Constitutional Signers, World’s First Gold Coinage, Brigham Young Banknotes and Million Dollar Gold Certificates: JR Bissell’s Jaw-Dropping Auction Marvels

The Only Two $1,000 Gold Certificates in Private Hands First up in Bissell’s latest offering: the ultra-rare 1882 $1,000 Gold Certificate, Fr-1218e. Selling a piece of American history so rare that only five of them are known to exist and only two in private hands, and he has both listed for sale! That’s right—Bissell is offering the $1,000 Gold Certificate, a bill featuring none other than Alexander Hamilton himself. If you’re thinking “What’s the big deal?”—Read on to know more. These aren’t just any old bill. With only two in private hands (the others are held by the Federal Reserve), and they are packed with history. With a backstory that includes a jaw-dropping $881,250 auction sale in 2014 thru Heritage for just one of these notes, and a hunt for a missing fifth note that has spanned decades. Hamilton, the man who practically built America’s financial system, once advocated for a gold-only currency. Known as the ‘Father of Finance’ and being the first Secretary of the Treasury, dying in a dual against Aaron Burr over a political argument. With its pristine condition and a wild backstory, the $1,000 Gold Certificate is the ultimate prize for serious collectors. But don't let the stiff, historical details fool you—this is a golden ticket to flexing your collector cred and a chance to own something that would make Hamilton himself jealous. Imagine the bragging rights that come with owning a note so rare, it’s practically the holy grail of American currency!

Signatures of a Nation: The Founding Fathers’ Collection Jumping forward to a pivotal moment in American history, one can find a treasure trove of signatures from the very men who drafted the U.S. Constitution. A copy of the U.S. Constitution just sold thru Brunk Auctions for $10.8 mil with auction tax on Oct. 18th, 2024. However, this copy did not have forty live signatures. This extraordinary collection features manuscripts from all forty individuals who hand signed the document, including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, Ulysses S. Grant and James Madison. This collection of signatures achieved an impressive $100,000 bid thru Heritage Auction. Each signature represents the minds and hands that shaped the foundation of the United States. Among the highlights is a tri-lingual ship’s passport signed by George Washington on July 26, 1795, authorizing the passage of a schooner named Industry to Falmouth. Also in the collection is a rare signature from Benjamin Franklin, clipped from a manuscript but carrying the weight of Franklin’s storied legacy. Alexander Hamilton, whose financial vision helped define the nation's early economy (also represented on the $1,000 Gold Cert. mentioned above), is represented by a signed letter from 1792, written while he served as the first Secretary of the Treasury. Lastly, a document signed by James Madison in 1813—during his presidency—appoints a tax collector, a reminder of the vital administrative tasks that kept the young republic running. This collection is not just about signatures; it’s about the very foundations of American democracy, encapsulated in ink and parchment.

The Gold Revolution of King Croesus: The World's First Major Coinage The year was 561 BC, and the ancient kingdom of Lydia was about to embark on an economic revolution. At the helm was King Croesus, whose wealth became so legendary that to this day, his name is synonymous with unimaginable riches. But Croesus' real legacy lies in his transformation of the economy, thanks to the introduction of the world’s first major gold coinage. Croesus implemented a bimetallic system of currency, minting coins in both gold and silver. But it wasn’t just the creation of currency that set his reign apart—it was his introduction of a wide range of denominations that enabled unprecedented flexibility in trade and commerce. From full gold staters to tiny silver coins, these coins standardized the value of goods and services, making trade easier and more accessible. The largest, the heavy weight gold staters, the type Bissell has for sale, weighed an impressive 10.7 grams and became symbols of Lydian prosperity.

Babe Ruth: The Legend in a Perfect Signature If the founding fathers laid the foundation for a nation, Babe Ruth built a cultural empire within America’s pastime: baseball. His name echoes in the halls of sports legend, and his autograph remains one of the most coveted pieces of memorabilia. This rare, signed photograph is not just a relic from the Golden Age of Baseball—it is a pristine, PSA/DNA Gem Mint 10-rated artifact of American sports history. More than just an autograph, this piece transports back to a time when baseball was the soul of America, and Babe Ruth was its undisputed king. Previously sold for $48,000 in Heritage in 2021. Encapsulated in its pristine condition, this signed photograph represents the peak of memorabilia collecting, offering both a visual and emotional connection to the man who rewrote the history of sports.

Brigham Young: The ‘American Moses’ Hand Signed Banknote Brigham Young, often called the "American Moses," led a few followers on an epic 1,300-mile exodus across treacherous plains, rugged mountains, and scorching deserts to found Salt Lake City in 1847. But Young was more than that; he was a visionary entrepreneur, who understood the importance of economic prosperity as well. As president of the Deseret National Bank, Young's signature on this note symbolizes the fusion of faith and finance that built Utah. A $2 "Lazy Deuce" banknote is capturing the attention of collectors and historians alike. This rare piece of 19th-century currency, a vivid time capsule from the American West, embodies the entrepreneurial spirit of Young. With its intricate design, including the iconic "lazy" numeral 2 and a striking vignette of Columbia, this note is more than a collector's item; it represents a pivotal moment in the birth of Utah's financial system.

JR Bissell: The Man Behind the Myth JR Bissell isn’t just a collector—he’s a modern-day Indiana Jones, part historian, part treasure hunter, and part adventurer. Whether he’s acquiring pirate gold coins or negotiating the sale of a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil, Bissell is a man with a taste for the extraordinary. He’s the kind of guy who could turn up at an auction with an Egyptian mummy mask one day and a dinosaur skeleton the next. His love for all things historical knows no bounds, and it’s made him a legend in the world of rare artifacts. Now, he’s offering these pieces to the highest bidder. For collectors, this is more than just an opportunity—it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to own pieces of history that are truly one-of-a-kind.