Finest Known 1955 Doubled Die Cent Realizes Record-Setting $125k at GreatCollections

This finest-known example of the famous 1955 doubled die cent sold for $124,875 at Great Collections on March 1, 2020. (Image courtesy Great Collections)

The top-graded example of the famous 1955 doubled-die cent [link] sold Sunday evening (March 1, 2020) for an eye-popping $124,875, with buyer's premium. According to GreatCollection's President/Owner, Ian Russell, the coin was acquired by "a serious East Coast Collector."

The coin -- which is the finest graded at either PCGS or NGC -- previously sold in March 2018 for $114,000 at Stack's Bowers Galleries [link] where it was consigned as part of the ESM Collection.

While it's not unusual to find a 1955 doubled-die cent up for auction, Lincoln cent specialists will attest to the rarity of finding this relatively-modern issue in gem Red condition with original surfaces, luster and lacking the usual copper spots which can plague the issue. This beauty has escaped all of the elements in pristine condition and is likely to appear in a top Registry set.

Russell also stated in the company press release that, “This is one of the most famous of U.S. coins and being the single finest, it attracted a lot of attention from serious collectors and dealers over the past few weeks. The winning bidder is a serious Lincoln Cent collector from the East Coast. While we do not disclose individual bidders’ identities, the underbidders could combine to form the who’s who of American numismatics. Over 140 registered bidders were actively tracking the 1955 Doubled Die, and the listing attracted over 6,000 page views – all while the financial markets were having one of their worst weeks in history, proving how immune the rare coin market is to the global stock markets and economy.”

Other highlights sold by GreatCollections on March 1st include a 1915-S Panama-Pacific Gold $50 Round Commemorative that realized $88,749 and the finest 1888-O Morgan Silver Dollar that sold for $34,031.

Photo credits: Stack's Bowers Galleries (individual coins); GreatCollections (slab).