Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC will burst onto the scene in 2025 with a huge, four-day Desert Riches Auction, January 31st thru February 3rd, featuring over 2,100 lots in numerous collecting categories to include mining, gold, numismatics, scripophily, Native Americana, railroadiana, philatelic and general Americana, starting at 8am Pacific time each day.

The first three days – January 31st thru February 2nd – are live sessions, hosted in Holabird’s gallery located at 3555 Airway Drive in Reno; as well as online on all of their auction platforms (iCollector.com, LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com). The fourth day – Monday, February 3rd – is a timed-only session, hosted on iCollector.com and LiveAuctioneers.com only.
"We chose the name ‘Desert Riches’ to honor the gold specimens, stock certificates, mining artifacts and railroad pieces in this sale from the California desert mining camps in Inyo County and Death Valley, as well as from Arizona and Nevada," said Fred Holabird, the president and owner of Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC. "Thia is going to be a great auction."
Day 1, on Friday, January 31st, contains 434 lots of stock certificates and bonds (mining, oil, transportation – such as air, auto, railroad and steamer/marine – and miscellaneous, such as banking, Express and foreign); and philatelic (including postal covers, revenue and US and foreign stamps).

Day 2, on Saturday, February 1st, showcases 503 lots of transportation, to include railroad (passes, lanterns, locks and ephemera); bottles and brewing; general Americana (geographic sort US, foreign, books and maps, and miscellaneous, to include gaming, sports and toys); and military, political and weaponry/militaria.
Day 3, on Sunday, February 2nd has 501 lots of Western art and collectibles (cowboy, Native Americana and art); minerals and mining (gold specimens, minerals, fossils, mining artifacts and equipment and mining ephemera); and numismatics (US Mint and ingots, California fractional gold, US and foreign coins, medals, currency and scrip, and tokens).

Day 4, the timed session only on Monday, February 3rd, features 716 lots, all with $10 start prices, in categories that include minerals and mining, transportation, general Americana, numismatics, and stocks and bonds (mining, transportation and miscellaneous).
The numismatics category on Day 3 will be led by a Carson City Mint treasure: a pair of 1871 documents appointing the melter/assayer for the Mint, with one signed by President Ulysses S. Grant.

Also up for bid will be a circa 1884 tin ingot from the Deadwood, Dakota Territory; a silver ingot from the State of Maine Mine in Tombstone, Ariz., lead and babbit ingots from California; and lead mining ingots from Idaho and Missouri.

The rest of the section includes a California Fractional Gold collection (over 20 lots); a Lesher dollar; scrip; and Western tokens from Arizona, Montana and Nevada.
The auction marks the beginning of some fantastic material from the California desert mining locales such as Inyo County and Death Valley. Featured are circa 1870s-1880s ore bags from Darwin/Keeler and placer gold from Inyo and Kern counties.
The mineral section also has Alaska gold from Valdez and 75 lots of stunning turquoise from the No. 8 mine in Nevada, split into different types of lots based on the color and size of the specimens. Also offered will be rare meteorite lots and fossils, as well as 19th century assay and mining tools found in the Comstock Lode in Nevada.
The star lot of the Americana category is an exceptionally rare 1862 Nevada Territory receipt issued to Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) for his work as a legislative reporter, signed by Clemens on the reverse. Also on offer is a Pony Express Virginia City cover sent the same month Clemens arrived in Virginia City to work for the Territorial Enterprise; plus early bonds signed by Governors Nye and Blasdell, and an 1862 Mayfield murder trial witness certificate.

Other lots in the large, diverse section include an abolitionist John Brown family photo album; an 1860 Lorino’s terrestrial globe with stand; a 1914 National Cash Register; three Mills slot machines; and an original 1881 cabinet card of a Tucson store posse.
The railroadiana section begins with a small group of ever-popular railroad passes, followed by locks from the Central Pacific, Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railways; a Railway Express lockbox; ultra rare Nevada artifacts that include brass plates and luggage tags for Bullfrog, Tonopah & Goldfield, V&T and Eureka & Palisade; lanterns; and ephemera.
The sale features hundreds of lots of stock certificates and bonds from the Ken Prag collection, plus others. Be sure not to miss the Death Valley / Inyo County mining stocks (as well as Arizona, California, Colorado and Nevada); and rare autograph certificates, including Otto Mears, CP Huntington, Founding Father Robert Morris, Wells and Fargo, Henry Clews, William Sharon, and early baseball figures.

A modest Native Americana, art and cowboy section on Day 3 includes a stunning group of bronze statues; a rare Washoe Chief carte de visite; an Edward Dobrotka original Superman artist collection; a Steven Woodburn painting; cowboy belt buckles; Native American jewelry; and some Native American artifacts.
As if all that weren’t enough, the auction will also feature antique bottles (including pieces found on the Comstock, such as a rare citron example from the USA Hospital Dept.); weaponry and militaria (including rare knives, Civil War letters and artifacts); and philatelic lots (including an LZ 129 Hindenburg cover collection); revenue stamped documents; and foreign stamp collections.

Bids can be placed online, in-person or over the phone with an agent.
"Be sure to use the Keyword Search Tool on our website to search for items in your collecting categories across all sections," advised Mr. Holabird, who added, "You can also search past sales, too."
Telephone and absentee bids will be accepted. Color catalogs are available by calling 1-844-492-2766, or 775-851-1859. Anyone owning a collection that might fit into a Holabird Western Americana Collections auction is encouraged to get in touch. The company has agents all over America and will travel to inspect most worthy collections.
To consign a single piece or a collection, you may call Fred Holabird at 775-851-1859 or 844-492-2766; or, send an e-mail to fredholabird@gmail.com. To learn more about Holabird Western Americana Collections and the huge, four-day Desert Riches Auction slated for January 31st thru February 3rd beginning at 8 am Pacific time each day, please visit www.holabirdamericana.com.
“a huge, four-day Desert Riches Auction, January 31st thru February 3rd, featuring over 2,100 lots in numerous collecting categories to include mining, gold, numismatics, scripophily, Native Americana, railroadiana, philatelic and general Americana”…
Refreshing looking at all of that cool vintage collectable stuff up above✓. I think I’ll take a look at the auction.
Refreshing compared to all of that same old/new 500 plus Numismatic product that the Mint is peddling nowadays, especially all of that clad junk, wow. I’ll leave it at that.
I feel better now.
Speaking of “Desert Riches”,
I’ve got an exercise for the photo coin graders lurking here.
If not, well, as a non grader, I’ll entertain myself then…
My latest humble purchase:
An ungraded Morgan $1 Coin..1885-CC. Mintage = 228k, GSA = 148k…
What’s the exercise? “GTG” (Guess The Grade)…
I’d like to try it the old fashioned way this time(you’ll see)..
(*ANACS “Split Grade/Photo Grade” from the ’80’s). See example Photo⇊
Here’s the Obverse overall. I’ll post both sides next for the photo grade exercise.
The GSA had two categories for the coins in these holders.
1) Uncirculated Silver Dollar (higher quality, no toning)
2) Silver Dollar (lesser quality, toning out of favor)
This is almost a tale of two coins, but not.
However, most of the time, the Obverse is more susceptible to bag mark damage.
See what I mean. This is why I’d like to use the old ANACS “Split Grade”.
One grade assigned to the Obverse.
And another grade assigned to the Reverse.
Her cheek, lower neck, and frontal field show typical chatter. But to what extent? I’ve seen some NGC MS-65’s in this same condition, and MS-64 on PCGS. Possibly the other way around too?..
1) Obverse MS-64 (my grade)
2) Reverse MS-66+ (my grade) …3) Overall grade MS65+ (my grade).
“GTG” (Guess The Grade) What’s your grade?..Am I close?…
Rick – I don’t collect graded Morgan’s, but do collect a few other 1800s series. Based on what I do collect, my grade is MS-63+ obverse, MS65PL reverse. I’m guessing the black Nubs are part of the holder and not damage to the coin on the reverse. I’m not sure if the line around the lettering is a die crack or die polishing marks in the reverse. The bag marks are detracting on the obverse, but there is a nice mint luster on the surface.
Thanks for your feedback shark,
I’ll take that, so if MS63+/MS65PL are combined for an MS64, I’d be satisfied with that. I’ve got 63 money into it, so anything greater is good! Yes the nubs are the attachment points. The line at the top of USA is definitely a crack, and shouldn’t be a penalty, same with die polishing & clashes from what I gather?
Good catch on luster. The reverse has 2x luster in hand and pops. I’ll be sending it in, so an update will come later…
sharks2th,
I’d be interested to learn about what 1800’s types that you collect…
I’ll take a wild guess!?
Capped Bust Halves type 1,
and Liberty Head Gold….
You’ll need to go smaller… Haha
I think you could get a 64+, depending on which service you use. The CAC seems to be doing a good job so far from what I’ve seen. NGC seems to be good for silver coins.
There were some issues with PCGS slabs having toned silver modern coins. I’m not sure if that was caused by the wash used by the mint, handling by PCGS, or possible offgassing from the PCGS label paper. I’ve never seen where PCGS states the paper in their labels is archival quality lignin free to avoid the chemicals normal paper will emit as it decays.
Smaller 1800’s shark? Well, how about Lib Seated Dimes or IHC? Both great issues. I’d take a 64+ on the 1885 no prob…
NGC is King when it comes to CC $1 Silver, but I’ll pass as far as submitting.
CAC will be my TPG choice for a GSA slab sub. I prefer the green strap/sticker out of the 3 that employ it. I’ve got two for sure going in, and another coin or two set for a crossover. Here’s another GSA up for consideration…
An ungraded Morgan.1881-CC. Mintage 296k , GSA 147k…
As another coin that was placed in the GSA’s ‘lesser quality’ dept.(Silver Dollar), this 1881 CC does have some undesirable toning and lackluster attributes no doubt, but less bag mark damage imo.
Less chatter overall help this coin out in the Grading Room? The two small ‘gouges’ front & back are noted. What’s interesting is the Canvas Bag Impression that was left on her face–I almost want to crack it and give it a nice Acetone Bath. But the GSA pedigree would be lost if I were to do so.
What will CACgrading award this one?
GTG(Guess The Grade)…
I’ll give it my unprofessional grade of MS-65.
Anyone else have a GTG?….
Reverse 66+ Very nice
Obverse 64+ Bag mark on the cheek is distracting; The toning looks like this one had the bag up against it. It looks like the burlap/cotton fabric pattern and may have been on the ground in the Vault…
The toning bag fabric pattern could probably be conserved.
2 and 3 cent issues, proofs and MS
The reverses are almost always nicer with these. I’ll take your grade, thanks!
Agree on a conservation effort, but where does the Old West Vault Character go lol!? Decisions…..
I had to look up the 2 & 3 cents–Oh yeah! Amazing designs.
And a lot to choose from, no boredom with those coins…
Here’s a tribute coin for all to admire. I sure do…
The 1869/’8′ 3C Silver, PR67+CAM….
Nice choice. A 67 is a high dollar one. I like the sheriff’s badge look. One of the slang terms for the silver ones is fish scales. The 2 cent pieces have a nice big 2 on them. That one looks like it was in a Whitman book at one time.