Two PMG-certified Colorado Notes Each Realize Six Figures through GreatCollections
Posted on 6/24/2025
Two rarities from Colorado that are certified by Paper Money Guaranty® (PMG®) each realized six figures through GreatCollections to record some of the highest prices ever paid for Territorial and National Bank Notes. Individual lots from The Centennial Collection of Colorado began to close on June 8, 2025 and will continue through June 29.
The top result for a PMG-graded note from the collection was a Denver, Colorado Clark, Gruber & Co. $5 - Remainder graded PMG 30 Very Fine (lot 1810178), which realized $186,949 on June 22. In the early 1860s, Clark, Gruber & Co. created a prominent private mint in Denver that sourced locally mined gold for use in their coinage. Its facilities transitioned into a US Assay Office that eventually became the Denver Branch Mint. According to the auction house, there are only two Proofs of these Territorial notes in existence today along with a few Remainders that show obvious signs of circulation, even though they were classified as unissued.
Another PMG-certified highlight of the auction was a Creede, Colorado 1882 $5 with Serial Number 1 graded PMG 35 Choice Very Fine EPQ (lot 1810184), which realized $154,062 on June 22. During the short-lived but explosive silver boom in the region, these rare notes were issued by the First National Bank of Creede, which was chartered in the early 1890s. According to the auction house, this is the only known banknote to survive from Creede, making it a grail of Colorado National Bank Notes. This was only the second time in more than a century that the historic note appeared at public auction, with the last sale being in December 2012, when it realized $101,790.
Other PMG-certified highlights in this auction include:
- a Denver, Colorado Territory $20 graded PMG 40 Extremely Fine and pedigreed to Amon Carter (lot 1810180), which realized $77,061 on June 22
- a Central City, Colorado Territory 1875 $5 graded PMG 30 Very Fine EPQ (lot 1810218), which realized $36,625 on June 15
- a Pueblo, Colorado Territory $1 graded PMG 58 Choice About Uncirculated EPQ (lot 1810212), which realized $23,681 on June 8
- an Eads, Colorado 1929 $20 Single Sheet with Serial Numbers 1-6 graded PMG 55 About Uncirculated EPQ (lot 1822112), which realized $22,218 on June 22
- a Colorado Springs, Colorado 1882 $20 graded PMG 25 Very Fine (lot 1810199), which realized $10,280 on June 8
Other PMG-certified notes being offered from this collection include:
- a Sterling, Colorado 1902 $10 with Serial Number 1 graded PMG 30 Very Fine (lot 1810260), with bidding ending June 29
- a Leadville, Colorado 1875 $5 graded PMG 53 About Uncirculated (lot 1810185), with bidding ending June 29
- a Durango, Colorado 1902 $10 with Serial Number 1 graded PMG 30 Very Fine EPQ (lot 1810263), with bidding ending June 29
Prices realized include buyer's premium.
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