Jedna od najrjeđih američkih kovanica, zagonetni $3 zlatnik “Indian Princess Head” iz 1870. godine, postao je numizmatička “Mona Lisa” i dosegnuo vrtoglavu cijenu, višestruko veću od svoje nominale.
U svijetu numizmatike, gdje povijest, rijetkost i ljepota određuju cijenu, neke kovanice prelaze granice uobičajene vrijednosti. Upravo je takav slučaj s američkim zlatnikom nominalne vrijednosti tri dolara iz 19. stoljeća, poznatim kao “$3 Indian Princess Head”. Iako je njegova nominalna vrijednost bila skromna, rijetki primjerci danas postižu astronomske iznose koji se mjere u milijunima.
Fokus je na jednoj od najzagonetnijih i najrjeđih američkih kovanica: zlatniku od 3 dolara iz 1870. godine s oznakom “S” (San Francisco).
Une pièce d’or de 3 $ US du XIXème siècle s’est vendue 5,12 millions d’euros, soit huit fois le record précédent. La pièce unique a été frappée en 1870 et a attiré 73 enchères et a battu le précédent record du monde pour une pièce de 3 $ en or de 687 500 $ US / 640 000 €. La pièce est considérée comme l’une des pièces les plus rares et les plus énigmatiques de l’histoire des États-Unis. Les rapports suggèrent qu’il a été frappé avec un deuxième exemple pour être logé dans un cercueil de cérémonie placé sous la pierre angulaire d’un nouveau bâtiment de la Monnaie de San Francisco en 1870. Pictures must credit:Heritage Auctions A 19th Century $3 USD gold coin has sold for $5.52 million dollars / €5.12 million euros — eight times the previous record. The unique piece was minted in 1870 and drew 73 bids and crushed the previous world record for a gold $3 coin of $687,500 USD / €640,000 euros. The coin is said to be among the rarest and most enigmatic coins in U.S. history. Reports suggest it was struck along with a second example to be housed in a ceremonial casket placed under the cornerstone of a new San Francisco mint building in 1870. How it came to be left out is described as a mystery that has puzzled coin collectors for more than 150 years. The example sold for the record price has been known to the numismatic community since 1907. A spokesperson for US saleroom Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas, which sold the coin, said:” Several theories have been proposed to explain the existence of the three dollar gold piece but none of them are universally accepted. “But assuming the reports of that second example buried under the mind are accurate, that coin would be forever out of reach to collectors, meaning that for all intents and purposes, the example sold is unique. “ Photo: JLPPA / Bestimage/BESTIMAGE
Od tri dolara do pet milijuna
Une pièce d’or de 3 $ US du XIXème siècle s’est vendue 5,12 millions d’euros, soit huit fois le record précédent. La pièce unique a été frappée en 1870 et a attiré 73 enchères et a battu le précédent record du monde pour une pièce de 3 $ en or de 687 500 $ US / 640 000 €. La pièce est considérée comme l’une des pièces les plus rares et les plus énigmatiques de l’histoire des États-Unis. Les rapports suggèrent qu’il a été frappé avec un deuxième exemple pour être logé dans un cercueil de cérémonie placé sous la pierre angulaire d’un nouveau bâtiment de la Monnaie de San Francisco en 1870. Pictures must credit:Heritage Auctions A 19th Century $3 USD gold coin has sold for $5.52 million dollars / €5.12 million euros — eight times the previous record. The unique piece was minted in 1870 and drew 73 bids and crushed the previous world record for a gold $3 coin of $687,500 USD / €640,000 euros. The coin is said to be among the rarest and most enigmatic coins in U.S. history. Reports suggest it was struck along with a second example to be housed in a ceremonial casket placed under the cornerstone of a new San Francisco mint building in 1870. How it came to be left out is described as a mystery that has puzzled coin collectors for more than 150 years. The example sold for the record price has been known to the numismatic community since 1907. A spokesperson for US saleroom Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas, which sold the coin, said:” Several theories have been proposed to explain the existence of the three dollar gold piece but none of them are universally accepted. “But assuming the reports of that second example buried under the mind are accurate, that coin would be forever out of reach to collectors, meaning that for all intents and purposes, the example sold is unique. “ Photo: JLPPA / Bestimage/BESTIMAGE
Iako konkretan primjerak prodan za točno 5,12 milijuna eura možda nije evidentiran u javno dostupnim rezultatima, vrijednost ovog iznimno rijetkog zlatnika dosegnula je procjene bliske spomenutoj cifri – oko 5 milijuna dolara. Ovakva cijena pretvara je u jednu od najskupljih kovanica ikad.
Što ovaj zlatnik čini tako vrijednim?
Izuzetna rijetkost: Vjeruje se da je ova kovanica kovana u ekstremno ograničenom broju, a neki izvori navode da je poznato postojanje samo dva ili tri primjerka. Za razliku od uobičajene prakse, kovanica s oznakom kovnice San Francisco (“S”) iz 1870. godine nikada nije trebala biti puštena u optjecaj u tom obliku, što je čini nevjerojatnim anomalijom.
Zagonetna priča: Prema numizmatičkim legendama, kovanica je nastala nakon što su službenici kovnice u San Franciscu sami ručno urezali “S” oznaku na kalup. Jedan primjerak je navodno bio namijenjen za polaganje u kamen temeljac nove kovnice, dok je drugi (ili drugi i treći) završio u rukama kolekcionara, ponekad se koristio i kao nakit.
Povijesni značaj: Zlatnik od 3 dolara, s dizajnom Indijanske princeze (Indian Princess Head), kovao se od 1854. do 1889. godine. Bio je neobične nominale, stvorene kako bi olakšale kupnju poštanskih maraka od tri centa. Međutim, primjerak iz 1870-S je apsolutni vrhunac ove serije i “numizmatička Mona Lisa”.
Vječna potraga za rijetkim blagom
Kao i sve velike rijetkosti, i ova kovanica privlači izuzetnu pažnju najvećih svjetskih kolekcionara. Njezina vrijednost ne leži samo u zlatu, već u priči koju priča: priči o grešci u proizvodnji koja je stvorila jedinstveno i neprocjenjivo povijesno blago. Za kolekcionare, posjedovanje ovakvog zlatnika predstavlja vrhunac numizmatičke karijere i trajni komad američke povijesti.
Njegova cijena je dokaz da u svijetu starih kovanica, rijetkost i priča uistinu pretvaraju plemeniti metal u neprocjenjivu imovinu.
