Early January auction totals increase for third consecutive year
Heritage Auctions sold more than $71,928,037 million USD (more than $89.6 million Cdn.) in U.S. coins, U.S. and world currency and world and ancient coins during the first three weeks of 2018.
This marks the third consecutive year January sales increased at auctions held during the Florida United Numismatic Convention (FUN) and the New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC).
“Collectors were greeted by exceptional rarities this season,” said Greg Rohan, president of Heritage Auctions.
“We are grateful clients entrust us with their collections and we take great pride in maintaining our place as the world’s No. 1 numismatic auction house.”
U.S. coin sales totalled $40,940,868 million at the firm’s FUN auction. The top lot was one of the great rarities in American gold coinage—an 1880 Flowing Hair Stella (in Proof-67 Cameo), which sold for $750,000 USD.
Other top highlights include an 1838-O Reeded Edge half dollar (in Branch Mint Proof-63 PCGS, CAC) that brought $444,000 USD as well as a 1879 Flowing Hair Stella (in Proof-67 Cameo) that sold for $312,000 USD.
Further U.S. standouts include an 1861-O $20 coin (in Prooflike Mint State-60)—a remarkable Civil War-era gold piece—that sold for $312,000 USD.
An important 1793 S-2, B-2 Chain cent (in Mint State-63 Brown) also brought $300,000 USD.
A rare 1882 $1,000 gold certificate realized $600,000 USD (more than $747,000 Cdn.) during Heritage Auction’s $12,042,486-million U.S. Currency Auction.
U.S., WORLD CURRENCY DRAW $13.6M
Likely one of just two known notes available to collectors, a rare 1882 $1,000 gold certificate sold for $600,000 USD during the firm’s $12,042,486-million U.S. Currency Auction.
A fully uncirculated 1934 $5,000 New York Federal Reserve note (in PCGS Choice New-63 PPQ), brought $162,000 USD while a “perfectly original” 1890 $100 Treasury “Watermelon” note (in PCGS Very Fine-30 PPQ) sold for $144,000 USD
Additional currency highlights included:
- a high-grade 1863 $100 Legal Spread Eagle note (in PCGS Extremely Fine-40) brought $132,000 USD as the seventh-nicest specimen to reach the auction market;
- a bright and well-centred 1934 $10,000 Binion note—a collector favourite from the famed Binion Horseshoe Casino—sold for $132,000 USD; and
- a trophy 1934 $5,000 note from the Dallas Federal Reserve (in PCGS About New-53 PPQ) sold for $96,000 USD.
According to auctioneers, the latter item was the “perfect show-and-tell piece” and survived without any restoration.
As predicted, a rare set of four German New Guinea Australian Occupation First World War notes set the pace for Heritage’s $1,626,429 million USD auction of world banknotes when it sold for $168,000 USD. Auctioneers added German New Guinea notes issued under Australian occupation in the First World War are so scarce that “it has been more than a decade since two of these denominations have been offered at auction.”
An “elegant and extraordinary” 1879 Kingdom of Hawaii $100 silver certificate (in PCGS Choice About New-58) sold for $45,600 USD and a 1955-56 National Bank of Viet Nam 1000 Dong ND (in PCGS Gem New-65 PPQ) sold for $40,800 USD.
BIDDERS SEEK GOLD IN WORLD, ANCIENT COINS
World and ancient coins auctioned as part of NYINC realized a combined $17,142,849 million USD. A João Prince Regent Massive gold Ingot of Vila Rica from 1814 sold for $264,000 USD.
“The amazing find is the heaviest of all 43 Vila Rica ingot specimens known to exist,” added auctioneers.
An iconic 1895 Imperial of Nicholas II gold 10 roubles (in Specimen-62 PCGS) brought $228,000 USD.
According to auctioneers, the coin is one of only two 1895 examples certified by “either of the two major numismatic grading services.”
An extremely rare Mint State Charles I Gold Triple Unite of Oxford from 1643 (in Mint State-61 NGC) ended at $204,000 USD.
A George III silver Proof Pattern Bank of England five shillings and six pence 1811 (in Proof-67 Plus Star Cameo NGC), a 200-year-old coin that has reached the “pinnacle of perfection as indicated by both the ‘star’ and ‘plus’ addition to the numerical grade,” sold for $168,000 USD.
Additional world and ancient coin highlights include:
- a “historically important and rare” Nicholas II gold Specimen 1/2 Imperial of five roubles 1895-AГ (in Specimen-62 PCGS) changed hands for $156,000 USD;
- a first-year presentation Napoleon III gold Specimen 100 Francs 1855-A (in Specimen-64 Star NGC)—quite possibly the most important coin of Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte’s reign—sold for $144,000 USD; and
- a circa 550 B.C. a Lydian Kingdom Croesus AV Stater (in NGC Mint State Star 5/5 – 4/5)—considered the “world’s first gold coinage”—realized $132,000 USD.