Goldberg’s History The
“A Family Tradition Since 1931”
Isador Goldberg, circa 1930
1931 Isador Goldberg, Ira & Larry’s Grandfather, forms Superior Stamp & Coin Company in Downtown Los Angeles.
With a combined total of over 100 years in the numismatic business, Ira and Larry are reliable, seasoned professionals. Expertise, enthusiasm, and integrity have been a Goldberg family tradition since 1931. See how we’ve evolved and view some of our family’s highlights, including building world-renowned collections, record-breaking sales, and historic, numismatic discoveries.
1944 Marshall Goldberg enters WW II. Returns from Europe in 1945 with two purple hearts and joins his brother Harold at Superior.
1965 For the Stansbury family of Long Beach, we begin selling over 1 Million BU silver dollars. Included are bags of BU “CC” Mint and scarcer date dollars.
1950-55 Cousins Ira and Larry work for their fathers cleaning floors, emptying ashtrays, soaking stamps off covers, and making stamp packets, while developing a keen interest in coins.
1944 Harold Goldberg enters the Pacific Theatre, returning to Harold Superior at Goldberg War’s end. c. 1940s
1969 After years of notable private purchases and sales, Ira and Larry conduct Superior’s first public coin auction, the Dr. A. F. Pradeau sale.
1971 We purchase the Dr. Charles Ruby collection for $1 Million, and auction it in three memorable sales.
1958 Ira and Larry begin to build a collection of U.S. and World Coins for Edwards Huntington Metcalf. Larry Goldberg c. 1959 1973 We auction Parts I, II & III of the ‘Gilhousen’ collection, belonging to Edwards Huntington Metcalf, the grandson of Railroad Tycoon Henry E. Huntington.
From left to right: Mark, Marshall, Ira, Harold, and Larry Goldberg circa 1960’s
1960 Larry becomes a fulltime employee at Superior. Ira joins him in 1962, and together they head the coin department. 1974 We negotiate the private purchase of the Henry Clifford Collection of U.S. Territorial gold and sell to Don and Art Kagin.
1962 We acquire a fabulous collection of world crowns from Abner Kreisberg & Jerry Cohen for over $1/2 Million, one of the largest coin purchases at the time. The coins are part of the Von Furstenburg Estate.
1975 We are awarded the ANA auction in Los Angeles, which sets many records.
1976 Superior moves its headquarters to Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills.
George Bennett, Larry & Ira Goldberg c. 1971
1978 Ira, Larry, and Mark Goldberg become equal partners at Superior. Marshall Goldberg 1945
1991 We sell 51% of Superior to Bruce McNall. Harold and Mark sell out their remaining interest in Superior. Ira Goldberg, 1973
1985 We sell the Collection of Dr. Jerry Buss, setting records with a 1913 Liberty 5 Cent, 1894-S Dime, and an 1804 Dollar.
1985 Marshall Goldberg is bought out of his interest in Superior.
1991-92 We auction the celebrated Abraham Bromberg Collection of Ancient Jewish Coins for world record prices.
1985 The Goldbergs build the Superior building on Olympic Blvd in Beverly Hills.
1992 We auction the Roger S. Cohen Jr. Collection of Half Cents, a landmark sale.
1986 We auction the Hoagy Carmichael and Wayne Miller Collections, setting many records.
1992 We auction the “Connoisseur Collections”, including a 1918 “Inverted Jenny” Block of 4 Stamps for $577,500.
1987 We auction the Buddy Ebsen Collections and begin building a world-class ancient Jewish Coin Collection for a local buyer.
1989 We auction the Jascha Heifetz Collection.
1992 We auction the Ed Trompeter Collection of U.S. Gold, Part I, a nearly complete run of proof U.S. gold.
1990 We auction the Boy’s Town Collection for $21 Million, setting a world record unmatched for 15 years.
1992 We auction The Bruce Lee Collection of his personal memorabilia to a standing-room-only crowd of over 500 bidders.
1990 We auction the world renowned King of Siam Set for $3.1 Million, setting a record price for a single numismatic item.
1991 We auction the Irving Goodman Collections of Russian & Chinese Coinage.
1994 Superior Stamp & Coin Company Inc. is sold to A-Mark Financial, and Ira and Larry become employees of the “new” Superior. Superior Downtown circa 1970