When it comes to high-end collectibles, rare coins can easily break over the $1 million mark. This is where collectors have to fight with investors to win the same asset. Numismatic Guaranty Corporation known to coin collectors or investors as NGC. The industry standard for coin grading has been Professional Coin Grading Service or PCGS. That said, NGC graded coins have continued to see sales price above the $1 million mark in 2021.

A $1,000,000 coin might just assume to be encased in a PCGS holder with them being the industry standard. NGC is still a trusted industry resource. As of the August 18, 2021 sale of a 1921 Roman Finish Double Eagle, the company reached a milestone of seeing 12 NGC-certified coins top the $1 million sales price this year.

The $2.01 million dollar sale was actually a save by NGC because the coin was mis-graded as a mint state example by another third party grading service. NGC accurately graded the PF-64+ allowing it to reach the heights that it did when sold at Heritage Auctions World’s Fair of Money U.S Coins Platinum Night sale.

Here is a complete list of 12 NGC-graded $1 million sales which have been seen so far in 2021:

• 1839 “Una and the Lion” 5 Sovereign graded NGC PF 66 Ultra Cameo sold on August 19, 2021 for $1.44 million. [Great Britain]
• 1921 Roman Finish Double Eagle NGC PF64+ sold on August 18, 2021 for $2.01 million. [United States]
• YR 3 (1911) Long Whiskered Dragon Silver Dollar pedigreed to the NC Collection NGC MS63 sold on May 30, 2021 for $1.34 million. [China]
• YR 33 (1907) Chihli Tael pedigreed to the NC Collection NGC MS63 sold on May 30, 2021 for $1.1 million. [China]
• 1792 Judd-13 Pattern Quarter NGC AU58 sold on April 25, 2021 for $1.26 million. [United States]
• 1776 Silver Continental Dollar pedigreed to the Romano and Partrick Collections NGC VF35 sold on April 25, 2021 for $1.14 million. [United States]
• 1825 Rouble pedigreed to Joseph, Richer and the Pinnacle Collection NGC PF62 sold on April 6, 2021 for $2.64 million. [Russia]
• 1937 Gold Pattern Edward VIII 5 Sovereign pedigreed to the Paramount Collection NGC PF67 sold on March 26, 2021 for $2.28 million. [Great Britain]
• 1907 Extremely High Relief Double Eagle NGC PF68 sold on February 24, 2021 for $3.6 million. [United States]
• 1880 Coiled Hair Stella NGC PF67 Cameo sold on February 24, 2021 for $1.86 million. [United States]
• 1787 ‘EB’ on Wing Brasher Doubloon pedigreed to the Partrick Collection NGC MS65 sold on January 21, 2021 for $9.36 million. [United States]
• 1786 Lima-Style Brasher Doubloon pedigreed to the Partrick Collection NGC MS61 sold on January 21, 2021 for $2.1 million. [United States]

Collectors Dashboard evaluates high-end collectibles as an alternative asset class. This means collectibles are attracting the same capital that could have been invested into stocks or bonds. Many collectibles now cost thousands of dollars (or much more). Collectors with a passion to own a collectible for years frequently have to compete directly against investors whose only desire is to make a profit in the future.

Rare coins can fetch major premiums in auctions, but the million dollar coin category has become a common phenomenon that deserve analysis as the sales occur.

Collectors Dashboard does not pick which grading companies are the leaders. That is up to the market to decide. Still, it would seem to be an obvious boost for NGC coin encapsulation that these $1 million sales could easily attract more attention for its grading.

Another consideration that may boost NGC’s image is that these $1 million sales of NGC-graded coins from 2021 represent a very diverse interest of coin collectors. Not all of the coins are of American origin, which also opens up a broader perspective of coin collecting with each type of coin potentially elevating many others of similar types.

It is always important to be fair and balanced in reporting when it comes to high sales prices within rare coins and high-end collectibles. The PCGS site shows its top 20 coin sales of all-time, and those figures are massive. The PCGS site also notes that it has certified 23 of the 25 highest selling U.S. coins in 2020, with 8 of those sales over $1 million.

(1921 Proof Double Eagle image provided by Heritage Auctions)