Field Index — Founding-era manuscripts, presidential documents, numismatics

Political & Historical — Realized Sales Index

Political and historical memorabilia is the quiet structural outperformer in the Field Index. Founding Era manuscripts (Washington, Adams, Hamilton, Jefferson), presidential documents, and numismatic pieces have posted double-digit annual gains for three consecutive years, driven by institutional collecting and estate-driven consignment.

Tracked sales: 8
Median sale: $145K
Highest sale: $18.9M
Aggregate hammer: $37.3M

What drives value

Era and historical significance (Founding Era > Civil War > 20th century)
Document type — full ALS (autograph letter signed) > DS (document signed) > free frank
Content significance (substantive content vs. routine administrative)
PCGS/NGC grading for coins; comprehensive provenance for documents
Provenance to a documented institutional or family collection

Where it sells

Heritage Manuscripts
Raab Collection (presidential)
Christie's (high-end documents)
Stack's Bowers (numismatics)
Hake's Americana (campaign material)

Top comps in this category

1.
1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle gold coin (Weitzman specimen)
$18.9M · Sotheby's
2.
1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar (the Carter-Cardinal specimen)
$10.0M · Stack's Bowers
3.
1776 Dunlap broadside of the Declaration of Independence
$8.14M · Sotheby's
4.
George Washington signed letter (1789)
$145K · Heritage Auctions
5.
Abraham Lincoln signed cabinet appointment document (1861)
$68K · Raab Collection

All tracked sales

Every political & historical comp in the Field Index.

Searchable, sortable. Click any row for full provenance, source citations, comparable comps, and editorial notes.

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Showing 8 of 8 tracked sales.

Item	Price	Date ↓	Venue	Authentication
Ross Perot 1992 campaign poster (original) Political Campaign Memorabilia	$450	Jan 2025	Heritage Auctions	Heritage authentication; original printing markers.
Abraham Lincoln signed cabinet appointment document (1861) Presidential Documents	$68K	Nov 2024	Raab Collection	PSA/DNA LOA, dealer warranty.
1860 Lincoln-Hamlin jugate campaign ferrotype Political Campaign Memorabilia	$19K	Oct 2024	Hake's Americana	Hake's specialist authentication; cross-referenced to Sullivan reference.
John F. Kennedy 1960 campaign jugate button (blue background) Political Campaign Memorabilia	$4K	Jul 2024	Hake's Americana	Hake's authentication; Hake reference catalog.
George Washington signed letter (1789) Presidential Documents	$145K	May 2024	Heritage Auctions	PSA/DNA LOA, Christie's prior authentication.
1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle gold coin (Weitzman specimen) Numismatics — U.S. Coins	$18.9M	Jun 2021	Sotheby's	PCGS MS65; documented chain-of-title from U.S. Treasury monetization.
1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar (the Carter-Cardinal specimen) Numismatics — U.S. Coins	$10.0M	Jan 2013	Stack's Bowers	PCGS SP-66; specialist consensus that this is the first dollar struck by the U.S. Mint.
1776 Dunlap broadside of the Declaration of Independence Founding Era Documents	$8.14M	Jun 2000	Sotheby's	Sotheby's specialist authentication, comparison to other Dunlap broadsides.