Stack's Bowers Galleries

About Stack's Bowers Galleries

Stack's Bowers Galleries is America's oldest rare coin auctioneer and dealership, tracing its roots to 1933 when the firm was first established in New York City. Over nearly a century, the company evolved through strategic mergers to become the dominant force in numismatic auctions worldwide. Today it operates from headquarters in Costa Mesa, California, and maintains a commanding presence at every major coin show and convention in the United States.

History

Stack's Bowers is the product of consolidation among America's finest numismatic firms. The original Stack's rare coin dealership built its reputation handling some of the most important coin collections ever assembled. In 2008, Stack's merged with American Numismatic Rarities, and in 2011 it merged with Bowers and Merena, founded by Q. David Bowers, one of the most respected figures in coin collecting history. The resulting Stack's Bowers Galleries combined the expertise, client relationships, and institutional knowledge of three of America's greatest numismatic firms.

Specialist departments

Stack's Bowers specializes in rare coins, paper currency, medals, and tokens from around the world, with American numismatic material at the core of the business. Their expertise spans every era and denomination of United States coinage, from colonial issues to modern rarities, and the firm is equally accomplished in world and ancient coins, with specialists covering European, Asian, and Latin American numismatics.

• United States coins, from colonial and early federal issues to modern rarities
• World and ancient coins, with dedicated European, Asian, and Latin American specialists
• Paper currency, including colonial notes, Continental currency, large-size and small-size federal notes, fractional currency, and world banknotes
• Medals and tokens

Landmark sales

Stack's Bowers has handled some of the most significant numismatic sales in history. In 2013 it sold a 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar for $10,016,875, the first coin ever to cross the ten-million-dollar threshold at auction and believed by many scholars to be the first silver dollar struck by the United States Mint. In 2021 the firm sold a Class I 1804 Silver Dollar graded Proof-68 by PCGS for $7.68 million. Its handling of the Joel R. Anderson Collection of United States Paper Money in 2018 and 2019 brought more than $34 million in total sales, a record for the most valuable cabinet of U.S. paper money ever offered at auction.

Auctions and bidding

Stack's Bowers conducts auctions throughout the year, with flagship sales at the American Numismatic Association's World's Fair of Money, typically in August, and at the ANA's National Money Show in spring. Additional auctions take place at the Whitman Coin and Collectibles Expo in Baltimore, the New York International Numismatic Convention, and the Hong Kong International Coin Convention, alongside monthly online auctions through the firm's Collectors Choice Online platform.

Bidders can participate in person, by phone, or through the firm's online platform at StacksBowers.com. Registration is free, and the site provides detailed lot descriptions, high-resolution photography, and condition census information, with educational resources and a dedicated customer service team for those new to auction buying.

Selling with Stack's Bowers

Buyers pay a 20% buyer's premium on top of the hammer price, with a minimum fee of $25 per lot; this premium was standardized across all auction formats in August 2017. For sellers, commission rates are negotiated on a consignment-by-consignment basis depending on the value, rarity, and marketability of the material, and the firm also offers outright purchase arrangements for collections that need immediate liquidity.

Stack's Bowers employs numismatic experts with centuries of combined experience. Its cataloging includes historical context, die variety analysis, census information, and market commentary, and its printed catalogs are themselves collectible reference works. The firm maintains strong relationships with PCGS and NGC and is an authorized submission center for both. Beyond auctions, it runs a retail division and provides appraisal services for insurance, estate, and tax purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Stack's Bowers accept walk-in consignments?

Yes, by appointment at the firm's Costa Mesa headquarters.

Does Stack's Bowers handle world coins as well as American material?

Yes, with dedicated specialists covering world and ancient coins.

Is the buyer's premium the same for online and live auctions?

Yes, the 20% buyer's premium applies across all formats, and the firm offers free auction estimates for potential consignors.