The Norweb collection was exceptionally famous when held by the family of that name, and continues to be a point of reference for many exceptionally fine and rare coins since the auctions which dispersed them.
Many collectors, however, tend to think exclusively of 18th and 19th century coins with reference to Norweb, overlooking some late gems. Norweb owned one of the five 1913 Liberty Nickels, another of which sold for a whopping $3.7m this year - but Norweb's was donated to the Smithsonian.
Later this month, Heritage is concluding a sale which includes another rarity which passed through Norweb's painstakingly careful hands, as well as those of another great collector: Harry Bass Jr.
 Norweb-Bass Quarter Eagle |
The Norweb/Bass 1911-D Quarter Eagle has done something which collectors do not expect rare coins to do: it has improved its grading. Given the conditional description of MS-64 in 1988, it has been re-assigned a grading of MS-65 and now MS-66.
The reason for this is quite simple: comparison with other MS-64 and even MS65 examples of the coin made the grading appear miserly.
Heritage's signature coin auction has its live conclusion in Dallas, Texas on March 26, but bids have already reached $55,000 (excluding Buyer's Premium) online.
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