A PR66-graded 1894-S US Barber dime has set a new world record for its type at Heritage Auctions.
The lot made $2m in a January 7 sale at the Florida United Numismatics (FUN) convention in Tampa, Florida.
 The 1894-S Barber dime is one of the greatest US rarities |
It's the finest known specimen of the issue, which is one of the greatest US rarities. The coin was minted in San Francisco in a run of just 24 following a major economic downturn in 1893.
The reason they were produced at all remains a mystery.
Heritage comments: "The 1894-S remains the most famous, mysterious, and elusive coin in the entire Barber series and has been the stuff of collector dreams since it was first mentioned in the numismatic press by Augustus Heaton in 1900."
An 1804 quarter eagle (13 stars reverse) was another highlight, selling for the record sum of $505,250.
With only eight surviving specimens, the issue is so rare that some of the greatest US collections (including the Smithsonian) do not have an example of it.
It's also considerably rarer than the 1804 silver dollar, which is regularly referred to as the King of American Coins due to its desirability.
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