HIGGINS MUSEUM RECEIVED MAJOR DONATION

 

An anonymous Pennsylvania coin collector recently donated around $750,000 to the Higgins Museum of National Bank Notes. This marks one of the largest gifts in the Okoboji museum's 46-year history.

"Seven Lions," the anonymous donor, consigned 110 U.S. pattern coins to California-based auction house Stack's Bowers. The first 29 coins sold for $725,000 on July 27. Another $25,ooo came from the sale of 81 additional coins on Friday, Aug. 29.

Seven Lions plans to donate both auction proceeds, as well as hundreds of additional bank notes, to expand the museum's collection. The gift would add 700 national bank notes to the current 2,600-note display.

"This is where (we) don't know yet," Museum Curator George Cuhaj said. "Do we build a renovation? An extension to house an additional part of his collection?"

HIGGINS HOUSES RARE COLLECTION
The Higgins Museum opened in 1978 to display founder Bill Higgins' national bank note collection.

Higgins himself grew up in the Iowa Great Lakes Region, and served as mayor of Okoboji from 1960-1974. He was well-known for being a coin collector.

During his last year in office, Higgins sold his collection of 6,000 silver world crowns. He used the proceeds to buy paper money. Today, Higgins Museum houses the largest permanent display of national bank notes in America. It features a collection ranging from Iowa to Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Missouri.

WHAT'S IN STORE?
Higgins Museum operates from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Memorial Day through Labor Day, so it is currently closed.

Museum officials have reserved a special booth at the April 2026 Great American Coin and Collectible Show in Rosemont, Ill. Back home, the museum will host five speakers for a two-day seminar Aug. 12-13, 2026. The programs will cover the history of national bank notes.

Cuhaj hopes any new additions will be completed by the museum's 50th anniversary in 2028.

"Most of our visitors are excited to learn that a bank from their community issued bank notes," Cuhaj said. "It really is something special … we made this."

Higgins Museum raised additional funds from national paper money clubs to renovate its Missouri exhibit, which has been in place since 2011. The Seven Lions donation also follows a $3,000 grant from the Spirit of Okoboji Foundation.

Curator George Cuhaj adds:

To read the complete article, see:
Anonymous collector gives $750,000 donation to Higgins Museum (https://www.dickinsoncountynews.com/articles/dickinsoncountynews-2/anonymous-collector-gives-750000-donation-to-higgins-museum/)

To read an earlier E-Sylum article, see:
WILLIAM ROBERT HIGGINS, JR. (https://www.coinbooks.org/v26/esylum_v26n29a16.html)

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