Page 10 - 0217
P. 10
Page 10 The Antique Shoppe February, 2017
Historic Glass U.S. Penny Sold for the coin represents the ingenuity U.S. Mint officials and
$70,500 at Heritage Auctions private industry.
Made of tempered, yellow-amber transparent glass by
Fort Lauderdale— The only known surviving intact the Blue Ridge Glass Company of Kingsport, Tennessee, the
experimental all-glass penny, manufactured in 1942 sold for coin auctioned is the only surviving example of two known to
$70,500 in a Heritage Auction on Friday, January 6, 2017. exist. The other is broken in half.
A war between a phone bidder and a floor bidder pushed After considering various alternatives, such as glass,
the cent’s selling price to more than double its $30,000 plastic and even rubber, the U.S. Mint eventually struck coins
expected value. The rare penny finally was won by an made of zinc-coated steel in 1943.
American collector bidding on the phone.
The glass penny was one of many highlights of Heritage's
The one-of-a-kind penny was produced as a possible $65 million series of auctions of rare coins and vintage paper
alternative to copper that was urgently needed during World money held this week. For details and auction results visit
War II. Although glass failed as a substitute for U.S. coinage, Heritage Auctions website at www.HA.com.
NW PINELLAS & W. PASCO CO.
Hudson • Clearwater • Belleair Bluffs • Largo • Palm Harbor
7
7
6
3
3 5
2
4
1
