Rare Casascius 0.5 BTC Token Auction
Stack’s Bowers Galleries will auction a rare Casascius 0.5 BTC physical token, minted on July 4, 2013, coinciding with the 237th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The auction is part of their June 2026 Showcase Auction taking place on Thursday.
Token Details
According to a statement from Stack’s Bowers Galleries shared with Bitcoin.com News, the token is graded MS-66 by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS). There are only 15 examples with this grade, and only 11 coins are graded higher, all at MS-67.
The token remains funded, meaning the 0.5 BTC loaded onto the blockchain at creation is still intact and can be redeemed. The coin was produced by Mike Caldwell, a software engineer from Utah, who began minting the Casascius series in 2011.
Production and Rarity
Each physical coin contains a private key under a tamper-evident hologram, with genuine bitcoin loaded on-chain at the time of minting. Caldwell ceased production after regulators marked the operation as a potential unauthorized money transfer business in 2013. This brief production window left a limited supply, which has been further narrowed by attrition, as some owners have “peeled” their coins to claim bitcoin, destroying the collectible and erasing its numismatic value in the process. Funded examples in high grades are now rare by any measure.
Auction Highlights
The sale on June 18 is not a single-lot showcase. Stack’s Bowers has assembled over 120 crypto collectibles with a total intrinsic value exceeding $500,000. The auction includes coins from the Casascius, BTCC, and Lealana series, along with lower-mintage modern editions from producers like Mybits, Satori, Denarium, Ballet, and Freedom Bitcoin.
The auction also marks the firm’s first offering of crypto trading cards from Topps’ Allen and Ginter series, a crossover expected to attract interest from sports card collectors tracking that product line separately from the crypto space.
Company Background
Stack’s Bowers Galleries has been in operation for over 90 years and is a 100% owned subsidiary of A-Mark Precious Metals Inc. (Nasdaq: AMRK), which acquired the parent company Spectrum Group International in early 2025 for $92 million. The firm is a PCGS Authorized Dealer, a member of the Professional Numismatists Guild, and the official auctioneer for major numismatic events, including ANA World’s Fair of Money conventions.
Expert Insights
“American coinage and trade have always been a mirror of the nation’s journey toward freedom and success,” noted James McCartney, director of numismatics at Stack’s Bowers Galleries.
The CEO of Stack’s Bowers Galleries added: “There is no greater context to offer this historic July 4 funded 0.5 bitcoin.”
Bidding Information
Bidders should account for buyer’s premiums, which typically exceed 20% at premium auction houses. The collectible value of the token operates separately from its bitcoin spot value, and both factors are relevant to the final price. The auction is open for bidding through Stack’s Bowers platform.
The firm is also accepting consignments for its Summer 2026 Global Showcase Auction, which will hold in-person presentations at the ANA World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Specialists will also be available at the FUN Show in Orlando, Florida, running from July 9 to 11.
Market Timing
With America’s 250th anniversary just two weeks away and bitcoin actively trading, the timing places a 13-year-old physical token at a crossroads that few collectibles have occupied before. Whether this crossroads will hold lasting value is a question the market will answer on Thursday.
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