Over a Dozen Times, NGC-certified Coins Topped $1 Million in 2021

Posted on 31/12/2021

The million-dollar coins include US, Russian, British and Chinese rarities, reflecting NGC's position as the global leader in third-party coin authentication and grading.

Over a dozen times, coins certified by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®) realized prices over $1 million at auctions in 2021. They include a Brasher Doubloon that realized $9.36 million, which at the time was a record for any gold coin sold at auction.

The table below listing the seven-figure coin sales can be sorted automatically by clicking on the column headers. Click on the name of the coin to jump to an image and description of that coin, or keep scrolling to see all of the coins.

CountryCoinGradeSale DateSale Price
US 1787 ‘EB’ on Wing Brasher Doubloon pedigreed to the Partrick Collection NGC MS 65★ January 21, 2021 $9.36 million
US 1913 Liberty Nickel NGC PF 64+ announced November 8, 2021 over $4 million
US 1907 Extremely High Relief Double Eagle NGC PF 68 February 24, 2021 $3.6 million
Russia 1825 Rouble pedigreed to Joseph, Richter and the Pinnacle Collection NGC PF 62 April 6, 2021 $2.64 million
Great Britain 1937 Gold Pattern Edward VIII 5 Sovereign pedigreed to the Paramount Collection NGC PF 67 Ultra Cameo October 21, 2021 $2.45 million
Great Britain 1937 Gold Pattern Edward VIII 5 Sovereign pedigreed to the Paramount Collection NGC PF 67 Ultra Cameo March 26, 2021 $2.28 million
China YR 17 (1928) China Pattern Silver Dollar NGC MS 62 December 11, 2021 $2.16 million
US 1786 Lima-Style Brasher Doubloon pedigreed to the Partrick Collection NGC MS 61 January 21, 2021 $2.1 million
US 1921 Roman Finish Double Eagle NGC PF 64+ Aug. 18, 2021 $2.01 million
US 1880 Coiled Hair Stella NGC PF 67 Cameo February 24, 2021 $1.86 million
Great Britain 1839 "Una and the Lion" 5 Sovereign NGC PF 66★ Ultra Cameo Aug. 19, 2021 $1.44 million
China YR 3 (1911) Long Whiskered Dragon Silver Dollar pedigreed to the NC Collection NGC MS 64 May 30, 2021 $1.34 million
US 1792 Judd-13 Pattern Quarter NGC AU 58 April 25, 2021 $1.26 million
China YR 23 (1911) China Long-Whiskered Dragon Silver Dollar NGC PF 63 December 11, 2021 $1.2 million
US 1776 Silver Continental Dollar pedigreed to the Romano and Partrick Collections NGC VF 35 April 25, 2021 $1.14 million
China YR 33 (1907) Chihli Tael pedigreed to the NC Collection NGC MS 63 May 30, 2021 $1.1 million

NGC-certified Coins That Realized Seven Figures in 2021

The coin: 1787 'EB' on Wing New York Style Brasher Doubloon

The grade: NGC MS 65★

The pedigree: Donald G. Partrick Collection

The sale price: $9.36 million

Why it's special: The centerpiece of the Partrick Collection, this coin realized a record $9.36 million at a Heritage Auctions sale in January 2021. Brasher Doubloons were the first gold coins struck in the newly independent United States. Only nine are known, with this one being the finest.

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The coin: 1913 Liberty Nickel

The grade: NGC PF 64+

The pedigree: The Hawaii Five-O Coin

The sale price: over $4 million

Why it's special: Only five examples of the 1913 Liberty Nickel exist. Their origins remain shrouded in mystery, but there is no doubt that they stand at the pinnacle of numismatics today. Stack's Bowers announced the sale of this example — known as the Hawaii Five-O coin — for over $4 million in November 2021.

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The coin: 1907 Extremely High Relief, Lettered Edge $20

The grade: NGC PF 68

The pedigree: The Paramount Collection

The sale price: $3.6 million

Why it's special: These initial specimens of the inaugural Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle reign as some of the most-prized artifacts in all of US coinage. Only about 20 are known in Extremely High Relief. This was the focal point of the US coins portion of the ambitious Paramount Collection. It realized $3.6 million at a Heritage Auctions sale in February 2021.

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The coin: Russia 1825 Constantine Rouble

The grade: NGC PF 62

The pedigree: Joseph/Richter, Spassky Plate

The sale price: $2.64 million

Why it's special: This Russian coin set the record for most expensive world coin in a Stack's Bowers auction when it realized $2.64 million in April 2021. It was struck for Constantine, who was expected to become emperor after his brother’s death in 1825 but refused to take the throne. Only eight of these coins are known, including three in museums.

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The coin: Great Britain 1937 Edward VIII Pattern 5 Sovereign

The grade: NGC PF 67 Ultra Cameo

The pedigree: The Paramount Collection

The sale price: $2.45 million

Why it's special: This coin realized $2.28 million at a Heritage sale in March 2021, and then $2.45 million at an MDC Monaco sale in October, breaking the record for a British coin at auction. After his father died in January 1936, Edward VIII became king, but he abdicated in December to marry a divorced American socialite. A small number of Edward VIII patterns for coins are cherished as some of the greatest rarities in British numismatics.

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The coin: YR 17 (1928) China Pattern Silver Dollar

The grade: NGC MS 62

The sale price: $2.16 million

Why it's special: This coin realized $2.16 million at a Heritage sale in December 2021, the second-highest price paid for any vintage Chinese coin. This pattern shows Zhang Zuolin, also known as the "Mukden Tiger." A warlord of Manchuria, he gained the presidency in June 1927 and ruled for just under a year before he was driven from power and assassinated.

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The coin: 1786 Lima-Style Brasher Doubloon

The grade: NGC MS 61

The pedigree: Donald G. Partrick Collection

The sale price: $2.1 million

Why it's special: Brasher Doubloons take their name from the man who created them, renowned New York City gold and silversmith Ephraim Brasher. This particular example, a Lima-Style that imitates a Spanish gold coin, realized $2.1 million at a Heritage Auctions sale in January 2021. In the same sale, a New York-Style realized a record $9.36 million.

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The coin: 1921 Roman Finish Double Eagle

The grade: NGC PF 64+

The sale price: $2.01 million

Why it's special: This coin was struck at a time when the US Mint was overhauling the nation’s coinage and experimenting with different finishes. Double Eagle Proofs were believed to have ended with the 1915 issue until two with the 1921 date showed up at auctions in the early 2000s. The finer of the two known, this coin realized $2.01 million at a Heritage Auctions sale in August 2021. The other example is believed to have been given by the Mint Director to his nephew.

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The coin: 1880 Coiled Hair Stella

The grade: NGC PF 67 Cameo

The pedigree: Paramount Collection

The sale price: $1.86 million

Why it's special: These $4 gold coins were meant to compete in international trade with European coins of similar worth, but only a few hundred patterns were struck before the experiment was canceled. Versions exist dated 1879 and 1880, with the Liberty head on the obverse sporting either coiled hair or flowing hair. The 1880 Coiled Hair is the rarest, with only nine known to exist. This one realized $1.86 million at a Heritage Auctions sale in February 2021.

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The coin: 1839 Great Britain "Una and the Lion" 5 Sovereign

The grade: NGC PF 66★ Ultra Cameo

The sale price: $1.44 million

Why it's special: The finest-graded “Una and the Lion” 5 Sovereign realized a record $1.44 million at a Heritage Auctions sale in August 2021. These coins were struck to celebrate the ascension of the young Queen Victoria to the throne. The design is inspired by Edmund Spenser’s 1590 poem “The Faerie Queene” and is widely considered to be the most beautiful of British coins. This example also earned NGC's trademarked Star (★) Designation in recognition of its exquisite eye appeal.

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The coin: China (1911) Long Whiskered Dragon Silver Dollar

The grade: NGC MS 64

The pedigree: NC Collection

The sale price: $1.34 million

Why it's special: The NGC-graded NC Collection realized $18 million at a Champion Macau auction in May 2021, a record for a Chinese collection at auction. This Long Whiskered Dragon realized $1.34 million in that sale. It is the finest-known example of a much-admired coin designed by famed coin designer Luigi Giorgi.

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The coin: 1792 Judd-13 Pattern Quarter

The grade: NGC AU 58

The sale price: $1.26 million

Why it's special: This particular example, one of only four known, realized $1.26 million at a Heritage Auctions sale in April 2021, its first appearance at public auction. It was struck in the early 1790s as the US Mint was preparing to roll out a national coinage. Though this pattern was not used for circulating coinage, certain elements of its design are echoed in the first quarters issued a few years later.

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The coin: YR 23 (1911) China Long Whiskered Dragon Silver Dollar

The grade: NGC PF 63

The sale price: $1.2 million

Why it's special: This coin realized $1.2 million at a Heritage sale in December 2021, the NGC-certified second Long-Whiskered Dragon to realize seven figures in 2021. Struck right before the end of China's Imperial era, this high-grade coin features renowned engraver Luigi Giorgi's beloved dragon design on the obverse. Giorgi went on to design some of the most important coins of China's Republic era.

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The coin: 1776 Silver Continental Dollar

The grade: NGC VF 35

The pedigree: Romano and Partrick Collections

The sale price: $1.14 million

Why it's special: With their powerful designs and all-important “1776” date, Continental Dollars comprise a highly prized niche of early American numismatics. Only four are known in silver; all are NGC-certified and each has now realized a price over $1 million, including this one, which sold for $1.14 million at a Heritage Auctions sale in April 2021.

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The coin: YR 33 (1907) Chihli Tael

The grade: NGC MS 63

The pedigree: NC Collection

The sale price: $1.1 million

Why it's special: This is one of the finest known and one of the most coveted of the Chinese Dragon Tael series. The coin flew past its estimate of $200,000 to $400,000 to realize $1.1 million at a Champion Macau auction in May 2021. The NC Collection featured coins that are among the most desirable in Chinese numismatics, carefully collected by one of China’s most famous families.

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