2013.