A coin worth five cents when it was minted during George Washington’s presidency sold for a record amount in an auction last week.
Heritage Auctions announced that a 1792 “half disme” fetched a $2.928 million winning bid -- including the buyer’s premium -- during the Dallas-based company’s GACC U.S. Coins Signature Auction, which ended on Oct. 9.
There were 66 bids for the coin, which set a record amount for a half disme, Coin World reported
The previous record, also sold during a Heritage Auctions sale, was $1.41 million in 2013, the numismatic news website reported.
1792 Half Disme Sells for Record $2.93 Million at @HeritageAuction , Leading $19.4 Million Numismatic Auctions https://t.co/B65EAOPhNY
— CollectiblesNews.com (@collectiblesnew) October 13, 2026
The coin was graded MS68 (near-mint) by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS). According to NCG, a coin that grades MS68 is very sharply struck with only minuscule imperfections. A gem-mint coin grades MS70.
“When the finest certified example of a coin with this much historical significance comes to auction, collectors take notice,” Todd Imhof, Heritage Auctions’ executive vice president, said in a statement. “As the only example graded MS68 by PCGS, and a coin from the first federal U.S. issue struck for circulation under the 1792 Mint Act, it earned a result worthy of its place in the top tier of American numismatics.”
Congress passed the Coinage Act on April 2, 1792, according to Coin World. The legislation established the U.S. Mint and authorized a decimal monetary system. The half disme was among the first denominations struck.
The one that sold in the Heritage Auctions sale belonged to the collection of Miami real estate investor Ron Firman, who recently paid $14 million for an autographed, game-used road jersey worn by Michael Jordan during the 1998 NBA Finals.
In its news release, Heritage Auctions described the coin exhibiting a “brilliant mint luster, extraordinary preservation and rich natural patina, displaying silver-gray, rose, amber, gold and vivid blue toning.”
That “distinguish(es) it from other survivors of this landmark issue,” the auction house wrote.
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