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This auction of 5,127 lots estimated at 3.5 million is being held over four days in nineteen sessions covering a wide range of material.

A highlight is the offering of a single owner collection in catalogue B. This collection was begun in England over fifty years ago by the collector, Edward Cummings, and continued to be added to in Australia until 1984. The collection includes a gold striking of the popular pattern swan dollar of 1967, and a 1966 presentation specimen decimal note album. The Australian sovereigns are complete for the Queen Victoria issues and missing only the great rarities of King George V. The Australian Commonwealth includes many high grade silver issues. The silver and bronze coins of Great Britain are strong in the issues from Queen Victoria, with several choice and toned examples. The Cummings Collection of 626 lots is being sold in two and a half sessions on Wednesday 29th March at 3:00pm, 4:30pm and 7:30 pm.

The sale commences with miscellaneous Australian coin lots at 9:30am on Tuesday 28th March, followed in the first session by an outstanding collection of decimal error or mis-struck coins formed by a North Queensland collector. There are a number of rarely seen errors including a fifty cents, 1977, struck from two obverse dies, a fifty cents, 1981, struck on a Hong Kong five dollars planchet in error, and a fifty cents, 1988, struck on a ten cents blank in error. A one dollar, 1995, is struck on a ten cents blank in error. A recent error is the five cents, 2007, struck with two obverse dies. There are also errors in the packaging of proof and mint sets, including Baby sets. The best is the ‘mob of roos’ proof dollar, 2005, in the 2006 proof set; only about forty of this rarity are known. In the Decimal Proofs, a Perth Mint one kilo gold kangaroo nugget coin, 1991 with certificate No 002 and estimated at $50,000 is a highlight.

The third session commences with German New Guinea silver five mark to bronze one pfennig, 1894, followed by New Zealand coins headed up by a nice Waitangi proof set, 1935 and a complete series of pre-decimal coins in individual lots mostly. These come from the Stephen Agnew Collection and have been very carefully selected in the best possible condition. To conclude this session is the outstanding collection of New Zealand tokens formed by Brian Bolton. Condition is outstanding with nearly every specimen being one of the finest if not the finest known of each variety. The highest estimated token is the Milner and Thompson Christchurch, Maori head/Maori scene small size penny (Andrews – unlisted; Lampard 334h). It last sold July 2005 in Sale 79 (lot 884) for $26,203; the estimate now is $20,000.

The fourth session commences with the Brian Bolton Collection of New Zealand Checks, Discount and Special Purpose tokens, the most comprehensive ever offered at auction. In this auction the New Zealand tokens are catalogued with Andrews and Lampard numbers (tradesmen’s tokens) and Grant and Rocker numbers for the check, discount and special purpose tokens.

Following this collection there are tradesmen’s tokens of Australia and New Zealand, many choice pieces being from the collection of Hillel Kaslove, who commenced collecting in New York and Canada in the 1940s.

The fifth or evening session commencing at 7:30pm offers Proclamation coins, NSW Dumps and an extensive series of gold coins, including both types of Adelaide pounds, many choice shield and St George reverse sovereigns of Queen Victoria. Following is a large group of pre-decimal proofs including a 1934-35 florin graded as PF62 by NGC. The Australian Commonwealth includes a complete collection housed in a plastic album for over fifty years. The 1923 halfpenny has some original mint red and is estimated at $6,000. There are three 1930 pennies in this session and one 1922/1 overdate threepence.

The next morning at 11:30 sees the British gold, silver and bronze coins and British historical Medals followed by the Wal Shannon Collection of Captain Cook coins, medals and memorabilia.

Orders, Decorations and medals are offered in session eight at 2:30pm. The main Australian highlights are the G.C., DSC group to Lieutenant Bagot and the RNVR in 1918: the WWI MC and bar group of seven to Captain Harburn; the OBE, Lloyds Bravery Medal group to Chief Officer J.H.A.Mackie, and a Ghuznee Medal 1839 to Captain C.Cowley, born in Sydney Cove in 1793.

The Edward Lewis Montgomery Cummings Collection starts in the eighth session with a collection of natural gold nuggets, followed by USA Morgan and Peace dollars.

The ninth session sees the offering of the Cummings Collection of British silver and bronze coins which is strong in Queen Victoria, Edward VII and George V issues. The session concludes with a small run of British Trade Dollars.

The evening session commences with Sydney Mint sovereigns, 1855 to 1870 complete; Imperial sovereigns, Shield and St George reverse 1871-1901 complete with varieties. Later sovereigns include 1920 and 1922 Melbourne and 1923 Sydney.

The Cummings Australian Commonwealth is complete and in high grade and includes attractive examples of the 1925 and 1930 pennies.

The third day starts with Australian Historical Medals which include a choice Resolution and Adventure medal in silver and a nearly extremely fine example of the Separation of Victoria medal, 1850 by Geelong jeweller A.Ronalds. An engraved halfpenny relating to Captain William Bligh’s breadfruit expedition to Tahiti in 1793 should attract some attention.

The twelfth session includes stamps, documents, New Zealand banknotes, and the start of world banknotes in alphabetical order. The world banknotes continue through to the fourteenth session. Australian decimal notes conclude that session.

The fifteenth or third evening session is of Australian Banknotes; private banknotes and pre-decimal.

The final day commences with Ancient Greek and Roman coins followed by world coins, including a comprehensive series of China with part 1 of a world coin collection.

The sale closes with the nineteenth session at 4:30, consisting of world silver, historical medals and world gold coins.

For any further information please contact us on either (02) 9223 4578 (SYDNEY), (03) 9600 0244 (MELBOURNE), or info@noble.com.au.